The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-07
MUHROE HAS CHANCE
WITH THE CHAMPION
He Furnished a Great Surprise
with Sharkey, but He Has
Much to Learn.
HE IS A WILLING PUPIL
Sharkey Obtained a Reputation
That Always Kept Him in the
Foreground.
HE IS A WILLING Pupil

NEW YORK, March 6.-Has Munroe a
chance with Jeffries?
There is the good general answer that
a fighter always has a chance. One of
the wisest bettors at the ringside. Joe Ven
dig, once said that no fighter was to
shot.
The best example of Munroes chances
against the big champion may be furnished
by the ring career of the man he has just
beaten, Tom Sharkey.
There never was a fighter so lucky as
the sailor. He obtained a reputation that
always kept him in the foreground of cham
pionship possibility by beating such men
as Fitzsimmons, Corbett and Mccoy, a trio
that commanded the greatest respect from
ring followers.
And how?
Sharkey's decision over Fitz was the
rankest robbery ever perpetrated inside the
ropes. Everybody knows that who knows
anything of ring history. Wyatt carp. the
gun fighter and general all round bad
man." was the referee and carried through
the job. No one had the nerve to dispute
him.
But Sharkey went on record as having
a decision over the mighty Fitzsimmons.
How much he entitled to ii shown
when they met a second time and FitZ
disposed of him in two rounds, knocking
him out clean.
McVey jumped in the ring-satd he didn't
mean to-and again was Sharkey victor
over a better man.
He certainly did knock out Mccoy. But
it was a fiuke. Mccoy was making a chop
ping block of him and winning as he pleased
so easily in fact. that he was cutting
up monkeyshines in the ring and one of the
sailors unaimed wallops connected with
the careless Kids" jaw
His one really good fight was with JEFF
fries at COney Island. He went twenty
five rounds and took a terrific beating.
Suppose Munroe has the same luck?
Then. again, If comparisons count for
anything Munroe comes in pretty strong.
Jeffries could not put Sharkey out in twen-
ty-fve rounds. Munroe would have had the
sailor on his face dead to the world in at
least two more rounds of their fight In
Philadelphia. Nobody who saw the fight
Jeffries has improved greatly since his
battle with Sharkey. No question of that.
Munroe has to to absorb before he meets
favor that he is both willing and anxious
TO learn.
In Mccoy he has the best teacher in the
world. The kid has shown that conclu-
sively already.
There is no better illustration of Mum
roe's modesty and docility under handling
than the remark he made in his dressing
room after the fight.
Here was a raw, uncouth mountaineer
fresh from a great victory. He had sur
prised continent He had silenced every
tongue that held him In contempt. And the
first thing he said was:
Mccoy deserves all the credit for this"
1t showed one side of his character and
not a good side from a pugilistic point OF
view. 1t showed extremity OF good
nature that must be taken out OF him If he
wants to rank as a fighter.
That's the chief fault. 1t was in evidence
all the time he was fighting.
When Sharkey would throw in that
vicious swing of his Munroe would avoid
IL with the Mccoy brand OF skill and meet
the sailors rush with that good right TO
the body. But when they were locked and
Sharkey's fails were harmless, this big
good-natured boy dropped his hands and
stood there grinuing if he were exercising
in a gymnasium instead of continuing TO
pump them into his mans unprotected
body
no chances at any time-to always have
his guard In place to stop Sharkey's swings
but had he of the stuff that made
Mysterious Billy Smith such a dangerous
man he would have kept working away.
Had he done so he would have put the
had him in bad shape all the time after the
second.
Another thing: Munroe spreads his legs
too far This slows him. He may not have
had the right kind of shoes, but he was
falling all over himself.
There is the making of a champion in
this fellow. The faults he has now can
be corrected, for no boxing teacher ever
had a more willing pupil.
Few thought he had chance with Shar-
key il was only those who watched him
at work every day who did.
And now he has a good fighting chance
with Jeffries. and surely a fighter can
want no more.