The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-21
THE VICTIMS OF JEFFRlEs
Boiler Maker Has Defeated the Stars
Of the Prize Ring

Boiler Maker Has defeated the stars |
Of the Prize Ring
New York, April 20.-The Jeffries-
Johnson fight will be the last OF the
greatest series OF heavyweight bat |
ties in the history of the ring. 1t |
marks the meeting of the best white
man America ever produced with the
best black man In the world-the
black man the champion and the
white man the challenger.
One of the keenest followers of
boxing in this country, a man who
has followed every great fighter
since Sulliyan's time, remarked the
other day that Jim Jeffries was an
over-rated man. This savant is go
ing to bet on Johnson, because he
says that he believes Jeffries at his
best could never have whipped John
son. who is admittedly now at his
best.
"Jeffries whipped old men," said
this follower OF the ring.
Let us step down and take a look at
this statement
To begin with, name better bunch
OF heavyweights than Bob Fitzsim-
mons, Jim Corbett and Tom Sharkey.
You may bring in John L. Sullivan,
but Sullivan was practically through
fighting before Corbett reached his
prime. Name a cleverer man than
Corbett shrdier fighter than Tom
Sharkey, and harder hitter and
shimtier ring general than Bob Fitz-
simmons. Rubin also was not to be
wholly despised.
These men Jim Jeffries whipped
every time he faced them, with the
exception Of the first draw which
Rubin secured.
Jeffries was raw enough young
ster when he faced Fitzsimmons for
the first time. He had lot let learn
about the fighting game, but he put
away the champion in eleven rounds,
taking the best punches OF the old
freckled fellow without flinching or
even staggering. Was Fitzsimmons
an old man them Ask the FIVE men
whom he fought Immediately after.
ward, every one Of whom he knocked
kicking with a punch. Fitz was beat.
en- in June, 1899. In October he
knocked out Jeff Thorne In a punch
In March, 1900 he knocked out Jim
DAILY I'm one round In April he
knocked out big Dunkhorst in two
rounds. These men had no class,
but do not forget that a fighter has
to hit a dub something OF punch to
drop him in round. In August Of
the same year Fitzsimmons met Rub
lin and Sharkey two weeks apart.
Rubin was then fighting at the top
OF his very best form. II will be re-
membered that he slammed FltE
around the ring with his long left and
fairly overshadowed the freckled fox
for Ave rounds, but In the sixth. Fitz
slipped in close. sunk one shortarm
punch into the pit OF the stomach.
whipped the other fist to the jaw. and
down went Gus with a crash knock
ed colder than organized charity.
Two weeks later Tom sharkey got
his, and FitE played even for the
Earped decision in San Francisco. He
laid the sailor down to sleep in two
rounds.
Fltz was still older when he met
Jeffries the second time. but he was
not too old TO give the champion the
hardest fight c! his life. II he did
nothing else against Jeffries that
night he established the big fellows
right to call himself one OF the gam
est men IN the ring, for Il took dead
game man TO stand the unmerclful
laolng which that old man passed
out for six or seven rounds Il was
simpy whaml bml bin from the
lopening bell, with Jeff blocking every