Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-24
CHANCES OF FIGHTERS.
Those Of Pitzslmmons and Geo, Gardner
Carefully Weighed by Naughton.

w. w. Naughton, sporting writer
on the san Francisco Examiner, has
the following to say concerning George
Gardner and Bob Fitzsimmons In re-
lation to their coming fight.
George Gardner arrived In San
Francisco last Wednesday night and
at the latest reports was casting
around for place TO camp, so that he
might begin to prepare himself for his
November fight with Bob Fltzsim-
mons, The Cornlshman has telegraph
ed that he will be here on the 10Th OF
this month, 80 that 1t Is made to appear
that he, too, sees the advisablllty Of
beginning the work Of training early.
Ii IL just as well for those who pin
their faith TO Ftzslmmons that betting
on the contest will not begin for some
weeks yet, If wagering was inaugurated
tomorrow and the prices We're regu-
lated by the opinions that exist, Fitz-
simmons would be 10 to I favorlte. It
very often happens, however that first
Impressions of match change gradu-
ally when the men have been a little
while IN training and this will be the
case no doubt with regard to the Fltz-
simmons Gardner affair
OF course, those who are foretelllng
an overwhelming victory for Fitzsim-
mons base their ideas on the form Fitz-
slhnlmons displayed In previous fights.
They argue that the Cornlshman must
feel that he Is still factor In pugillsm
or he would not have signed with
Gardner, Their confidence in Flt2slm-
mons is inspired by his seeming conf
dence IN himself. ana they hold that
If he can put UP a fight that viii be in
line with the average Of his fights OF
the past five years Gardner Is bound
TO drain the cup Of defeat 10 the dregs.
The fellows who reason thus are not
trusting to figures" or records alto
gether They have not seen Gardner
or Fltzsmmons In action many times
In this city one thing which influences
them against Gardner more than all
others Is his poor showing against col
ored Jack Johnson in this city I'm Octo-
Der of last year
They saw the rangy colored fellow
BATTLE Gardner at every point aud but
fet him. as though he were the merest
novice at the game, and remembering
all this they cannot be made to think
that Gardner has q ghost OF a show
with the strawberry haired slugger
with the ninty frecked fists.
Truth to tell even those who fancy
Gardeners chances good, are
not instituting comparisons be-
tween the men In the ord.
nary way The question with them
Is, to what extent has FltzsImmons re-
trograded?
Their arguments suggest that they
are ready to admit Fitzsimmons out
classes Gardner aud that they pick
Gardner to win simply because they be.
lieve Fit2slmmons has deteriorated.
Fltzsimmons' age Is something
Gardner man can always back up
against when his end Of discussion
wakes wahbly, and another thing FIRE.
quenlly referred 10 Is the fact that
Flt2slmmons AZ little or no sparrlng
when he helped TO train Jeffries al Har.
bin.
The story In circulation In this con
nectlon Is that the Corulshman could
not stand the pace Jeffries wished 10
set and that as a consequence Rob was
sidetrackc1 until such time as he took
umbrage a left the camp.
Yet another piece Of proof advanced