THE RING.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9327, 30 January 1896, Page 2

THE RING.

" Weekly Prese and- Referee. ,, [By Stabught.] Dan Stuart, the Texas sport, who mv chief engineer of the ill-fated match between Corbett and Fitzaimmoas for the championship of the world, has not given up hope oi bringing the men together in squared circle, as appears from recent advices from the Southwest. From Houston, Texas, under date of November 24th, comes the following: — " Fitzsimmons has signed articles for a fieht with Corbett, as follows : —The stipulation is for a fight to a finish with 6oz gloves, to be pulled off on January lOfeh next, at El Paso, Texas, or elsewhere, the parties of the first part (D. A. Stuart] agreeing to give the winner of the contest a purse of $20,000. Should the party of the first part fail to pull off the fight on the date mentioned, he is to forfeit to Corbett and Fitzaimmona one-half of the purse, $10,000. Upon the date that Jae. J. Corbett and W. A. Brady agree to sign the articles the parties of tht , eecond and third part*

Q (Gorbett and Fitzsimmons) are to deposit i each §12,500. Of this amount §10,000 de- . posited by each sido is to be a side bet . bstwcen the contestants, and is to go to the J winner of the fight. The nmounUrf §2500 5 deposited by each of the principals in the t contest is up aa a forfeit to I). A. Stuart, to jr be paid to him should either of the principals f fail to be at tha ring side on the date b selected. Should they both appear at 3 the appointed time this forfeit' to be re- [• turned to them after tho contest. Should 3 one of them fail to appear fche other ia to be f refunded what he has deposited. The purse b money offered by Stuart is to be doposited, i 810,000 when Corbett signs, and $10,000 five • j duvs previous to the fight." 3 „ This agreement certainly seems fair' 3 enough (says a, Now York writer), and after the experience Scuart has Jiad in the past * it is hardly likely that he would take all the y trouble he is doing unless ho had what in c sporting parlance is known asa" cinch "on i the arrangements ho has made resulting in a t satisfactory climax. lie was announced to f have made arrangements to leave Galveaton 1 for New York during the latter part of laat s week, his purpose being to endeavour to ine duce Corbtit to meet the Australian, or, s failing that, to sign Peter Mnher to go b against Bob for the championship that » c now in abeyance. As Corbott persists iti c his announced determination to nover again . enter the ring, notwithstanding the inopporf tune period of his retirement therefrom, it s any match be made the principals thereto s will most likely be Fitzsimmons and Miiher, 1 both of whom we are satisfied, are willing to . engage in a passage of arms that will decide ,' who is entitled to the championship. Maher ) has declined to accept a title which Corbett, b without authority, presumed to bestow upon i him, but in manly fashion has issued a ~;•■' i challenge, duly supported by a money.' i deposit, as required by the rules, to any 1 man. Fitzsimmons preforred, to fight for the 2 honor, for which lie deserves all credit, and, i notwithstanding his previous befeat by th<i s Antipodean, the circumstances connected . with that encounter, and the fact that ths f Irish lad has improved oincc then in all that t goes to make up a first class pugilist, there 1 is no doubt that Mu'har will have many sup- ■ r porters in a contest with Fifcz. r Jem Smith's victory over Dick Euvge, a 9 t was only to be expected (says a London c correspondent) has brought him into promi- , r nent public notice again. Victory has its b penalties as well ag its pleasures, and Smith i finds himself the desired opponent s of 3 various other boxers, Frank Slavin amongst { them. Naturally, aftes;: what .happened at t Bruges, Slavin does not entertain an exalted 3 opinion of Smith, and ho has lost no time in _ coming out with a challenge to box him Jpr . the cTiainpionsiif.p of England. ,',' Personally," remarks Slavin, "I do not think > Smith has any clnim to the championship."' i That is just where, Slavin's thoughts lead 5 him astray. If Frank wants to box for the 3 English Championship, Charley Mitchell ia i his man—not Smith. Despite the evto* i recurring questions and oft-repeated infonna--3 tion on the subject, there still appear r to be those who, either cannot or ■~ i will not understand this very . simple j matter. Jem Smith is Champion of the . I English Prize Ring, and not any number 1 of defeats with the gloves can teke that title j from him, even were he willing. The niles 3 of the Prize Ring are above the wishes or I desires of the fighting man. Until Smith ie > defeated in the old style, or refuses a t challenge properly preferred, he retatnn hie , i position as Ghampion of England. Similarly " r with Mitchell and the bearing championship. [ He has not retired from the ring ao far as I . I know, nor has he refnsed any challenge, ,' . Therefore he atiU remains Boxing CJiampion. , Personally I should vory much like to see a s glove contest between Smith and Slavin, i as nets-to between men of totally . weight are unsatisfactory affairs to say the 0 : [ least. But if Smith and Slavin do box, : t there can be no question as to the champion- ■ ship between them under the circumstances. . No amount of talk or any arrangement. ■ between the men can alter this.