Arizona republican., 1904-07-24
Match Between fitzSim-
 mons an 0'Brien
WAS AN OPfN-AIR AFFAIR
At the End of Hot Six-Round Bou in Which Advantages Were About Equally Divided, the Cornishman Was in the Better Condition.

Philadelphia. Pa. July 23.-Jack O'Br!en and Bob Fitzsimmons today fought the fastest six round bout ever witnessed in this city between men Of their weight. When the gong an nounced the close of the fight. both men were on their feet, but both bore the marks of the gruelling fight they had just gone through. Fitzslmmons' lips were twice their normal size and his left eye was almost closed. whIa OBrien's left eye was also cut and swollen, -
 While O'Brien landed the greats- number of times. they did not do near ly so much damage as those landed by Fitzsimmons. and the latter was tha fresher of the two at the close of the fight. There was not a clean knock down during the bout. but three times Q OBrien went to the floor twice in en- deavoring to get away from Fitzsim- mons and the third time partly from Fitzsimmon's right which landed On O'Brien's neck and partly through the latter's feet getting tangled.
 The fight was held on the national league ball grounds. the ring being pitched immediately over the home plate. It was the first open air b x- ing exhibition ever given in this city, and the novelty of the affair drew q crowd of about 5000 persons. Mayor Weaver had prevented the first meet ing between the two men. claiming that it was to be a prize fight, and therefore illegal. Later the fight pro moters went into the common pleas court and satisfied the judges that it was to be boxing exhibition and with in the scope of the law. Under this agreement a permit was granted for the bout. There were many yrumOrs that the men had an understanding not to exert themselves, but such rumors were dissipated before the close Of the first round.
 There was a liberal sprinkling Of women in the grandstand. and sitting close to tile ringside was Mrs. Fitz- simmons. who for the first time was to witness her husband fight. She never | took her eyes off her husband during the six rounds and when F'itZsimmOns sat down at the close of the fight. his wife rushed over to his corner, climbed the steps leading to the ring and plant ed a kiss on his badly swollen lips.
 There were four preliminaries, which served to keep the spectators in good humor. Fitzsimmons was accompanied to the ring by Billy Lester. Benny Mur- phy, Joe Edmonston and Charley Saw tdSe. Seven minutes later O'Brien cane on. He was looked after by lew Bailey, Joe Hagen, Billy McCarney and Billy Reynolds. A long Wrangle en- sued ever the kind of bandages worn by Fitzsimmons. Underneath the strips of muslin were. O'Brien claimed. plas- ter bandages. O'Brien said the band ages must come off or there would be no fight. Fitzsimmons replied: Then there will be no fight"
 After keeping the spectators waiting for ten minutes Fitzsimmons removed the plaster. Each man selected his own gloves and they were then called to the center of the ring and given their instructions.
 O'Brien began with his dazzling fOOt- work. darting in and out with wonder full cleverness, landing light lefts and an occa sional right, while FitzsimmOns was content to block, evidently en- deavoring to land on O'Brien's wind. This opportunity came near the close of the second round, when he drove his right to O'Brien's body, with terrific
 force The first three rounds were in i U Brlen IdNOr, put after that ne STeN
 trifle slow from the awful pace that he had set and Fitzsimmons was able to get in some hard blows on the body. ] Both men were covered with blood
 when they went to their corners at the
 end of the fifth round, O'Brien bleed , ing from a gash over the left eye and ) F'itzsimmons from the mouth and nose 1 Both men were in distress when the sixth round closed, but FitZsimmOns
 was apparently in the better condition