Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-04
BIG BATTLE At
FORT ERIE TODAY.
lack Root and Geo, Gardner Fight
For Light Heavyweight Title.
MUCH LOCAL INTEREST.
Fight 20 be Clean Break-Away and
Men Are Very Evenly Watched
O'keele- Britt

There Is battle IN the roped arena at
Fort Erie this afternoon that has at
uacted considerable local interest by
reason Of the fact that the men fought
here last August The battle Is between
Jack Root and George Gardner for the
light heavyweight championship Of the
world. and that each man will do his
very best is foregone conclusion.
Many local admirers Of Root believe
That ne has more than an even chance
By reason Of the fact that the fight Is
to be clean break away affair, and Il
Is known that Gardner is at his best ut
IN fighting, They account for Root )
defeat here by saying that he broke his
hand early in the fight The battle this
afternoon should decide the question Of
which Is the better man, for all time to
come.
So much has already been said Of the
comparative qualities Of Root aud Gard
ner that there is little to add. They are
as evenly a matched pair Of men as ever
entered the rope arena, They are
equal in height, weight and other
points. Both are strong temperate
young fellows and each is stalking his
reputation on the result of the encoun.
ter
Gardner and Root have been training
at Buffalo and Fort Erie and are ready
for battle. Betting on the fight Is 50 far
urnnpI frbas. L. az
son to see why one should be even q
slight choice over the other by some
Gardner has been made slight choice
because of his defeat Of Root in this
city last summer aud because of the ef-
fectlye manner In which he disposed OF
Marvin Hart at Louisville These fights
are Offset. however by Roots defeat OF
Gardner and by his ability TO best Hart
In a six round fight at the Lyceum club
in Chicago laN winter ANA hts victory
over Kid Mccoy Both men have
proven their superiority over KID Car
ter one might go back through their
earlier fights and find the same equal
ity. Roots record is more even ana he
has never been beaten but once. Gard
ner has had harder time Of II. lie
came up gradually and after a trip
abroad came back to this country and
at once forged TO the front
The purse for the Fort Erie hattie Ia
$500. but from the promises NJ n large
crowd It is likely the fighters viii pre.
fer 10 take a percentage of the receipts
as they are given the optiOD of doing.
They are offered 60 per cent up To Sij.-
900, and 80 per cent Of an receipts above
that amount They weighed An AT
l6j pounds nt O'Clock this morn.
ing and are To fight at 3 o'clock
The FIGHT viii be The cleyernese NJ
Root agalns, the strength AND great in.
fighting ability Of Gardner Root 10 nm.
doubleday the more clever. while Card.
ner is uncNcelIed as Yn effective in.
fighter Because clean bJtass arc f.,
rule at Fort Erie and no ipfig,ctlone ar
this are tolerated, jnauy have picked
Root TO be NO an advantage II certain.
ly viii be- no disadvantage 10 Root. but
Gardner Is a fighter who seems To he
able to adapt himself 90 cirrumst1occs
Eddie Mcbride the man who nae neon
chosen To- referee the battle may haven
task On his hands 10 make Gardner nm.
derstand Just what clean brrak
means TO avoid any misundctstaud.
the fighters before thev enter the rlng
and come To complete understord,ng
He Is on The ground ana h nersonaii,,
acquainted with both mon Tho Inter.
national Athletic chb which nne,ott.,
the Fort Erie arena. should fake ma
chances Of a MISUNDERSTANDING nj tbe
ring side. Both men win he U7.li ban-
died for the fight Tom Sharkey and
George Dawson have been chosen IN
look after Root during tine battle
In order hat the winner may have n
trophy OF his victory Manager focr
Herman win give diamond p1odol Tbe
conditions under which inc medal Win
be given make It similar TO a chamnion-
shin belt The winner of IN r,,,s, i'i'',
ject TO challenge and must defend 4, NJ
class weight The idea la "a good one
10 s possible for the modal 20 bcoc,,,a
q historic trophy. Town n per,noront-
BY the holder OF II must eurcrssfnii. a.
fend Il three times Herman has dac,G.1
That class weight mrang Ia nn,,,d. 80 ca.
me light haayywelrbt Division 1 |srtot iu'
y mat notch Is fair enough consider.
me The light heavyweight material in
sight al the present time
II Is very unhecomlng inst ot tho
present time for Sic Hart TO na g ~ any my
thief at Jack O'Keere mst 6eoau' p
Jack Saw id TO paddle his o,sn ce @oos
ana arrange fight with Jimmy Rrit, in
San Francisco. allowing Sic IN faii bv
Inc Wayside as the managing kld
Hart has looked aflor 0' Keefe's ,rte~.
sts and in Justice 10 tbo iit,lc man.
lger ID must be- said WIN surccss Imt
DKcefc decided to ibroW nT tho r, "u'
lgerial yoke ana handle bir,saI, ia
therefore arranged ,noth.r m.foh Nm
Britt and this lime ain The rnoney KAN
be- coming 90 him. 1-bore viii bo M
managers end. wa w i'O
Now comes Hart and states thst ,,o
'ouing 0ghl is a prearr,r,oJ taL i"' ',i
hgt Brltt is paving O'Ke.fo ~ ' "n d' "''a
10 him. Even Were n truo u w. - .S noSI
fler The amount M nnDi ~ a., 90 1 no ~