The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-20

In what betting done yesterday
Fitzsimmons was the favorite at odds
of to 10. Not a great volume of
money was handled at that price but
heavy wagering is expected today.
Both men will enter the ring per-
fectly trained and in the best of con-
dition. Both men are confident of
victory It is expected that the fight
viii be witnessed by an immense
crowd.
O'Brien claims to be at the age of
27 years and Fitzsimmons q, veteran
of A. Jack O'Brien, the younger of the
twain, is certainly a grand boxer. His
/ knowledge OF the fine points of the
game would qualify him for a. chair in
the department of pugilism if the coll
leges had such things. Fitzsimmons,
away back in his career, used as many
of the fanciful touches as O'Brien
does today Bob was a graduate OF
the Jem Mace style of -sparring-won
trophies in Mace competitions, in fact
and took off his hat to no man
when it came to delineating the system
! of punching and parrying taught by
/ the professors of the manly art.
As F'itz worked upward in his call
1 ing he discarded much that he had
1 learned. Having as a rule to handle
I opponents who averaged a score of
1 pounds heavier than himself, he found
/ it necessary to devise short cuts to
success. His Furnishing power he al
ways had with him. He studied
anatomy-located the solar plexus.
fifth rib, point of the chin and other
vulnerable spots-and claimed pat
ent on the dread F'itzsimmons wal
Ilop" with all its variations.
Bob Invites Blows.
Sparring partners of the speckled
one say that being able to land upon
the Fitz nose or stomach is no proof
that Bob has slowed up or forgotten
/ his early teachings. They say he is
often a party to the assaults commit
| ted on him. He invites a blow and is
ready with an antidote that wrings
from the gasping sparring partner the
/ remark q expected as much" Such
| being the case, it isn't easy to choose
/ between Fitz and O'Brien in the mat
ter of cleverness. If a student of
pugilism were to take the record for
| his guide, in fact. and judge by re-
suits achieved, it would be easy
enough for him to persuade himself
that Fitz is the cleverer. O'Brien, it
might be said, has cleverness that
| dazzles=F1tz possesses cleVerness that
counts. All things considered, it is
simply the difference in years that
brings Fitz and O'Brien together, as
the horsemen say. O'Brien was on
the list of active boxers half a dozen
| years ago. but never promoter
/ dreamed of matching him with Fitz at
| that time. Such an event would have
been looked upon as pugilistic mes
| alliance.
As has been frequently said during the
past few weeks, the fight itself is the
/ only thing that can make plain whether
| the passing of years has duiled the
Cornishman's dash. great many
/ thought he would not "live through the
| training season, but he has acquitted
himself in a way that has surprised
numbers of shreWd spo '-s. Men like
Young MITCHELL and Billy Jordan say
unhesitatingly that the work Fitz has
| than the work he did prior to other
battles he engaged in on the toast.
In Fitzsimmon's case the students at
| this end seem to have closed their eyes
to the fact that Bob is two score and
four. When he began preparing himself
they made up their minds thaE the train
ing camp was the thing. In other words,
that if F'itz worked well, he would fight
well. He has worked well, and favOrit-
ism in the betting ring is the result.
Each of the principals seems to be thor
oughly imbued with confidence.
O'Brien In Condition.
O'Brien, who beyond a doubt is trained
to the minute, says that there was no
time when he felt more fit going to the
scratch.
with all my experience and all the
fights I have engaged in, have been
thoroughly prepared but few times,
says Jack. I consider that am at
the very top notch of condition right
now, and I'm sure that III land the
title my ambition has craYed for.
Jack was a witness of the contest be-
tween Fitz and Gardner. which took
place two years ago in the same ring
that viii be used tonight.
Il don't go so much on Fits aver
age said Jack. 4 believe he is like
George Godfrey and others, a ffeakish
kind of man, who lasts longer than the
average run OF fighters I judge from
what I saw of him with Gardner and
from what I learned in my Philadelphia
go with him, that 1 am his master. I
viii knock Fitz out and win be the sec
ond man to do 50. am looking forward