Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-18
BIG FIGHTER DEFENDS TITLE
EASILY AGAINST THE ONCE
POWERFUL coRBETT.
BATTLE OF TEN ROUNDS


the Blows of Sulivan's Conqueror
With Smles-Corbett Seems to
Have Lost Some of Former Cunning
San Francisco, Aug 15.-James j.
Jeffries last night, at Mechanics Pa
vilion in this city, demonstrated be-
yond a doubt his superiority over
James ]. Corbett and the prize fight
ing world by playing with the former
champion for nine rounds and then
sending him to the floor with two stiff
was confident all the way through the
fight and the vast audience could SEES
plainly throughout the contest that
the argum emit was all in Jeffries' ia
vor. Corbett did not fight even up to
his old standard and seems to have
lost rather than gained during his alb
sence from the ring.
The conqueror of Sullivan, for years
the idol Of the followers of prize
fighting, acknowledged last night that
Jeffries is the better man, and after
having tried in vain through nine
POUNDS to prove the opposite he walk
ed over to Jeffries' corner at the end
Of the fight, shook hands with the
champion and congratulated him upon
his prowess.
The end came shortly after the be-
ginning of the tenth round, when JEFF
fries planted one of his terrific left
swings on Corbett's stomach. The
man who conquered John l.. Sullivan
dropped to the floor in agony and the
memorable scene at Carson City, when
Bob Fitzsimmons landed his solar
p1exus blow, was almost duplicated.
This time, however, Corbett strug-
gled to his feet and again faced his
gigantic adversary. With hardly a
moments hesitation Jeffries again
swung his right and again landed on
Corbett's stomach. Jim dropped to the
flood and then it was that Tommy Ry-
an, seeing that it was all over, motion
ed to Referee Graney to stop the pun
ishment.
Jeffries Alone In His Glass.
The fight last night demonstrated
beyond all doubt that Jeffries stands
alone in his class. He showed re-
markable skill. Corbett, during the
first part of the fight, was almost out
pointed, and the few blows that he
landed on Jeffries were apparently
without sting. Jeffries was never in
better condition. He looked lighter
than usual, and the way he moved
about on his feet and the frequency
with which he encountered Corbett's
leads astonished everybody. Corbett,
in comparison with the big man oppos-
ed to him. looked very light, but was
really heavier than before He appear
ed to have lost some of his old time
speed and skill during the early part
of the fight, but this may have been
due to Jeffries' marvellous improve
ment.
Corbett's physical condition seemed
to be all that he claimed for it. He
stood many of Jeffries' terrific blows
without wincing and came back swing
ing lefts and rights and landing fire.
quently, but his blows hardly stung
Jeffries. Jeffries was not only strong.
er, faster and cleverer than ever be-
fore, but he used his head to better
purpose, and although Corbett would
hit him hard enough to hurt an ordi
nary man, Jeffries would bore right in
without noticing the blows and would
deliver telling hits that materially
helped to decide the result of the fight
At first Corbett was very cautious and
apparently was outpointed by Jeffries
but later in the fight he warmed ur
and showed some of his old time clev
erness. From the first, however, il
was generally regarded as hopeless
case for Corbett. He made a gallan
fight, but he never stood a show tc
win.
An Immense Crowd.
Ten thousand men were seated
about the arena in Mechanics pavil
ion at 8 o'clock This is one of The
largest crowds that ever assembled
at a ringside in this country, and thu
third largest sum in dollars and cents
ever contested for. The two that eX
ceeded it in receipts were the Corbett
Jeffries fight at Coney Island, $4,000
and the Corbett-McCoy fight at Madi
son Square Garden, New York, $63
600.
The scene about the big pavilion
from p. m. until the men stepped
into the ring was one of confusion
There was less trouble in handling
the big crowd than has been expel
fenced on similar occasions. An IN
usually large force of police was o.
hand, distributed on the outside a
the doors and throughout the pavilion
A force Of efficient ushers prompt
conducted the ticket holders to thei
seats.
At 9 o'clock Captain of Police Moor
ey entered the ring and had Billy Jol
dan announce that not until ever
man holding a ticket was seated woul
the big contest go on.
The Preliminaries.
Two preliminaries, the first a ST,
round draw between Frank Sheridan c
San Rafael and another of like lengt
between Jack Evans and Jerry Fail
banks, kept the big crowd intereste
until the hour of 9:15 p. M, the tim
Continued on Jage 50