The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-02-24
HOW BOB PLATED BIG FRESHMAN
Allowed the Gentleman to Chase Him
All Around the Ring for a Bit and
Then When He Got Good and
Ready Stepped Up and Knocked
the Hibernian Into the Middle OF
the Ensuing Week.

somebody, and in order to show that
he can make at least 1853 pounds, he
expresses a willingness to meet
Tommy Ryan of Syracuse for the
middlewelght championship, and Ryan
says he will make match. says the
New York Sun. Ryan for some time
has been declaring that he is the
middlewelght champion of America,
and, barring Fitzsimmons, probably
is, but Fitzsimmons, who won the
middleweight championship from
Jack Dempsey has never been beat
en- for the title.
The Cornishman says that he can
easily get below the middleweight |
limit. He has always maintained that
he weighed less than 1853 pounds
when he whipped Jim Corbett at Car
son City, ana when Jeffries put him
away at Coney island in II rounds, |
but there are ring followers who in
sist that Robert in those battles
weighed all of 165 pounds. Still i'll
Fitzsimmons can make 1853 pounds,
it is up to Ryan to fight him at that
weight or cease laying claim to the
middleweight honors.
Ryan is a wonderful pugilist so far
as science goes. He has often been
pronounced the cleverest fighter in
the world with the exception of Cor
bett, who never had much on
the Syracuse man.. But Ryan has
had a penchant for easy marks, and
has been very wary of men in the
foremost ranks. 1t was at Coney
island several years ago when Ryan
entered the ring to fight the colored
heavyweight, known as the Harlem
Coffee Cooler" that Tom O'Rourke
challenged him to meet Joe WalcOtt,
the giant killer" Walcott's money
was up and a match seemed unavoid-
able when Ryan concluded to draw
the color line, which, of course, shut
Walcott out
Had Ryan consented to meet Wal
colt then he might have suffered de-
feat, as Joe was in wonderful condi-
ton and was beating all corners witt
consistency that made him the
talk of the fighting world. But Ryan
evidently knew on which side his
bread was buttered, SO he avoided a
match, and has taken good care to
steer clear of Walcott ever since.
For this reason it has been charged
that Ryan possesses white feather
somewhere in his makeup which
some people believe he will show be
fore he gets through negotiating Will
,Fitzsimmons.
Ryan met mysterious Billy Smitl
over in Maspeth several years ago
fierce rough house affair. Tin
Hurst was the referee. and he eau
toned Smith for foul tactics in thu
very first round. Soon after Smitl
went to fooling again and butte'
Ryan over ,le eye. cutting a dee
cash. Ryan burst into tears and i'm
plored Hurst to stop the mill. TIL
referee instantly complied with tn
request and disqualified Smith, VIII
followed Ryan out of the building
denouncing him as a coward.
Ryan, as a weller weight, wa
soundly whipped by Mccoy Thl
battle also took place at Maspetl
Mccoy was Ryan's pupil, and befor
going into the ring, the Kid tol
Ryan that he was not feeling wei
and Ryan promised not to hurt hin
but before the fight had gone tiv
rounds Mccoy had Ryan in all kind
of trouble. Tommy was literally CT
to ribbons. Under fearful punisl
ment he displayed remarkable gam
ness right up to the point where M
~, wit, &
on the jaw. Today, should Ryan an
Mccoy meet, the tables would pro
ably be reversed, for the reason tn;
Ryan has vastly improved in scienc
is bigger and heavier than eve
while Mccoy has gone so far bac
that only the most rigid trainil
would ever make him fit enough
have a chance.
But when it comes down to Eighth
Fitzsimmons. Ryan would face
proposition different from anythil
he has ever before experienced. Fl
is taller than Ryan, has long
reach and above the waist is
heavyweight. The Cornishman
probably the heaviest puncher in t
world, with the. possible exception
Jeffries. He is wonderful ring &c
eral, clever, tricky. and has had
much experience that he appears
overshadow Ryan. The Syracu
man, if he really possesses a we
heart, would find it a difficult matt
to mix up with Fitz, who is game
the core and a glutton for punt:
ment.
Ryan probably bases his belief tn
he can beat Fitz solely on his We
derful science. He probably fgur
that he is faster than the veter
Cornishman in point Of leg work a
that he can outpoint the Antipode