Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-31
THE PUNCH is THE THING
Mainstsy Of Famous Pugs for Last
Half Century in the Ring.
MANY BATTLES ARE WON BY IT
some Fighters Relied on the Right
aud Others the Left TO Land
the Right Blow at Cruei-
cal Time.

NNNN NnM MAAA NA1
rushing at him full tilt. johnson was set
firmly on both feet when he landed this
punch and in that way he employed the
same method that won for him the heavy
weight championship Of the world. Going
hack through pugiligtic history one can
find many instances OF fighters who de-
pended wholly upon one particular punch
delivered at the crucial moment. Sixty
years ago Tom Hyer won the champion
ship Of America with straight hitting from
the shoulder. He punched like a battering
ram with either hand. and in that way he
beat down the famous Yankee sullivan
who was one Of the trickiest fighters that
ever toed the scratch.
John L. SulIivan's best blow was a right
hand swing for the point OF the chin. He
usually rushed in with the left hand to
brush aside his antagonists defense and
then followed with a terrific right. There
wasn't much science In Sullivan's tactics,
but he Just bored in like a wild bull and
beat his opponents dow by main strength.
A man who was clever enough to avoid
surivan's right hand generally had him
guessing. Charley Mitchell. having a cor
rect line on John LIS most effective smash,
successfully stood him off for ~thirty-nine'
rounds, at the same time lodging and
ducking the big fellows sledgehammer
swings with remarkable skill. Dominick
Mccartney also baked Sullivan's attack In
this way for six rounds, and Kilrain with
similar tactics stayed seventy-five rounds.
Corbett's science and agility made Sulli-
van hit nothing but air with his famous
knockout blow at New Orleans. In fact,
Sullivan's lack of boxing skill in that
memorable battle was the cause OF his
downfall. He had just one punch, the
right swing for the jaw, and Corbett knew
how to avoid It. Corbett's best blow was
a sharp. cutting left, which he drove into
ones face with great rapidity, but he did
not have enough power behind It 10 inflict
much harm. He chopped Sullivan to pieces
with those left hand labs and also dropped
the ancient Mitchell with them at Jackson
VILE. In his battles with Sharkey, Jeffries
and Mccoy, Corbett used the left for many
clean cut points, but he never had these
men In trouble. and was simply a boxer,
not a fighter. Corbett used his right on
the defense a greater part Of the time, and
whenever he landed a blow with it there
was little or no steam behind It
Dempsey Had Left WalIOP.
A snappy left-hand wallop was Jack
Dempsey's mainstay. The way he met rush
ing sluggers with his left was something
worth seeing. Dempsey had a good right
hand, too. and could do a lot of damage
with It, but in practically all Of his i'm
portant fights no used the left with effect.
Joe Cans, former lightweight champion,
had a great riEht-hand hook. which made
him famous. But at that he was a won
derful two handed fighter. Before Cans
fought Frank Erne for the title at Fort
Erie, he wal awake nights planning how
to win. Erne had a habit of moving back
only a few inches from a felnt and then
jumping forward again to put in a jab.
Cans planned therefore to feint slmiultan-
eously and as Erne drew back to hook his
right to the jaw. When the fight started,
Erne did exactly what Cans expected.
They both felnted. Erne drew back q
trifle and stopped for the fraction Of a
second. Cans followed quickly with the
right hook, and landed it flush on the
jaw just as Erne bobbed his head back
within range. In that way Cans scored
one Of the most scientific knockouts or
record.
The incident showed what a close student
OF the manly art Joe Cans was. He was
one OF the quickest thinkers tina ever
stood in the ring. When Dial Hawkins ir
their first encounter put Cans down with
a corling left hand smash, 1t looked az
II the Baltimore negro was out. But Cans
weak and dazed, got up at the count o.
''six'' and worked the right hook to tn,
Jaw for a clean knockdown, just as Haw
kins closed In to finish him.. Another grea.
right hook put Hawkins away In tn,
second round.
Nearly all OF Robert Fitzimmon's victor
les we're due to half arm jolts on he jaw
or stomach a close quarters or in break
aways. He stopped Hall. Maher. Creedon
Sharkey and others in this manner befor,
he met Corbett for the worlds title a
Carson City. Fitz made a study Of Corbet
and decided that the latter's stomach wa
a weak spot. The Cornishman was tn
inventor OF the left hand shift" whicI
he landed on Corbett's solar plexus f.
the fatal fourteenth round and put Jlr
down for the fatal count. Before this won
derful punch landed Corbett outboxe
Fitzimmons with remarkable ease.
JeffrieH a sOuthDaw.
Jeffries is essentially a l~eft-hande
fighter, 1t is said that he can hit harde
with hat hand than with the right. HI
most effective punch Is a rigid left-han
hook. with which he stopped FitEsimmon'
Rubin. COrbett and Munroe. In each In
stance he reached the body with this wa
Top, following IL quickly with a smash o
the jaw. In his twenty-five-round figf
with shRrkey jeff used the left with sue
telling effect that the sailor left the rim
with several broken ribs. Tommy Rya
taught the boilermaker how to use his lei
land In this effective manner but Il n
quired some time to perfect the punch. ]
his first battle with Corbett at Cone
Island in 1900 Jeffries hooked his left Il
the jaw Just sixty-eight times without Liant
ing It. The sixty-ninth hook reached n
vital spot In the twenty third round, how
ever, and Corbett went TO sleep.
Can Jeffrlea LandB
can Jeffries land the left hook on JaC
Johnson's Jawe The negro is noted for h
invunerable blocking and olinchinR. Il
Is not so fast on his feet - cOSbstt WI
nine years ago and may find il a haI
matter to keep out Of harms way. D
II must be remembered that Johnson
three years younger than Jeffries and tn
the latter has been idle for four years
more. 5effries, however, may surprise Il
sporting world " he can recover his o
form. as he is able TO stand the gaff, c.
hit like the kick OF a mule and is a ciev
ring general. IL he goes after the jaw
body and lands il IL believed he Will wi
But II Johnson stalls and stays for Al
great length OF time without s~ustainil
serious punishment, Jeffries, because OF