The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-03-30
SPORT
CRy Robert Edgren).


CBy Robert Edgren).
on June 81, 1902, Jabez White
fought Spike Sullivan before the Ma
tional Sporting club of London. The
fight went the distance, II rounds, and
the English champion took the decl-
sion. He repeated the performance on
AnriI 90 1903. This is about the best
thing that American followers OF the
game have to dope OUT this invader
sighting ability with. He mas had
plenty of other fights since then, but
almost all of them nave been with
other English scrappers, who are un-
known on this side of the pond.
saw the first fight between Sulli-
van and White. 1t was good one,
without any pink tea features. That's
one thing about Spike. He never taxes
a beating without putting up a fight.
He is a famous fighting man, Irish,
and IN cOnulIloI VI ouI VI ~ linz "
scrimmage.
Sullivan has been somewhat out of
fighting trim for three or four years.
He was a tough one in his day and
could take a fearful beating without
losing his ability to deliver a knock
out if he happened to get an opening.
Several times he won hard fights af-
ter being sent to the floor again and
again.
Sullivan Was Slow.
When he fought White, our friend
Spike had his love for the game still,
but he was slow and lacked judgment
of distance. He could take a beating,
but ne couldn't give one.
Early in the fight White showed he
was quicker. He stood straight and
jabbed away in the good old English
style. His head was dropped forward
a bit and his high beak of a nose look
ed like a target to the eager American
fighter. Time and time again Sulli-
van swung wildly at it, but White de-
1iberately blocked and countered in a
way that made Spike stagger about
the ring. White fought on the defen-
sive most of the time. He did little
advancing; but he didn't need to, for
Sullivan rushed in time after time. He
was always in range.
The Briton was quick and clever
enough to avoid punishment, while all
right hand counters were wearing his
eager opponent down. The English
men around the ring made up their
minds that White would win long be-
fore the fight was half over. The
Americans expected to see Sullivan,
badly outpointed as he was, get in one
of his famous wailops before the final
gong. Toward the end, feeling sure
that he had the decision we'll in hand,
he spared cautiously, and Spike rained
his blows on a perfect defense.
White Uses His Head.
But Spike Sullivan at the tale end
of his career isn't to be compared with
Jimmy Britt at the height of his. The
White who fought Sullivan that night
in the ring of the National Sporting
club of London, wouldn't have made a
serious impression on our Californian
He may have been improving all along
since that time, which is likely, or he
may have been dropping off. The
English papers agree that Jabez While
is hardy little fellow and that he has
never fallen into the habit of dissipat-
ing after a winning fight-the thing
that mas killed off so many of the goo6
ones in this country. With the added
experience of occasional fights during
the three years that have passed since
he met Spike Sullivan, White will
probably be a much improved boxer
Charlie Mitchell is addicted to pick.
ing out dead ones.''
Jabez White is tail and wiry. HI
has a Ratchet face with prominen
nose. rounded forhead and high cheek
bones. and a chin and mouth exactl!
like Britt's and Corbett's, even to tn,
retiring lower lip. He is thin bodie,
and square shouliered. His back i
straight. unlike Britt's, which is round
ed by the punches of hitting mucles
over mis- shoulder blades His legs ar
light wiry and muscular. Taken al
around he has the appearance of
good 2G-round fighter.
Corbett VS.. Sullivan.
BALTIMORE, Md, March Sol