The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-05
MAT MAY DEVELOP
MATCH FOR JEFFR|ES
Russian Lion and Gotch Are
Looked on as Ring Pos
SibilitieS
Special to The Globe

Special to The Globe
NEW YORK, March 4.-Despite the de-
malls from various sources. the impression
is growing that the next opponent of Jim
Jeffries may come from the wrestling mat
The apparent improbability that the ring
can furnish the title holder with a worthy
contender has caused match makers and
promoters to look elsewhere for a trained
athlete whose records appear to give him
chance with the heavyweight champion
The wrestling mat appears TO furnish the
only opportunity in this direction. While
II is a far cry from pugilism TO wrestling
the only big men available at present
In athletics are In the latter division. The
training of wrestler is entirely different
from that pursued by the boxer, but the
experts in both classes are capable of sus-
tanning great physical exertion and en-
during bruising personal conflict.
In scanning the wrestling horizon for
possible opponents for Jeffries. two wrest-
lers stand out in bold relief from their
contemporaries They are Frank Gotch OF
this country and George Hackenschmidt.
KNOWN as the Russian lion" Both Of
these athletes have publicly announced
that they are seriously contemplating en-
tering ring career. Hackenschmidt, who
is now touring Australia. meeting all COM
ers on the mat, and who is expected to
reach this country in a few weeks, said
recently IN Melbourne:
Il am learning boxing already and when
l get TO America 1 challenge Mr.. Ieffries
for a battle. My friends say to me- You
VIII not be good at boxing. You are too
big, too strong. too heavy 1 say to them.
'Jeem Jeffries. he is taller. heavier dan
me, viii beat him. Dey tell me a man
as strong as me would be too slow for
catching him in der ring. You have seen
me wrestling. Am / slow. den? Could
not l catch him. ah? and if am quick to
wrestle, l will be quick to box" argued
Hackenschmidt, ''and as for learning Goo
ner NOR teaches me, and / know some
thing already"
Billy Muldoon, former wrestling cham
not an impossible step from the wrestling
match to the ring. He writes of Frank
Gotch S chances as a pugilist as follows:
II see no reason why Frank Cotch the
come successful boxer and have as good
chance to reach the championship at
boxing as any other man of his physical
ability. The fact OF his being a champion
wrestler should not be detriment to him.
On the other hand. that fact is one to his
advantage For instance, it has been
proved by his success in wrestling that he
has wonderful endurance, the necessary
intelligence. good judgment and physical
strength. stamina and tenacity to make a
champion; he also has the advantage of
having experienced the punishment that
one is sure to have to contend against in
championship contest which makes one
indifferent TO pain and fatigue. Boxing
calls for an entirely different muscular
training.
I'm boxing the muscular strain is all upon
the eXtensor muscles. In wrestling the
demand for endurance and strength depend
entirely upon the fiexo muscles. For that
reason, II this man takes up boxing. he
will have to give up wrestling, for il the
flexo muscles are kept abnormally de-
veioped, as they generally are in a wrest-
Ter, that will interfere with the proper
development of the extensor muscles In
other words, Gotch should give up wrest-
ling and begin his preparation for boxing
by sparring with everybody who is willing
to put the gloves on with him. He should
not try TO hit hard, first depending more
on his quickness judgment of distance and
foot work. 1t would take year or more
of constant practice with different boxers
of style and different sizes before he would
be fit to go against the second class men.
Then if he succeeds in whipping these men
he can take a shy at a championship