The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-03
Fitzsimmons Appears to Over
shadow Pug Ryan.
Betting Men Favor COrnishman
in Coming Mill.
HAD MORE EXPERIENCE
Syracuse Fighter Is a Clever
Boxer and Very Scientific.
1t Is Claimed, However, That
He Likes d" Easy Marks

New York. Feb. 3.-DeVotees Of the
prize ring are manifesting more than
usual interest in the proposed Fitzsin-
rons-Ryan bout. Ryan for some time
has been declaring that he won the mid
dleweight championship from Jack
Dempsey. and has never been beaten
for the title.
Ryan is a wonderful pugilist. as far
as science goes. He has often been pro-
nounced the cleverest fighter in the
world, with the exception Of Corbett,
who. at that, never had much on the
Syracuse man. But Ryan has had Il
penchant for easy marks" and has
been wary Of men in the foremost
ranks.
AT Coney Island several years ago
Ryan entered the ring TO fight the negro
heavyweight. known as The Harlem
Coffee Cooler" when Tom O'Rourke
challenged him to meet Joe Walcott, the
Giant Killer" Walcott's money was
up and a match seemed unavoidable,
when Ryan suddenly concluded to draw
the color line. which, Of course smut
WaIcott out Ryan evidently knew on
which side his bread was buttered. so
he avoided a match and has taken good
care to steer clear of Walcott ever since.
For this reason il has been charged
that Ryan possesses a white feather,
somewhere in his makeup, which, some
people believe, he viii show before he
gets through negotiating with tltzsim-
mons.
Ryan met Mysterious Billy" Smith
over at Maspeth several years ago in a
fierce "rough-house" affair. Tim Hurst
was the referee and he cautioned Smith
for foul tactics in the very first round.
Soon afterwards Smith went to fouling
again and butted Ryan over the eye.
cutting a deep CASH Ryan burst into
tears and implored Hurst to stop the
mill. The referee instantly complied
with the request and disqualified Smith,
who followed Ryan cut of the building,
denouncfng him as coward.
Ryan. as a Welterweight, was soundly
vs. hipped by Kid Mccoy. Mccoy was
Ryan's pupil. and before going into the
ring the Kid told Tommy that he was
feeling i'll. Ryan promised not to hurt
him. but before the fight had gone five
ROUNDS Mccoy had Ryan in ali kinds
ribbons. Under fearful punishment he
displayed remarkable garneness right up
to the point where Mccoy knocked him
cold with a smash on the jaw
When it comes down to fighting F'itz-
simmons, Ryan would face PROPOSE
ton different from anything that he has
ever before experienced FltzsimmOns
is taller than Ryan. has a longer reach
and above the waist is q heavy weight.
The Cornishman is probably the heav-
Jest puncher i'm the world, with q pos
sibIe exception of Jeffries He is a won
derful ring general clever, tricky and
has had SO much experience that he
appears TO overshadow Ryan.
The Syracuse man if he really pos
sesses weak heart, would find it a
difficult matter to mix 1t up with Fitz-
simmons who is game to the core and
gluttOn for punishment.
Fitzsimmons, it may be said, has all
the fighters beaten mile when it
comes down to thickness in the ring
I47 slrs1rr liz
knockout bout with JEFF Thorn in the
Madison Square Garden at John L. Sui
Hvau's benefit three years ago, viii new
er forget the antics OF the COrnishman.
But it was a four round bout over in
Newark ten years ago that Fitzsim-
mons gave his best imitation of taking.
In order to draw a crowd. some local
sporting men dug up an Irishman
named Jack Hickey, who had just come
over from the Emerald Isle. with the
declaration that he was the middle
weight champion of that country. Those
who had Hickey in tow told him that
the only way to beat Fitz was to wade
right in from the start. swinging right
and left for the head. They also told
F1tz about the Irishman. and Bob got
into the humOr of the affair Immediate
ly. When Hickey got into the ring that
night he was confident of winning an
easy victory.
II never seen this F1tzsimmons," said
Hickey to his seconds, but when / do
III tell yez how easy it'll be"
The crowd broke into cheers as Fitz-
simmons appeared Robert wore "a
scared look and apparently was so rat
tied that he could not climb through the
roDes. One OF his seconds showed him
how to get into his corner. and the mo-
ment he sat down he was seemingly in
a tremble,
why. the sDalDeen is licked now.
exclaimed Hickey. His knees is a.
knocl1in' together and he wants to Quit
Ha.I.lI