The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-11-21
MUNROE NO MATCH FOR BOILER
MAkER-WlLl HAVE TO GET
A REPUTATION.
His Easy Victory Over Maher Is No
Indication That He Is a
World Beaten.

Saturday has failed to convince the
sporting fraternity that Munro has
any chance with Jeffries. 1t Is thought
that he would prove easy meat for
the champion, or for Corbett or F'itz.
Maher was never more than Sec
ond-rater, and he Is now popularity
supposed to be all in. Many who saw
the fight say that Munro did not
knock the Irish champion out, but
that the latter succumbed to exhaus-
ton. Maher is getting pretty well
along in years, and he never was
scientific fighter who could offset his
loss of endurance and strength by
cleverness. Munro must do cOns1d-
cradle more than whip Maher before
the public will concede him to be a
championship possibility.
Bob Fitzsimmons has sent out a
call for aid to prepare him for his
coming fight with George Gardner, and
thereby given the impression that he
believes he has the fight Of his life
on his hands. Fitz has asked Jack
Root, the Chicago light heavyweight,
to come to California.
The action is significant, inasmuch
much for hints from the outside. The
Cornishman has much natural con-
ceit. He thinks that he knows as
much about boxing and about his OPP
ponents as any other living man, and
in all his preparations he has been a
hard man to give pointers to. Some
take the invitation to Root to be a
slight confession of weakness on the
part Of the Cornishman. At all events
it signifies that Robert has laid aside
his belief in his own invincibility and
reached that point where he is willing
to ask for assistance.
There is another reason why Fftz-
simmons wants and needs a good man
like Root In most of his former
battles Fitz has had the advice of
George Dawson Of the Chicago Ath-
letic association, but in this instance
Dawson is not with him. When Fitz-
simmons stopped in Chicago on his
way west he said that he would make
all of his training arrangements after
he arrived in San Francisco.
When he arrived here he failed to
find just the man he wanted. There
is no doubt that the Cornishman has
missed Dawson, as the friendship be-
tween the two men has been very
close. Hence the invitation extended
to Root is not surprising.
There is probably no man in the
country who knows more about Gard
ner as an opponent than does Root.
He has fought the light heavyweight
champion three times. Root first won
on a foul in seven rounds, then he lost
in seventeen rounds. and the third
time was beaten in twelve rounds.
thrty-six rounds and in that time has
undoubtedly gained some valuable in
formation as to the methods that would
defeat Gardner.
Root realized after the battle at
Fort Erie last July that he took the
wrong tack with Gardner. and what
he could tell Fitzsimmons would prob
ably be of material aid to the Corn
ishman. Perhaps Root prefers to keep
his information for his own use. At
least, he has not yet accepted Fitz-
simmons bid.
Fitzsimmons has never seen Gardner
fight. He has heard great deal
about the Lowell man and believes
him to be a tough customer, but he
has never before worried for an in
slant about his ability to beat Gard
ner in the ring. The possibility that
he has underestimate Gardner now
seems to have taken hold of Fitz and
ne IS willing to go to any length to
md out something about his rival. 1t
would cost the Cornishman a good bit
to take Root to San Francisco and
F1tzslmmons never spends money un-
less he thinks he is going to get value
received.
San Francisco fight promoters seem
determined to inveigle Champion JEFF
fries into fighting Jack Johnson, the
colored heavyweight champion, title
ne earned by defeating Sam McVey.
When the latter put Denver Ed
Martin out of the championship run
ming in short order he was considered
the one man in the country capable of
giving Jeffries a fight His lack of
science was acknowledged, but his
weight, strength and hitting powers
were equal. it was said, to anything
the champion possessed in that line.
Johnson, because Of his light tapping
method of fighting, was not mentioned
IN the same breath with Jeffries or Nc
Vey at that time. but since he out
pointed Sam. Frisco promoters are
pltchforking him to the front as the
coming champion. Jeffries has times
without number stated he would not
night COlOro6 man for tho oborn{o1.