The Washington times., 1906-01-07
Good Fights Promised
In Next Twelve Months
OBrien and Hart Almost Sure to Meet-Britt
and Nelson Due Again-SulIiVan-
Cans Bout Coming.
By w. W. NAUGHToN.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 6.-This is the
time OF year when sporting critics con
slider II their duty to review the events
of the twelve months gone. What does il
avail? II is an easy task and when it is
accomplished it refreshes the memory
ana that's about all.
TO me It seems It would be much more
interesting to speculate on what may
develop i'm the year that stretches away
before as. Take pugilism. for instance
Who will be matched? What fights re-
main unfought?
In the heavyweight division Jack
.O'Brlen fills the eyf more than any
other pueiiist ar present. Jack might
be called the human accordion. Not that
he Is over-nosiy or musical. bat on ac-
count OF the contraction and expansion.
He Aays he can dwindle TO a middle
weight or 6ll out TO a tOpnotch pound
er. according to the brand OF champion
ship that is in dispute.
Must Meet Hart.
Jacks principal ambition. of course. Is
to be the champion Of all champions. the
successor of Jeffries. He considers he
gained the title by defeat of Fitzsim-
mons from whom Jeffries wrested the
nonors. Marvin Hart also claims the dis
tinction because he won from Jack
Root. at Reno, in a contest which was
advertised as a worlds championship
event
4 match betN een Hart and O'Brien is
| inevitable. unless one OF the men is de-
Ifeated meanwhile. Other heavles who
| have declared themselves championship
| candidates ar Gus Rubin. Jack John
lsOn, Mike Scil=eck, Jack Willis. George
/ Gardner and Al Kaufman. There may
/ be others st1n, but 1 can't recall them
/ lust now. Sam Berger hasn't quite made
iup his mind whether peaceful mercantile
pursuits are not more in sympathy with
/ his temperament. and VIII Squires. in
( faraway Australia, still tarries IN the
hand beneath the southern cross.
/ VIII one OF this motley crew stand
lfcrth as undisputed champion before
/ the dawning of 1851. or will some power
/ ful novice spring up and outstrip them
IAN in the race for the heavyweight
CROWN
/ JEFF 0vershadOws Them.
/ Incidentally the heavyweight situa-
( ton is a peculiar one. Had Jim Jeffries
I lost an arm or leg before retiring II
/ WCulu Dc ulWtfr0ts out JUST - 4oiia a.
/ the boiIermaker retains his vigor. the
I best man the game produces viii only
be regarded a. a champion By courtesy
/ No matter how brilliantly the next
champion may perform. some one viii
say. This fellow wouldn't be in il FOX
Il moment with Je1ries. And then
there will be the usual rumor that JET
| fries has decided TO return to the ring
/ The big fellow may deny il and re-
iterate that his only ambition is 70
juggle marroWfats AMI slice beets for
/ the COWS. but whether he comes back TO
the ring or STAYS on the farm his shad-
ow will be over the heavyweight stu
alton. no man viii have clear title
I 10 hes.vyweight supremacy in the minds
Of tho people until s1ries becomes toe
old or TOO fat to fight.
I The heavies and light-heaVIes are al
gloriouslv iumbied now. while the mid
dleweight division is as Jhinly peopled
as a seaside resort in midwinJer. Jack
| O'Brien says he would like 10 box
| Tommy RYAN for the middlewejghi
title. Well. it may come 10 that some
dav. but Ryan will have 10 square him
SELF with the San Francisco sporting
public for past backslidings before he
can hope 10 disport himself in a ring in
| this city.
Judging from what is said in match