Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-26
ny RANO

In the preceding installments of the
battles of Bob Fitzsimmons. We have
followed him thru a series OF contests
and victories that placed him at tho
top of the middlewcirht division and,
with one exception, champion of the
heavies.
The one exception was James J..
Corbctt. 1t is proper TO call attcn-
tion to the fact that the Cornishmnn
did everything possible to get a match
with Gentleman jim" but Corbett
steadily refused to fight. The we'll
defined rule that all title holders should
be obliged to defend their title. docs
not always hold good, especially in
these times. sullivan was titular head
OF the heavyweight division, al
though he declared time and again
that he would fight no more and tho
title could go where II righuully be-
longed.
We have told OF the incidents that
led up to the Sullivan-Corbett battle.
and how handily corbett Won, so tnat
in the latter part OF 1892 Coroett.
rightfully claimed the championship.
From March 1898 until March, 1897
Fitz. had. intermittently, endeavorcd
to get a match with the foxy Corbctt.
without success. In the interim Fftz.
had beaten about every heavyweight
in the country that cared to go
against him; he had conquered Joe
Godfrey in ono round at Philadelphia;
kayo'd Dan Creedon in two rounds IN
the following September. at New or
leans, and for the second time had
heard tho fateful count OF tho referee
over the Irish champion. Peter Mahcr,
in February 1896. at Langtry, Texas.
The affair with Sailor Sharkey, At
Frisco, December .. 1896, where the
decision went against him on claim OF
foul. set him back considerably
He had been framed and he knew u,
and he resolved that II opportunity
ever offered he would get revenge II
is doubtful IL there was single
sportsman in America, with sense OF
honesty, who did not deploro this dark
spot in pugilistic history.
There is no class OF sports that can
endure thru crooked tactics Eurp.
Eunman, gambler and reicrec-"as
seldom heard OF after that fiasco, and
Fitzsimmons. while an old man as
athletics go, lived long enough to get
he lambastcd the very
life out of the sailor. in two rounds
at Coney Island. in August. 1889
Tho fact must not be overlooked tha'
all this time he was winning from tho
very highest cxponents OF the fighting
game: he was taking them on and de-
feating them at weight very clos"
to lsO pounds. He was technically
and was forced to give
away 20 TO - pounds TO every man nc
fought They were finish fights; NOT
limited round affairs. Besides these
men he defeated several OF lesser
rcputa tion. but he never had the>leas'
trouble with them.
with these facts in mind, II is nor
difficult to understand why corhctt
cvaded the lank fellow. The world had
ha never known n more offcccvc OF
dangerous fighting machine. II was
not alone that he possessed the quail
fications OF putting his antagonist out
with long arm swings. or short arm
punches, either with right or left. all
these blows carried force enough 10
fcll an OK, but the mind that told MN
what to do and how to proceed, tina,
marked him tho greatest ring general
or past or present fighters. In short.
he possessed every qualification TO
make him the greatest fighter OF all
times.
FftI-Corbet Battle.
As a boxer. pure and simple, ~ Is
doubtful IL James J. Corbctt ever had
his master, and knowing this. II ia not
without reason to suppose that nc
could win. or at least stand off the
freakish tactic; of Fitzsimmons. This