The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-31
JOE GRIM IS SHARP.
Italian Fighter, Who Can't Be
Knocked Out, Is shrewd and
Cunning.
George Gardeners Chances in His
Coming Fight with Fitz Look
Brighter.

Coming Fight With F1tz Look
Brighter.
Joe Grim is being taken so serious
1y by the New York and Boston sports
that 1t causes a smile among those
who are aware of the real merits of
the Italian champion. Grim has been
examined by physicians galore since
going to New York and some of their
reports make funny reading. One doc
tor says that the reason why Grim
has not been knocked out is that he
that he has not brains enough to be
knocked out. Another doctor says
that Joe is lacking in sympathetic
nerve and that there are no nerves on
his jaw to be affected by punch that
would knock out other pugilists. It
is also stated that his stomach is so
strong that he can't be hurt by
punch in that region. AS to Grim's
lack of brain power, the fact of the
matter is that while Grim is not an
educated man, he is a decidedly in
telHgent fellow and he has more
some of the boxing promoters have
found when they have attempted to
do business with them.
AS to being made of India rubber
or cast iron, or being differently con-
structed from any other man, the idea
| is nonsensical. The fact is that Grim
has been badly beaten by several
men, among them Charley Jennings,
| Eugene Spencer, Dave Holly, Bobby
! Thompson and Cub White. In his
recent contests with more noted men
Grim has not been given such a ter
| rife amount of punishment and it.
is pretty safe to say that in his palmy
! Th9r1nU 10hnSnn took Ins.
ishment on the jaws and stomach in
one fight than Grim has received in
all the contests in which he has taken
part. Johnson, while an experienced
| fighter, had a poor defense, and as a
rule paid very little attention to what
was coming, depending on his own
| hard blows for victory. Grim does not
know how ITO hit, but he has acquired
| considerable skill in defensive work,
! and, strange as it may seem, Is one
Of the hardest men to hit now in the
| ring. He keeps his jaw we'll covered
| and dances away every time an OPP
ponent sets himself for hard punch.
! It takes a fact man, as we'll as
skilful boxer, to hit Grim, the way he
is fighting nowadays, especially when
he is in the ring with a celebrated
fighter. He is then sharp and cum
ning-just the opposite of dumb.
The failure Of Bob F,itzsimmons to
knock out a comparatively unknown
boxer makes George Gardeners
chances in his coming fight with Fitzs
look much brighter. Ever since the
match was clinched it was loudly
whispered that the first good punch
| by Fitz would put Gardner out of the
running. His open style of boxing,
| it was said, would be just to Bob's lik-
| ing, as he has knack of slipping in
side, Of an opponents swings and lift
ing a right or left under the chin or
| on the side Of the jaw hard enough
J to take. down the money. ~
This might have been the case in
the past, but, judging from the way
in which he lambasted Grim on all
the Knockout points of his anatomy,
and that without keeping him OH the
floor long enough for the referee to
count ten over his PROSTATE body, his.
chances of doing the trick to George
is far from gratifying to his friends.
! Gardner, Of course, is not expected to
| be as tough a customer, from
punching bag standpoint, as IS Grim,
but whatever he lacks in capacity for
70 punishment he more than offsets in
general knowledge of the fighting
game.
l. George says the old man will be
easy for him; that he will play pos
sum with him for, say, about ten
rounds, when, as he figures. Fit will
I UG DIS HIup dS d uISl1I dS cltIu 1Ccloy= -
be wrung out, with him (George)
doing the wringing. Bob's failure to
stop Grim within six rounds will make
him more anxious than ever to get IN
the best condition possible for Gard
ner, as a defeat at the hands Of a
light heavyweight would send him SO
far in the rear of the pugilistic pro-
cession he would never get in the
front ranks again. His record, which
! is second only to that of Jeffries,
would be forgotten, and, like scores
of fighters before him, he would be a
! fighting machine beyond all patching
up for further use.
7 Altho the Bezenah family holds the
record with five members as boxers,
the Gardner boys Of Lowell. Mass, are
a good second. There are three sturdy
Representatives in the fighting, all with
good records George, the champion
light heavyweight, stands at the mead,
while Jimmy and Billy, lightweights,
have always done their share toward
making the name of Gardner famous
in pugilism. Besides the trio in the
boxing game there are four or i've
other boys in the family who are fol-
lowing various professions for living.
+ George has fought in all parts of the
country, while Jimmy and Billy have
confined most Of their operations to
the east.
They were born in County Glare,
Ireland, and live with their parents in
Lowell
Tommy Ryan. weighing 166 pounds,
i is still looking, the fighting field over
for. possible match. Outside of
O'Brien and possibly. Jack Root, his
i field seems limited. He says:
"Tell Houseman for me that I will
i fight his man Root if he can get him
within ten pounds of my weight.
will meet him before any good club for
. a good bit of money. just want Root
!, to name a Weight. Weigh about 16S
/ with my clothes on. That is about my
natural weight. I am waiting to hear
from England about Jack O'Brien.
| IT see Fitz is making a crack at
,i Corbett. I think there will eventually
he a fight between those two. / was
l behind Corbett when he met Jeffries
, and didn't see that Corbett was wor-
ried at all. He didn't talk that way
to me between rounds. The fellow
, that isn't bit nervous before a fight
isn't any good.
Those fellows, Corbett and Fitz,
l why shouldn't they fight. Fitz will
; certainly have to win his fight with
Gardner and not take any chances with
i that young fellow. Corbett is more
popular than ever. I guess he is the
s most popular heavyweight right now,
\ =. ,1r. l,nS