The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-07
SPORTING NEWS.
Battle Between Sharkey and
Munroe Discussed.
The Battle Should Be Hard
Fought and Close.
BUTTE MAN LARGEST.
The Miner Has Improved Won
derfully Of Late
But the Sailor Is Courageous
and a Game Fighter.


New York, Jan. Now that Tom
Sharkey and Jack Munroe are really
matched and there is no doubt that
they will fight. sporting men are rapidly
taking sides. Some say that Munroe
will have as much chance with the sail
or as a lamb has with the wolf. Others
declare as positively that Munroe will
beat Sharkey without any more trouble
than he did Peter Maher and Al Linn
erick. There will be betting on this
fight when the time comes.
1t seems evident, however, that any
man who can knock out Peter Maher
in four rounds will have a chance to
beat Sharkey or any other fighter who
can be beaten with a punch. Sharkey
has been beaten by both Fitzsimmons
and Rubin. He has absolutely I'M
limited courage and willingness to fight,
but, although he went twenty-five
rounds with Jeffries. it is possible for
him to be whipped.
Munroe is a bigger man than the sail
or and nearly, If not quite, as strong
in build. If anything, he knows more
of the varieties of blows used in the
ring. He fights in much the same man
ner that Sharkey does in point of ag-
gressiveness, but he hits straighter and
with better judgment
Sharkey has a terrible "wallop" with
either hand. He knocked Rubin out
once with a single punch on the point
of the chin. He nearly broke Kid
Mccoy in two with a. blow in the pit of
the stomach. He beat Corbett about the
ring so savagely that that clever fight
er's second jumped through the ropes
to save him from a knockout. He
knocked Fftzstmmons down harder than
any other fighter ever did in all that
gentleman's experience.
And with all that the sailor has
! Ind f1fxy Of Of 10
command. He swings the left and fol-
lows it instantly with the right He
hits with one hand after the other at
the chin and with one after another at
the body He ruSheS all the time. If
he is hit hard he does not vary the pro-
gramme, but keeps boring in. That is
the way to beat a man who cannot hit
or who cannot take a lot of punishment.
1t is not the way to whip man who is
strong and hard hitter.
Sharkey would find less trouble by far
in running over and beating down Cor
bett than he would in doing the same
! thing to Munroe, although as a boxer
Munroe does not begin to compare with
the Californian.
Munroe has improved much since he
} came here agyear ago after his bout
with the champion in Montana. Then
he did not know enough about boxing
to start preliminary fighter in Phil
adelphia. Since then he has worked
with such men as Tom West fit to
his fight with Maher, a couple of
, months ago. he showed the beginning
, of some cleVerness. With Limerick he
lagain showed Improvement. By the
time he gets into the ring with Sharkey
he will be a different fighter.
.Munroe uses a good, straight hand.
J His jab lands hard, with Earring eff
feet. That is one of the best blows to
beat Sharkey with. Fitzsimmons, in
his last fight with the sailor used that
to great advantage. He merely straight
ened Sharkey up with the left, holding
him off in good position with wallop
with the right. In the ring of the Ma
tional Sporting club of London Rubin
! did exactly the same thing. He jab-
bed Sharkey with the straight left,
holding him away so far that the sail
ors blows, his short wings, could not
reach, but missed Rubin by a foot or
so.
Munroe did that with Limerick. If
he can jab Sharkey. and keep himself
out of range of that hook that the
sailor uses he will win.
Another of the blows that Munroe
) will use, without a doubt, is right
t hand hook into the body. That is one
of his best, and is the blow with wnlch
he claims to have dropped Jeffries. He
steps straight in, feinting or jabbing
: with the left, draws his left arm across
: his jaw as a guard, and drives the right
below his rivals defense, landing over
. the heart or in the pit of the stomach.
Sharlxey once took a terrible beating
from Jeffries on that spot. He will
never forget his broken ribs and per-
haps he is not able to endure as much
on that spot as he could before that
fight. Fitzsimmons, with his shift and
left hook to the body, battered the
same spot-another blow that the sailor
remembers Munroe can hit hard with
that blow. If he can land it the punch
will do damage
But with all his improvement in hit
ting Munroe has no defense worth mem
tioning Sharkey viii not have great
trouble in getting his fists across to
the miners body or jaw unless Munroe
makes his defense by landing first and
taking the sting out of the sailors
punches That is the best defense, but
now and then it does not work. Young
Corbett does more defensive work by
hitting or eountering inside of his ad-
versary's blows than he does by cover
ing.
This fight should be smashing bat
tie. both men hitting hard and often
until the end comes. Both will show
signs of wear before the referee begins
that final count of ten over one or the
other. There will be little attempt to
defensive work. Sharkey Will swing,
Munroe will hit straight or use short
hooks. Since the fighters are closely
matched in strength and aggressive
ness it should give a good line on the
comparative values of these styles OF
fighting.