The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
NEWS OF THE FIGHTERS
CORBETT ANXIOUS TO ARRANGE
MATCH WITH FITZSIMMONs.
Jenries II Being Urged to withdraw
May Re-Enter the Ring.

The proposed match between James ].
Corbett and Robert Fitzsimmons has prob
ably attracted more attention in the fstic
world the past few days than any other
pugtlistic rumor. A match between these
two fighters would cause more interest
than any contest that could be arranged,
even more than a battle between Jeffries
and Jack Munroe. Jim Corbett is reported
as saying he is ready to make a match
with Fitzsimmons at a moments notice.
All that is necessary is Fitz's consent to
fight and one of the greatest matches ever
made is sure to be arranged.
Corbett has declared that the one man
he wants to meet Is Fitzsimmons and he
is willing to fight him within a year. He
said he would before that time, but he
wants to get over the awful beating Jeffries
gave him last month.
For four years l chased Fitz for
fight, said Corbett- 81 never got IT. When
he saw me a helpless beaten man in the
ring after Jeffries got through with me
he wanted to arrange match with me
right away. He knew 1 could stand little
punishment In bout even six months later.
He figured / would be a mark for him.
That was the only time he ever expressed
desire to fight me. But he will be forced
to do SO, and within year we will have
tend retiring until after 1 meet Fitz-
simmons.
He has said lot of things about me.
Well, all he has to do is to name a date,
and we Will soon draw up set Of articles
of agreement.
"Of course, 1 would fight others IL the
right kind of money Is shown me- One
thing is that I will train for any man I
will not go into a ring out of shape for
any kind OF dub want to be as fit
for one of them as 1 was for Jeffries.''
Jim Jeffries Is now being urged to drop
the color line and take on the best of the
black heavyweights. No one thought Of
Jeffries fighting any Of the colored pugilists
before he met Corbett, for the reason that
none Of them was thought to have
chance. Now that Jack Munroe has crawled
out OF match and there is no other white
boxer In sight, unless IL be Gus Rubin,
who has come forward with def to the
champion, the California promoters are
gently urging Jeffries to forget that he re-
Gently drew the color line Jeffries recently
made remark that he would fight any
one for whom there was a public demand.
The promoters are naturally seeking to
create public demand and are urging that
Jenries agree to match with Sam McVey,
California colored slugger McVey has
been in several battles and has never been
hurt. He recently put Denver Ed Mar
weighs 215 pounds. 1t is said he is a very
hard hitter and no one has ever been able
to shake him with blow. He will, before
long, fight for the colored heavyweight
championship with Jack Johnson. He is a
| novice and few men believe he would be
able to give Jeffries much OF an argument
Jeffries has met one colored opponent In
his life. He had a battle with Peter Jack
son early In his career and beat Peter in
three rounds. The people who are urging
Jeffries to drop the color line are point
ing to the fact that he once met Jackson.
Middleweight Champion Tommy Ryan
| does not fancy idleness, and is talking of
returning to the fighting game. His trip
| to the coast did him a lot of good and
| Ryan now weighs some twenty pounds
| more than he did few months ago. He
| has entirely recovered from the stomach
| trouble which gave rise to the cancer re-
ports, and with systematic course of
exercise thinks he will be as good as he
| ever was. Ryan says that any one who
| can weigh in below 160 can get a battle.
provided there is enough in sight