The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-31
GREAT EVENTS
IN FISTIC WORLD
New Names Appear in the List C
Champions in All the
Glasses.
HARD TIMES FOR BOXERS
FEW TOWNS IN COUNTRY PER-.
NIT THE GAME. =

The retirement of James J. Jeffries,
champion of all champ, ons, the final
downfall of Bob FitZsimmons as a
pugilistic possibility, and the defeat Of
James Edward Britt at the hands of
Battling Nelson. are without question
the important events of the past year
in the 'fistic world" The knights of
the padded mitt have had a fairly
prosperous year. Although many Of
the larger cities in the country still re-
main closed to boxers. yet those who
were able to deliver the goods have had
plenty Of opportunities to cover them
selves with glory and at the same time
rake in the coin, which. after all, is
the chief reason the fighters are so
persistent In following their profession.
San Francisco has been the Mecca
for the boxers and although a strong
fight was made in the last legislature
TO prohibit the game on the coast, the
bill for this purpose was defeated by
friends of the boxing game. Philadel--
phia, with its six-round bouts. Balti-
more, Milwaukee, Hartford, togethers
with a few smaller eastern cities, and
an occasional siX-rOund bout in Chi
cago and ffteen-round go in st. Louis,
have marked the limit OF the game In
tn east this year, while practically all
OF the western cities have been open
at some time or other to the fighters.
On May James J. Jeffries an
nOunced to the world that he had re-
tired from the game for good and all
time. His reason was that there was
not another man in the world capable
OF giving him battle. Every fighter,
who had any sort Of claim on the title
had been given a chance and defeated
with such ease by the huge boiler
maker, that it left no doubt in the
minds OF the public as to Jeffries being
in class by himself. After serving
three months notice, Jeffries for
mally gave uD the title and retired.
While many think the big bOilermaker
will again enter the ring, he has not
given any indication of-doing so. -
Britt's Star Goes Down.
One thing that changed hands dur
ing the past year about which there
can be no dispute is that of lightweight
champion. When Battling Nelson
dOWned the heretofore inVincible Jim
my Britt in their memorable battle at
Colma on Sept. 8, he clearly demon
strated his right TO the title Of the best
man in the 133-pound class. While
some claim Joe Cans is still entitled
to this honor, it is well known that he
cannot enter the ring in fighting con-
dition at 1873 pounds, and for this rea--
son has no claim to the title The
defeat of Britt by Nielsen was the one
big surprise Of the year IN pugilistic
circles. Those who favored the Dane
did not believe he would be able 10
defeat Britt in California, where the
native son" sentiment is SO strong
1t IS almost impossible for an outsider
to get a square deal Other fighters
In this class who have been RELOCATED
TO the rear are Young Corbett and Ed
die Hanlon, both of whom were cham
pionship possibilities.
Robert Fftzsimmons, the greatest
fighter of all ages, succunlbed TO
Father Time during the past year
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, who. with
Tommy Ryan, is classed by many as
one Of the greatest fakirs in the his
tory of the prize ring. was the lucky
man who took the final measure of Old
F'ftz. That the old warrior went down
Tor the last time was not due so much
TO the ability Of O'Brien as the inabiI-
lty or fftZsimmOns to fight any more
The punches of the PhiIadelphian did
not wear the ancient warrior out. bur
weakened by age he finally coIlapsed--
and O'Brien being the lucky man Ia the
ring at the time, got the decision.
By gaining this victory O'Brien IS
easily entitled to the light heayyweight
championship Of the world as both of
these titles were held by F1tzsimmons.
OBrien also has as much right. if not
more right, than any other fighter to
claim the heavyweight Championship.
as up to the time of his defeat. Fitz-
simmons clearly had a better claim
than any other man on the title laid
aside by Jeffries.
Question Is Still Open.
Marvin Hart, on account of his vic
tory over Jack Root, is a rival claim
ant for the heavyweight title. and be-
fore it is finally bestowed upon anv
one, this pair will probably have to
meet and settle it among themselves.
With Joe Walcott out of the fighting
game on account of an injured hand.
the welterweight championship rightly
belongs to Mike Twin Sullivan who
won it by defeating Jimmy Gardner at
san francisco. Gardner had met and
defeated nearly every legitimate claim
ant for the title in the past two years
and Sullivan demonstrated his s1,nert.
GRITTY over Gardner in this fight. An
other nghter who disputes this claim.
and who has some cause to do SO. is
Honey Melody. He is now in San
FRANCISCO trying to get a match on
with Sullivan. the winner of which.
would hold the title without dispute.