Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-18
THE PUGILISTS.
Munroe is Working Hard to Get on With Jeffries

He May Have to Tackle Several Be
 fore That Time, However-Terry
 McGovern Still Has the Punch
 Dave Sullivan Bobs Up Again--Wil-
 lie Fitzgerald Was Beaten Last
 Night.
 Jack AIunroe, the man who thinks that some day he will defeat Jeffries for the championship of the world, has taken the right course to get into the front rank. Instead of rushing straight into a fight with Jeffries, he is gradual Iy gaining experience by meeting in- ferior pugilists. Peter Maher was put away expeditiously, and then Al Linn erick met similar fate. It Is q fact that no less a judge Of fighters than Tom O'Rourke believed that he had world beater in Limerick. ORourke told a reporter ten days ago that the Buffalo longshoreman was the most natural fighter he had ever seen. As soon as he learns something said O'Rourke, t'he'll be dangerous" And
 
 fighter every angle of> the game, the impression prevailed that Limerick would profit immensely. Munroe, who knows only the rudiments of boxing and cannot expect to be finished fighter for some time yet, has several things in his favor. notably gameness. strength and a natural fighting 1n- stinct. He is intelligent and wants to learn. It Is the intention of his man. ager to put him up against lot or easy marks and then gradually fit him for the battle of his life with Jeffrles Before reaching that particular goal however. it may be necessary for Mun- roe to tackle Corbett, Fftzsimmons, Gardner. Sharkey and Ruhlin, any or whom could at present, 1t Is believed, make things very warm for the man ! from Montana.
 There are only two things absolute l Iy certain-death and taxes. But this is a close second.
 Him Corbett and Bob FitZsimmons will fight.
 And the prologue of abuse prior to the big show goes merrily on. Fitz has had the latest innings. l ssPd like to do business with this .has-been' Corbett," is the most recent ! rap from the blacksmith's hammer. 1 ssIt took me three years to get chance at him once, and beat him good and plenty. There are those, and good | iudges. too. who said that Corbetl 1 ni1if want to be charitable. anu sav that I knocked him out. am willing to admit that my fighting days are over. My hands are not as good as they used to be, and have come 10 the age where nature will overcome will power. But am good enough to return to the ring any time CorbetI wants to fight, and will knock all the conceit out of him. even if am an old man.
 The pair will surely draw big 1 house. for all who can tell boxing glove from a cheese sandwich know that it will be fight. Both are popu- lar. Strange though it may seem, q defeated champion sometimes snug oles closer to the public heart after his downfall than when he stood erect on the high ground.
 Inst after Corbett beat John l.. Sui- IIiyan the late John Forepaugh, then manager. of Forepaugh's theater m Philadelphia was asked how he would like to book the new champion. !.
 eTd far rather book sullivan quickly replied Forepaugh. sullivan is more a popular idol now than he was before his. defeat. John will draw twice as well as Corbett, and for a long time to come"
 The old theatrical manager was right in his Judgment as was proved when they followed each other at Tom Kelly's National theater in Philadel- phia. Corbett played to good busi- ness, but the house wasn't large enough to hold the crowds that want ed to see the beaten champion.
 It was much the same way when Fitzsimmons beat Jack Dempsey. In stead of hailing the victor, the public couldn't forgive the Australian for
 tearing down its idol.