The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-26
JEFF FAVORITE.
FItzsimmons Tells His Opinion.

Fftzsimmons Tells His Opinion.
New York, Aug. 26.-In the opin-
9on of Bob Fitzsimmons, who is now
O. handy man with his fists in a play
called IA Fight for Love" at the Me-
tropolis theater, Jeffries will have no
difficulty in disposing of Jack Mum
roe "I'll tell you, son." said Fitz, as
he stood in the wings of the stage last
night, IT have been up against JEFF
on two occasions and know what his
real worth is, likewise how hard he
can hit 1 admire Munroe, and 1 wish
him luck, but my frank opinion is
that the champion will put him away
in less than ten rounds. In fact, my
limit is eight rounds
Fitzsimmons was asked If he would
challenge the winner. wait until the
fight is over" was all he would say.
Some Past History.
James Jeffries, holder of the heavy
weight championship of the world, and
Jack Munroe, who covets that title,
will meet in a battle tonight that is
scheduled for 20 rounds. 1t may reach
that limit and then again it is likely to
terminate abruptly in the initial act,
simply because both of the contestants
are big. husky fellows with the punch.
For championship fight 1t appears
rather easy to dope" On form and
past performances il should be a one
horse race, with Jeffries the oddS-on
favortte. He has negotiated the dis
lance in good company on many occa-
siOns and he has never yet developed a
disposition to display the yellow. He is
a stake horse in every sense of the
wcrd-
As to Munroe, there is no knock COM
ing on his ring performances. Two
years ago he broke into the limelight
of fistiana by sticking four f1uke rounds
with the champion in an exhibition
bout at Butte. No one considered him
a fighter because Jeffries did not muir
der him when he was out of condition;
they simply said he was lucky and let
a hnrr n n
not stop there He became fmbued with
the idea that there was championship
stock in his makeup and he secured a
manager and began looking for trouble.
Munroe then began to exercise rare
judgment Everyone thought that it
was simply a case of swelled head and
that the so-called Butte Joke was going
after the tough game and have his
candle snuffed out in the first real bat
tie Not so Jack He became a wrest-
Ter, threw Sharkey to the mat. fell a
victim to the strength and science of a
few professionals and then announced
that he was ready to do business with
the padded mitts. Naturally he chal-
lenged Jeffries- This was the key to
the cash box 1t takes advertising to
get money out of the fighting game
and Munroe knew il. When Jeffries an
swered his def by telling him to get a
reputation he started out to acquire
one He was besieged by challenges
from Tommy Ryan, Jack O'Brien and
others of that class. but the willy miner
passed them up He wisely said that
he was not in the business to pick on
the little fellows, when he knew down
in his heart that he would have proved
easy money for either Ryan or O'Brien
at the six round game.
"A big one for me-" said Munroe, and
they trotted out AL Limerick. The latter
was soft even for a crude boxer like
Munroe. and that was the beginning
of the miners reputation. Limerick bit
the dust in three rounds and then the
tales of Munroe'S wonderful punch be-
gan to go the rounds. Another tough
one was then trotted out as a sacrifice
TO the man from Butte 1t was Peter
Maher. The decrepit old nonwinner of
a hundred battles journeyed to the box
office to get the losing end after four
rounds of rather even milling up to the
time of the knockout. Then Munroe
was a. real championship possibility.
They grew a little tougher as he
Travelled along on the pugilistic nigh
way. and as the next step toward
Championshipville that rugged old tar
Tom Sharkey. was once more put in
training. Sharkey fought his same old
battle for three rounds He looked like
a battleship against a Mississippi tug
for half of the journey and then he
gave out and at the finish he was
getting his kneadings good and plenty.
This is the one fight that gave Munroe
a boost with the followers of the box
ing game They knew that he must be
game to beat Sharkey at his own game,
but still they could recall number of
others that had beaten the sailor and
beaten him at his own game.
The foregoing is the record of Miner
Jack Munroe. barring a twenty-round
draw with Hank Griffin many moons
ago
It is hardly necessary to go into the
record of James ]. Jeffries. He is a
champion in every sense of the word.
Among his victims will be found the
names OF Fitzsimmons, Corbett, Shar-
key. Rubin. Goddard. Armstrong, Peter
Jackson. Hank Griffin and the great
and only Pete Everett. This bunch
comprises the greatest heavy weights
of the past decade. but nevertheless,
barring one or two engagements they
all proved easy for the giant Californian
Both Fitzsimmons and Corbet cut him
into ribbons. but the best that they re-
eeived for their pains was the losing
end and a terrific beating. Sharkey