Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-08-25
JEFFR|ES AND MUNROE FIGHT
Both Men Claim They Are In
Good Shape And Sure of
Winning Out.


SanF rancisco, CAL, Aug. 25.-AIl
eyes in the sporting world are now
turning toward San Francisco. In
this city tomorrow night, in the ring
of the Yosemite Athletic Club, James
]. Jeffries, the worlds champion
heavyweight pugilist, will defend his
title against Jack Munroe, s.the former
Butte miner, who is conceded to be a
worthy opponent of the champion even
though he may not be capable of de-
feating him.
To experts of the game few fights of
later days will be more interesting.
The two gladiators completed their
work of preparation today, and from
now until the gong calls them into
the ring they will take just enough
exercise to keep in condition. Reports
of the most confident nature come
from both camps. The club under
whose auspices the mill will take
place is also satisfied with the outlook
Not since Jeffries and Corbett met has
such interest been manifested in a
heavyweight contest, and this notwith.
standing the fact that Munroe is COM
paratively an unknown. Reports say
that every reserved seat in the club
house has been sold. That means that
at least $40, 600 will be in the box office
when the two men enter the ring.
Though the fight does not promise
much as a betting proposition, quite
a few dollars are being wagered on the
result. Jeffries is naturally big fa-
vorite in the betting. At the same
time there appears TO be plenty of
sporting men willing to stake money
on the miners chances. They point
out that in every case where a cham
pion has been beaten, it has been by a
man who was not considered to have a
chance. The match between Jerffies
and Munroe was made early in the
spring after a long period of negotia-
tion. The date originally fixed was
June II, but q few days prior TO that
date it was found necessary to agree to
a postponement on account of an in
jury to the champions knee. After
further negotiation the second date
was fixed. For more than a month
now the two men have been working
hard getting into condition, the cham
pion at his old training quarters at
Harbin Springs. and Monroe at Shee-
hans roadhouse ON the beach. For
two weeks Monroe has had the advan-
tage of training under the eye of
kid" Mccoy, one of the cleverest
boxers ever seen in the ring.
A close comparison of the two war
riors shows a considerableS balance in
favor of Jeffries. He will enter the
ring weighing in the heighborhood of
220 pounds, as against 1875 of Monroe.
The champion moreover towers full
two inces over Monroe, and is nearly
three inches longer in the reach. He
is as fast as the miner, or faster. He
has heavier punch with his left
hand, but it is to be doubted if he
has a superior right. A good punch
from Monroe's right, it is conceded
by all who have seen him fight. is
sufficient to put the best of them
asleep if it lands on the right spot. In
the matter of ring experience Jeffries
has another tremendous advantage
over Monroe 1t is no exaggeration to
say that he has fought ten hard bat
ties for every one in which the Mon
tana man has engaged. Among the
opponents whom he vanquished were
Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Rubin, Shar-
key and Maher. With the exception
of his four rounds with Jeffries, which
fight first brought him into the pugi-
listic limelight, the only real contests
in which Monroe has engaged were
with Peter Maher, AL Limerick and
Tom Sharkey. In these contests the
examiner certainly demonstrated that
he was no novice in the fighting game,
but he will have to show better fistic
qualifications tomorrow night than he
did against the trio in the East. His
knocking out of Maher and Limerick
gave him little standing, as Maher
was an acknowledged has been, +"
while Limerick never did amount to
much as fighter. 1t was his victory
over Sharkey that gave. Monroe, if not
the right. the opportunity, to match
Jeffries for the championship. Shar-
key, though back number, still had
enough fight left in him to make Mon
roe do some hard and fast work to win
the decision. 1t is claimed for Monroe
that he has continued to improve
steadily, but few critics believe that
he has improved to an extent that will
enable him to defeat the big fellow
who has successfully defended his title
against such expert fighters as Fitz-
81 v,,F1ouc and (Inrhaft