The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-14
FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Although the Co.hett-Jcffries match is by
long odds the most important of any 10 be
fought in the rsNt two months, the pToN.in-
ity q the Root-Gardner affair. set for July
at Fort Erie. is overshadow!ng the hrsi-
mentioned event The Fort Erie bout must
be considered the affair OF most moment at
this time.
Root and Gardner are to meet for what Is
announced as the "light-heavy-weight IT,
tie While this class has not been officially
recognized prior to the last year or SO, the
scrapperS in that division certainly have 4
right to organize themselves into separate
bunch and fight for the title of that class
if they are so disposed; and there is no rea-
son 10 suppose that the light heavy weights
vii, not be a fully recognized class in the
prize ring hereafter.
Il has always seemed as II the scarcity OF
material IN the heavyweight division was
caused by the absence of another class. sep
arating the good light men from the good
heavy men. Under. the old rules lA pounds
was the middle-weight limit. This was
raised 10 l5s by Bob Fitzsimnons. Any good
man of i6S or thereabouts was forced 10
battle heavier men at catch weights
An old adage of the ring TO the eject mat
Il man weighing los pounds was big enough
10 take care of himself in any company
lowers OF the London prize ring. But In
modern times when the game Is much more
scientific than it ever was before, patrons :s
are inclined to favor splitting up the big
fellows by another class
Root, Gardner, Mccoy and Carter would
ali come in the new division. Bob Fitzsim-
mons would also be entered in such class.
This would give a good array to start with,
assuming that Mccoy and Fftzsimmons are
not yet dead letters.
When the old adage about 1sS-pound men
was first brought up the originator probably
counted on he lighter man making up his
deficiency Of weight by speed-even though
speed was not anywhere near the mark de-
veloped under the Queensberry rules later
on. Weight is too important question to
be ignored in any fight, however. 1t takes
men of exceptional Quickness. like Jim Cor
bett or Attell. to be able to rise superior 10
weight IN an opponent. and their ability TO
Jeffries is so tremendously big and heavy
that. were it not for the generally accepted
ideas that all men over 1eo ought to fight
in finding opponents Of his own weight. I'm
der the same ruling, however. Root and
Gardner would have to meet a man proba-
bly, sixty pounds their superior in weight.
jim Cor5ett Will be conceding at least thir-
ty-iivc pounds. and probably much more, to
Jetfries when they come together. FitzStm-
mons conceded about the same amount. his
little fiction about st.ll being within reach
OF l65 pounds being taken for what 1t is
worth. II any fighter in the lighter divi-
siors attempted to concede this weight he
would be counted as crazy.
suppose an effort would be made mere &c
match little Danny Daugherty with Mike
Schreck or Andy Walsh. The affair would
be regarded as a huge joke. Yet Corheti
will concede that much difference in weight
10 Jim Jeffriss when he meets him. Jeffries
has fought every battle al a tremendous adj
vantage. but it is too much TO expect the
lighter division Of heavy weights TO line W
against such polderous mass of flesh.
The creation of Z new class. therefore
VIII be approved. The men who are bat
ting for the title seem good representatives
OF the division.
Root and Gardner are both clever men
cley ercr than is usual among men of theil
weight. Speed IS generally credited to Roof
when comparisons are drawn, as it i:
thought he is quicker with both feet anG
hands than is his opponent.
Gardner is a rough-and-ready fighter
clever enough at long range. but PREFER -
to mix at short distance. Exactly why lt
should choose this latter style of fighting
considering that he will probably have the
advantage of reach by several inches over