The Indianapolis journal., 1904-03-13
BRITT EXPLAINS HOW
He WILL BEAT CORBETT
Says Champion Has Defeated Easy
Marks, While He Has Met
Tough Ones.
BERGER PICKS BRITT
Heavyweight Says James Can Hit
About as Hard as Any
Middleweight.
BERGER PICKS BRITT

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, March r.
They're of. Jimmy Britt and Young Cor
bett will now get down 10 business for the
greatest OF great fights. Regarding ms
chances in the coming tight Britt said;
Il can't show what / can do against big
fellows like Sieger and Fitzgerald. wasn't
I'm the ring those nights TO knock them out.
That doesn't constitute a win in my mind
You don't have to knock all men out 10
win. I knew before they came here that
they we're gluttons for punishment, and all
] did was 10 wear them down and weaken
them. I knew my cards and just played
right. Well, my fight with Canole was DIFF
ferents Spider Kelly, who was in my corner,
knew ell the time that my right hand was
bad. He knew when 1 hurt 1t, and just
stalled CanoIe by yelling. Swing your right
Jimmy 1 swung a few wild ones just to
make il look good. / fought all night with
one hand. You'n see whether 1 can punch
or not he night I meet Corbett. This will
be no a.mmer game. It's going to be biff-
bang. and one OF us will drop before seven
rounds have gone. l tell you now tnat IL
won't go TO the limit, and see IL m not
right"
chirped one of the friends while lighting
We'll I have right to be- piped
James. Il know what L can do am almost
certain OF winning this, and never felt so
sure Of anything In my life / nave seen
Corbett fight three times now and know MS
style pretty well. He has had all little fel-
lows TO lick None Of them as tall ana
rangy as myself. / am going TO work To-
day. but L won't have to Kill myself doing
the weight. / have been working with sam
Berger at the Olympic Club and weighed
l3S this morning. You see. that leaves me
with eight pounds TO take OFF. That's easy.
NY hands are both in grand shape now
and, barring accident in my training L
will enter the ring without an excuse lor
lose"
Joe Berger. amateur heavyweight pugilist
of California and also great friend OF
James Britt has expressed the following
opinion on the Britt-Corbett fight:
Though a friend of Jimmy Britt. don
allow my friendship for him TO influence
my Judgment in sizing up his ability as a
fighter. I think I can diagnose his case just
as cold-bloOdedly though 1 had never
spoken TO him. You may think that this is
hardly possible. but / believe j can do 1t.
Now as TO knowing what Britt can do there
is nobody who knows him better than DO.
j have put the gloves on with him so
many, maQy times that / know him like 81
book When he is in the ring / know every
move that is coming OF know what he Is
going to do just as well as he does himself.
have boxed with him so much. Now, right
at the outset. ! want 10 go on record as
saying that / believe Britt will beat Cor,
bett this month. OF course, you expected
me TO say this in view OF our intimate rela-
tions, but this opinion comes from the
head and not from the heart. 1t will be a
great fight. but l sincerely and honestly
think that my man will give the talent a
terrible shock. / recognize that Corbett is
"A great fighter. Don't tbink that / under
rate him a bit. Any man who can go along
and knock them out the way he has been
doing must be wonderful fighter, and
there is no getting away from the fact. But
think Britt is a great fighter. too Lately
j have heard il said that Jimmy can't hit.
If he couldn't hit | would know IL. | have
boxed with him enough. ] have boxed with
all classes of fighters. and i want to say
that / never had a middleweight hit me
harder than he has. Now that is a fact.
Now. L will admit that Britt may not know
where to place a blow well as he might.
but he is improving rapidly. You know a
fighter may have big wallOp sometimes
and not know how TO plant IL so IL will do
the most harm. IL Is quite an art to snap a
punch i'm right. You see lots of fellows who
can knock a steer down in training. but
they will go in the ring and can't score a
knockout TO save their lives. 1t is because
they don't know how to punch. Britt knows
how to hit, though he can improve some,
and will in his next fight What / like
about Jimmy is his fine headwork. Mark
my word. you won't see Corbett wa liking
van. and push his head into his breast and
swinging those rights and lefts over on the
Jaw. Britt will not stand for anything like
that. IL Corbett starts anything like that
with him you will see somebody tearing
INTO his stomach. which am told Is his
soft spot Now, in regard TO their physical
condition. both men will be in fine shape
The weight suits COrbett 10 dot and Britt
will make 100 pounds nicely, though he has
never done IL before. | have seen him down
to 130 dozens of times in his training.
Yes. | suppose COrbett will be favorite
in the betting. but that cuts no figure with
ite here sent Corbetts stock sky-high
Britt will send IL the other way"