The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-31
Cans and Britt Meet Tonight
for a Twenty Round Go.
The Lightweights Will Do Bat
tie at San Francisco.
BEFORE SHASTA CLUB.
Negro Will Enter the Ring a
Public FaTorite.
Both PugiIists VIII Weigh in at
1873 Pounds.

San Francisco, Oct. S1--Accepting as
accurate statements from the Cans
camp, the lightweight champion will
be at weight, 1873 pounds, when he
meets Britt tonight. Cans did road
work Saturday morning. and afternoon.
His weight was announced that even
ing to be under 133 Britts training is
ut an end and he only did light work.
The betting continues light The pre-
vailing odds are 10 to s, with Cans the
public choice. 1t is thought Cans will
enter the ring at Z to 10 favorite at
least
The fight will be ussier the auspices
of the Shasta Athletic club for 20
rounds. ~.
Rumors that the battle would not be
honestly contested have been floating
around the country since the day the
men attached their signatures to the
articles They have had Cans laying
down to Jimmy in a specified number
of rounds for an equal division of the
purse. and Referee Graney handing
Britt the decision should the contest
go the limit They called the attention
10 Britt ST.. agreeing to his boy night
ing Cans after his statement: Il would
rather see Jimmy on slab IN the
morgue than see him fight colored
man. as positive proof Jimmy VAL
1t does not necessarily follow that
because Britt entered into the match
supposedly. against the wishes of his
father. or that Graney is to sit in judg-
1nent on the battle. or that Cans rep
utation will not stand probing. that the
contest will be fought other than on
the level Furthermore it is not rea-
sonable to suppose that Jim Cofroth
and other well known sporting men IN
1erested in the Shasta and yosemite
club would permit a pair OF nghters 70
enter into a compact to job the ful-
sillment of which would SURELY kill the
game on the coast. The same cry
went up when Cans and Walco.t were
matched, still they fought on theIF
merits, and to the best of their respec'
tive abilities. There is little sense IN
yelling stop thief" until there IS just
cause for it, There is this about the
criticism: The stand of the Britts
against engaging a colored man IN pat
tie and Cans agreeing to fight at
weight the followers of the. sport be-
leve he cannot train GOWN 10 anu 10
himself justice.
They overlook the fact that Britt,
when he demanded Cans reduce TO
1913 pounds, figured, the colored cham
pion would enter the ring, probably
as weak as a cat, and that he drove
such a good financial bargain he and
his folk became color blind. There
is no doubt Cans will not be at ms
best at the weight. still he and his
manager entered into the match with
their eyes wide open, and they GER
tainly are no novices at the match
making game. What the outcome of
the contest will be is difficult to state,
but it must be admitted that Cans
outclasses Britt in everything pertain
ing to the game. He has 1t on the
Californian in science, experience. ring
generalship and in hitting, enough ad-
Vantages to return him the winner
BIRTHS advantages are youth and vi
tality hardly enough to offset the adj
Vantages possessed by Cans.
Therefore, his only chance of whal-
ing the colored man must come
through but one source. Gansis in
ability to make the weight and be
strong enough to fight at his best
Britt is in tip-top condition, but will
be handicapped while fighting by the
gag placed in the mouth of his chief
second and adviser. Spider" Kelly,
by HEREFORD. The latter demanded
Kelly post forfeit of $1,000, novelty
in Queensberry rules fighting, to keep
his mouth closed during the three
minutes fighting in each round.