Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-26
THE PUGIL.lSTS.
THE GRIZZLY
 IS BETTER
Jeffries Now Shaping Him. self for MunrOeTommy Ryan Issues a Challenge
 Other News.

Tn a letter to friend, Jim Jeffrles, Writing from Oakland, says:
 My leg IS as strong again as it ever was, and there will be no need of any further postponement of the fight with Munroe. As far as that goes, though, when the bell calls Munroe and myself together on August 26 will be in the ring IT have to go on one leg,
 snail remain in Oakland for few days and shall then go to Harbin Springs to resume training for the tight.'
 Dr William s. Porter, who attended the champion, said, after an examina- ton of the injured knee: .'The swell ing has subsided The water has been entirely absorbed and there is no pain or lameness about the joint. Jeffries is in fine spirits and will not be incon- venienced by the injury unless he should meet with another accident. All danger of weakness or stiffness in the knee joint has passed
 Jeffries is reported in the best of spirits and says he feels ready and fit for the hardest kind of fight. Mrs Jeffries will accompany her husband to Harbin, and, of course, Billy Delaney is to accompany and train the grizzly. TOMMY RYAN CHALLENGES FITZ
 The news has just reached the old farm at Benton Harbor, Mich, Tommy Ryan, fighter, who has been out there pitching hay, heard it last night, milked the cows, put on his store clothes, harnessed up Dobbin and hiked into the village. There he got aff the details of the affair between Fitz- simmons and O'Brien. MT Ryan sat down and wrote out telegram, It read:
 Robert Fitzsimmons, Bensonhurst, L.
 T hereby challenge you to box six rounds ill Philadelphia or Baltimore, or twenty rounds in any city where such a contest may be brought off and where suitable purse may be guaran- teed. (Signed) TOMMY RYAN"
 AMATEUR VS PROFESSIONAL.
 It was said yesterday that Billy Ro- denbach, the national amateur heavy weight champion, intends to turn pro- fessional and take in Kid Mccoy as q starter It is reported that Rodenbach and Mccoy are to have it out at San Francisco before the Hayes Valley A. G., some time next winter. Rodenbach has been prominent amateur for some time and there is much specula- ton as to how he will fare with pro- fessional His last bout was with Sam Berger. the Pacific coast heavy weight champion, who many think will fill Jim Jeffries's shoes some day. Ro- denbach outpointed Berger without much trouble and won easily. This fight made for him lot of friends in California, and whenever he fights a large crowd will turn out to see him battle. Rodenbach is to compete in the Olympic amateur boxing champion ships at St Louis. His friends expect him to be successful. In going against Mccoy first there are many who think that Rodenbach is making big mis- take. He has never gone over six rounds in his career and his admirers think that it would be more advisable for him to meet some other profession al of less importance than the Kid, just to get his hand in. There are plenty of such men in Philadelphia, Jack Williams for instance. If Roden- bach does this he can get the neces- sary experience and make some money in the bargain.
 STILL HAS THE WALLOP.
 Life on the stage is not likely to prolong Fitzsimmons's ring career any, and his defeat at the hands of men who could never have compared with him as fighter when he was really good may be soon looked for. Jack O'Brien is honest enough to free ly admit that he would never have