Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-20
INSISTS THAT FIGHT
WILL Be ON LEVEL
Corbett Takes Sullivan to
Task for Saying Scrap
Is Fixed.
(By James J. Corbett.)


quietly in Boston the other day and i'm
mediately liked for Europe on his we'd
ding trip without even a goodbye. Wen,
good wishes will follow the veteran wher-
ever ne goes.
Incidentally I'm sorry that Sullivan Is
out of the country, because there is
something / wanted TO say to my readers
today about some of his recent state
ments and / wouldn't for the world nave
any of his friends think that / would take
advantage of his absence. However,
said the same thing In his home town OF
Boston land, by the way, l read that In
procuring his marriage license he gave MS
residence as 1927 Michigan avenue, chi
cago) the other night, when we were en-
gagged at rival theaters.
Since our fgnl a. New orleans l nave
said little about Sullivan aside from conf
ment on that occasion when 1t was neces-
sary for me to answer criticisms from
him or his friends. OF his personal mat
tiers / have said less know that he mas
never forgiven me for taking away hls
chamnionship honors. We have lots or
mutual friends however. and in many
respects | admire John l.. as the nsuc
hero of his day. ! do, however, thlhk
that it's an outrage for man OF ms ring
experience and with not the snSntest
ground. unless to gain some notoriety, to
come upon public platform and declare
that if Jeffries defeats Johnson July Tue
fight will be a frame-up ana nAeo SIM i
ply TO boost the moving picture exhloi-
tions later.
was invited to attend the bouts at the
Armory Athletic Association while In
Boston recently. where l was called upon
for a speech. and i deemed II nttlns
opportunity to reply to the statements
made by Sullivan. In my remarks saio
that Jeffries had probably taken me INTO
his confidence more than any otner man,
and, consequently. that knew more than
any one else how sincere was his desire
to- win the coming contest with Johnson
Why Jeffries even told me ne "ouiu
give one of his legs to win, and tnere
isn't enough money in America 10 INDUCE
him TO be a party to a rake
Aside. from SulIivans opinion as TO the
ability of Jeffries to come back tpIo-
vided the latter ever VENT the puDiic
is the best judge in the comparison or the
lives the two men have lved-Sullivan
from the time he stasgered into the fahs
in Madison Square Garden 10 Hsh.
Mitchell up to the draw at Chantiiiy, and
Jeffries between his last fight and the
present time.
However, comparisons of this kind may
be odious, but there is a great principle
behind Jeff's desire TO win We all know
how Sullivan avoided Peter jackson. al
though fistic history shows that John L;
once SIrlDDeQ 10 nRnI oIu SHOSoAoeO
George Godfrey Now, the colored race
has another champion in Jack Johnson,
and those who for color prejudice nave
given more attention TO this coming con-
test than any other because they want 70
see a white man win will applaud JEFF
fries for coming out of his retirement TO
give Johnson battle. Jeffries feels this
keenly and for more than any other rea-
son he wants the fight to be strictly on
the level and the best man to win.
It's about time, too. that the KNOCK
ers'' quit talking about the moving pic
ture matter as financial feature OF the
fight and one likely to have bearing
upon the result. OF certainty the fight
ers and promoters are Interested IN the
pictures. and why shouldn't they be!
Does any one for moment suppose that
and preparations for the greatest con-
test of the century? And i consider IL a
mighty good thing for the ring sport that
the fighters nowadays. although tney
NUTS of oloen time TO fight for 80
purses and that they have good horse
sense enough to demand fair remunera-
ton for their entertainment furnished 10
the public. Aside from all this, how
ever the fact that there is a moving pic
ture camera staring them In the face
won't withhold the arm OF either prin-
cipal in the ring July 4-no, not for even
"A fraction of second. To win as quick
ly as possible will be the aim of each
man and the first to bring over the ten
second wallop will get more money later,
aside from the glory of victory, by
ing picture returns through all eternity.
Don't forget that,
While at the Armory A. \. bouts In
Boston I saw lad only seventeen years
of age who looks TO be a coming CHAM
pion. This was Pal Moore, the little
Philadelphia bantamweight. who is one
of the ring wonders of the age. He is a
remarkable ring general, and, while ne
has some things to learn, II he does not
let success carry him away ana cioseiy
follows the advice or his manager, jimmy
De Forest, he will be heard from soon
as the best in his class ] sent for him
after the bout and found him TO be a
clean-cut. gentlemanly and modest chap
Al Kaufman seems to have made big
hit i'm the east since his victory over
philadelphia Jack O'Brien. and the ex-
pertS seem to think he Is right in line
for heavyweight championship honors- i
hone So That he thinks may be
learned from his recent statement TO me.
or their ten-rouud fight in San Francisco
Kaufman said: why, the negro never
hurt me- and / believe that / could out
game him over the longer route. I am
satisfied that I can hit harder than john
son. and one punch. il it lands. is sure
10 do the trick. Johnson is only human
and can be knocked out. Choynski proved
that and he could not hit half as hard as
H..
Improve and am learning something
every DAY III another year ] will be
ready for the negro again, and ne Will
he forced 10 so over the longer route.
kaufmann should fight more His
greatest weakness seems to be In tudg-
msnt of distance. and this, / think, IL due
10 lack of more frequent contests. He
has ali the physical qualities necessary
for a champion and they have not been
rntsused, and withal he is nice, clean
s.r4t chap.
..Or again: on again; gone again. Fin
necan." That's the fight location matter
10 date. For a few days il looked like
Salt Lake City, and then the scene shifted
Ia San Francisco. Either city would be
ideal as a battle-ground ! am inclined
10 differ with the critics who think that
Gleason and Richard have been making
mistake by their public utterances re-
garding battle-ground in that the pubic
NAV at lease suspect there may be an
other coon in this fight, the second one
being of the woodpile variety III is GER
tain that the ring will be pitched some
where on July 4. unless one OF the nght-
ers is in Jail. and I believe, like GER
tain editor, in raising cain and selling
the papers" Gleason and Richard seem
to understand this, too
I'm rather surprised by my last mail
advices from England that Freddy Welsh
and Packey Mcfarland haven't been
hooked up for a fight. When / was on
The other side a few weeks ago il seemed
almost certainty that Welsh would be
willing to fight anything that walked on
two legs and would come to him at the
lightweight limit. And such was the con-
fdence of the Englishmen in Freddy 5