The St. Louis Republic., 1903-02-17
Philadelphia Boxer Declares OFF
Match With Terry Set for
To-MOrrOw Evening.
CCRBETT CHANGES ATTITUDE.
Former Heavyweight Champion
Now States He Ii Willing
to Meet .JeffrieS in Il
Finish Fight.

Tim Callahan mas suddenly spoiled what
looked like most promising match by re-
fusing to go against Terry McGovern at
Philadelphia in the bout set for tomorrow
night. Callahan gave short notice Of his
intentions, mercy informing the club yes
terday that he had decided not TO meet Nc
Govern.
As Terry had been training fer the battle
for some time past. the sudden upsettlng OF
his plans may operate TO throw him out OF
training for a time. His matches with
Benny Yanger and Abe Attell are still some
weeks away and IL is thought probable
that he will let up on his work Tor time
to avoid the possibility of overtrainins.
Yanger seems in earnest in his desire to
meet McGovern, and such a night shouid
furnish a slashing match. particularly as II
may be fought in Philadelphia. instead OF
at Fort Erie. as 60 first planned. In the six
round goes permitted in Philadelphia ootn
men will have TO go at one another from
the tap OF the gong. AS far as speed IS con-
cerned, 1t should discount the Su!liVan-Mc-
Govern match Of a year ago:
Yanger is now working with Martin DunS
and reports are current that Benny Is ne-
voting all his time to developing hltung
powers He possesses this attribute in no
inconsiderable degree, but evidently wishes
to prepare for every possible contngehG;y =;
in The McGovern battle. Ii Terry goes IN
to s.ug Yanger clearly desires TO meet MN
al his own game
Jim Corbett made quite an impression at
Buffalo where he remained for several
weeks in the hope that his challenge TO
Jeffres would result in bout at Fort Erie
Sporting men of that city are warm IN their
Endorsement of his condition, and they take
his recent declaration that he would mcet
Jeffries in finish fight If the champion re
fused a ,imited-round go as a reasonable
Moreover. they assert that the former
champion does not lack hitting power 10
the degree generally believed. Ccrbstt MN
self has said that he practced the it-ano-
getaway style mercy because all his op-
ponents in his championship days We're ter
rife htters ana men equally large as MIN,
self. Corbett always stated that ne toiiowed s'sd
/ Sullivan because either man was admittedly
the hardest hitter Of his day.
Corbett was lighter than Sullivan when
claims that he adopted the same sprinting
style of fighting for 4 time that he did when
he met jackson. He always claimed that ne ne
ever. and pointed to his bat,ses with
Charley Mitchell and Peter Courtney as IN
stances Of this He disposed Sd OF MitGhe fa,Ia to i
turn the trick in thirty rounds; and ne
knocked Courtney out as he pleased: afle:
playing with Peter for six rounds Tor the
benefit OF a kiretoscope concern.
When he fought Sharkey. he stated tha'
he was in bad trim. and TIE Jab-and-ge.,, I,
away style was essentially the correct
method to fight man Of the sailor rush-
ing tactics Corbett has always claimed that
he had enough fltllIk pONtE "
own with any man but has freely admitted
that he had so developed the other style
of work that IL became second nature VII
him; that ne instinctively resotted 10 MT
ting and slipping away rather than to stand
up and spar at close range
He has stated that he does not intend t.
fight JefffieS on the mixing nrInclpi". II
he ever gets match with the cnafnpioH'
= When Corbett was at a local summer saf
den last September. ne freely admitted tnat
Jeffries was the harder hitter. Later, wher,
he was appearing at theater here. ana
was boxing with various local men az the
Business Mems Gymnasium: he SAID that he
did not hope to ever defeat Jeffries by
roughing it with him. .,o, ..,s
to lab Jef and get away from him. ! am
lot quicker than he is. but he Is q whoie
s lot the harder hitter. don't intend mSrsin
to try and win on points. though have
more of a punch up my slseve than me me
\ average person seems to believe, and nave
knocked out good many men IN my tfhe'
& / can do Ii again.
'if land on Jcffs stomach often enough
l can dispose OF hm just as | can hnish Z
lighter man; ! don ri thipk NIX he was Sas an acl
cidental blow that he landed IN the twenty
third round of our fight-at least. II was
accidental so far as J was concerned. as
tried to step back instead of ducking around
it, AS l was against the ropes at me time
he caught me with It,.
Corbetts intentions. i'll case ne getS on z
finish bout with Jeffries. as last resource
would probably be to follow a policy of css-
at boxing and jeff.tesis weil-known ten
dencv of bleeding. CorbeT: may possibly in
tend to hammer Jeff's nose and mouth untii
who saw the Sullivan No Pacden light at
the West End Club and who noticed now
the blood in his mouth and nose threw
Tommy out of the race can appreciate the
value OF such a policy. -
To alternate with This, he may possibly
make Jeffs eyes his objective point and de-
pend upon putting them up until it, ne mas one one
closed. II he can accomplish either pur.
pose inside OF twenty rounds, he would not
be at such a disadvantage after all.
One thing seems certain. and that Is. Jeft-
r;es will have TO fight Corbctt IL he is to re-
tain a vestige of popularity in the ring or III
he is to uphold his reputation as champion.
Corbett seems sincere In his desire to hsht.
Jeffrics should be forced to recognize the
former champion or some other heavy
weight boxer of class.
Speaking of heavy-weights. the big negro.
Jack johnson. is persistently bobbing up in
the West with claims for fight. Johnson
has been highly touted of late; and. while
he lacks extensive ring experience he is
said TO be a fairly good man.
HIS poor showing against Childs. whom
he defeated by rather narrow margin,
turned many against him. But Il must be
recalled that Childs is a tough proposition
for any man. especially in short bout.
He is admittedly clever fighter and the
fact that his brother negro only won by a
narrow margin should not be counted too
strongly against him.
OF course, johnson would stand no show
at present against Jeffries. But he is re-
garded as one of the promising candidates
In the heavyweight class, and may proba-
bly, develop into high-class man. He is
where the memory of Peter Jackson has
made the sports turn out in force to see
any negro who gives promise of adding
new history TO the ring.
From the history of the prize ring it
-