The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-18
FITZ BECOMES CHAMPION
OF THE MIDDLE-WEICHTs
BY JAMES J. CORBETT.
Copyright, 1917, by King Features Syndicate, Inc)

| Editors Note: This In the seventh
Iof q series of articles by Jim Corbett
which deal with the life of Bob Fitx-
simmons. Few men knew Fftz ~
Corgett knew him. and 80 these ar
ticles reveal some incidents In the life
of F1tzsimmons that never before have
been printed. The mart chapter will
appear tomorrow.)
| Bob F1txaimmons dealt out to Jack
| Dem psey one of the worst beatfnss
| have seen a man get In the ring. II
Twas Fitx's Tight from start to finish
Great az WIS Dempey. he was nothing
more than a punching bag for the
Australian. Fitx was the giant: Demp-
] sey the pigmy In that contest.
The battle was staged In New Or
leans on January IA. 1891. with the
middleweight championship of the
world at stake. A huge crowd gather
ell to witness the contest and / was
nu-tunate enough to be among the
lri,,gside spectators.
| II was little more than a slaugh-
! ter of the idol of the American ring.
Dempsey never had chance from the
outset with the six foot Australian.
The fight went thirteen rounds, due
only to the marvellous gameness Of
gthe American and to his amazing abii-
fly to stand up under the sledge ham
mer blows OF the Australian. Fitz
hit Dempsey when and where he WILL
I'd. But. at that time. Fits had not
developed hts terrific body punch to
its nightiest effectiveness. and. there
fore, Was not able TO shoot II home
with all the telling effect of later
years. But although Fftz smashed
rights and Iefts into Jacks body time
ard again throughout the fight. none
went directly into the pit of the stom-
ach, the vulnerable part OF foeman
which was to become the main tar
get of Fitz's blows later on.
Fitx opened hi sattack on Dempsey's
head and kspt alternating from head
TO body. Dempsey fought back with
rare courage, bat II waE apparent from
the outset that he had no chance. Fftx
was too big for him. The Australian
had phenomenal reach and Jack was
unable to break through Fitz's guard
with any degree OF consistency. The
Dempsey blows which had noored so
many other opponents I'm the past. had
little effect upon the powerful Fftz
Dempsey was q fast. clever fellow and
an excellent boxer. He showed up su-
n
the game. but don't get ths idea that
Fisx knew nothing in that light about
boxing. F'itx than was just ~ an
ished fighter as in later years, but
he had an awkward style that de-
ceiyed many into believing that he
wasn't clever.
Various stories have besn told con-
corning that fight. Some have IL that
along about the sixth or seventh round
F1tg, feeling sorrcwfui for Dempsey.
asked Jack to quit But Jack stub
bornIy refused. I sat within n few
feet OF the ring and never heard Fftz
don't say az a positive fact that he
didn't ask Dempey to quit, but my
position waa 50 close 10 the ring that
1t In hardly possible F1tz could have
made any such remark without my
hearing r. 4
Other stories have Il that Fftz would
hit Dempsey and. as Jack staggered.
FttS would grab him. steady him ana
then hit him again Those stories are
not true, ! saw thst fght--saw every
move made in it-and Fitx did no such
thing. Fits wanted to win the mid
dleweight championship OF the world
and although he felt after the frss
few rounds that he was Dempsey's
hoHANa @sa3 WAX LUc WAG
surely within his grasp. Fitz didn't try
to hold up his adversary Just In order
TO punish him with unnecessary severl-
ty. His object was to moor Jack for
'ten"-that waa sill
The tight. as I have said before. was
little less than a slaughter. FItx
rained blow after blow upon the face
and body Of Dempsey Nine hundred
and ninety-nine men out Of one thou. |
~ ha svn AL
impact during the early rounds-~but |
Dempsey was the one thousandth man !
He was game clear through. The hom- |
hardment by the Australian sappad /
practically all OF his physical strength. i
but still Dempsey kept on. IAinly |
during the frst twelve rounds OF that |
tight Fitz tried to drop Jack A dozen |
timea ne had him tottering. but always |
Jack managed somehow to keep his
feet and to keep coming on. He was |
lion-hsarted fellow and although /
defeat stared him in the face he /
wouldn't quit He could have gone /
down under Fitxs pushes early tn the |
light when he realised how slight was
his chance for victory and so saved
himself from further beating. But
Jack wasn't that kind OF man. He
was made of better. Amer stun and
while the chance for victory re-
manned he continued to fight on,
The end came In the thirteenth. For
Ave rounds 1t was his iron will and
sublime courage that kept Dempsey
from topping to defeat, He came up
in the thirteenth q pitifui. staggering
figure. His legs wobbled beneath him
and his strength war 20 far spent that
he hardly was able TO lift his arms.
But Just the same he went to the csn-
ter OF the ring ard fought his best
Fftx saw HE condition and realized
that Dempsey was about through.
Fitz stepped back. q little. drove few
punches to Dempseys body and thea
mashed fer the head The weary
.merfcan stumbled. went down and
ne referee toiled Oft the count OF ten.
And 80 q new king had come to rule
In the middlsweight world: Bob Fit1-
simmons. the Australian. the greatest
fighter for his weight and inches that
the prize ring ever has known.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.