HOW FITZSIMMONS WAS BEATEN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 831, 8 February 1906, Page 15

HOW FITZSIMMONS WAS BEATEN.

Particulars are just 'l*o hand of the boxing contest betwten Bob Fitzsimmons and Jack O’Brien, the Philadelphia middle-weight, which took place in San Francisco. After thirteen rounds, and when the veteran was being sponged and fanned while the blood was from his mouth and nostrils, he suddenly throw up his arms and collapsed. The doctor, see’ng that he had fainted, jumped into the ring, and directed the seconds who were working over him. He soon recovered consciousness, but the referee immediately awarded the fight to O’Brien. The crowd was enormous, and betting at the start was slighuy in favour •of “Fitz.” “ Bob” insisted that there should be no delay, declaring that he would not allow the cold to chill his limbs for any man. He received the following cable from his wife: —

“ Always the same, Bob, win or lose; but mind you win.”

His last words to his seconds before entering the ring were: —“ You •can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” O’Brien said: “If Fitz, wins, he’ll be the wonder of the age; but my strength lies in my feet, and he cannot win.”

In the opening rounds O’Brien danced round the ring, and Fitz was unable to place him. The old man had all his famous power behind his arm, but O’Brien cleverly avoided punishment. in Round 4 Fitz landed a hard right swing, and almost fell through the ropes from his own efforts. But ne recovered, and jabbed a xeft to the eye. O’Brien, however, hit him all over the face, and blood was flowing freely. In the next round Fitz chased O’Brien round the ring, and finally ught him right on the mouth

In the sixth and eighth rounds Fitz fell after two wicked rights in the face.

When the bell rang at the close of the ninth round Fitz was again on the floor.

In the tenth he was wild, but apparently got in a hard right over the heart.

But O’Brien’s footwork was too much for Fitz. The crowd yelled with delight in the eleventh round as O’Brien was sent to the ropes. The beginning of the thirteenth round seemed to favour Fitz, who landed two lefts on O’Brien’s jaw. It was a hard round, and told on the old fighter, who scarcely reached his chair before his evident distress made it plain that the fight was over. O’Brien, or, to give him his proper name, Joseph Hagon, is sixteen years the junior of the Cornwall farrier, for while Fitz was born on June 4, 1862, O’Brien did not see the light until January 17, 1878. In his two visits to England Jack effectually settled the pretensions of every man he met.

The heavy-weight championship of England was recently contested by Jack Palmer (Benwell, Newcastle) and “ Geoff Thorne” (England’s heavy and middle-weight ex-amateur champion). The Northcountryman was at once installed the favourite, 25 to 20 on his chance being freely taken. From the start the men boxed at a tremendous pace, the Novocastrian fully justifying the odds laid on him. His left-handed jabs in the first meeting had a great effect upon his rival. In the second round a fine passage of arms ensued, Thorne doing much better. Coming to the third, the heavy work that the pair had participated in appeared to have had but little effect, except that each was somewhat flushed. Unfortunately the fourth passage of arms, when the bout was at a very interesting stage, came to a very unsatisfactory conclusion. After several smart rallies had been indulged in Palmer darbied his man with the right. Upon again coming within measurable distance Palmer tried for the same place, but appeared to be rather low, and Thorne dropped to the boards, where he remained until counted out Many present were under the impression that it was a foul, but the referee, although admitting that the blow was somewhat low,

was of the opinion that Thorne was ’ a certain extent responsible, and that he had, in endeavouring to avoid the delivery, himself forced it down. Thereupon, with the Londoner unable to continue, the referee awarded the contest to Palmer. It was certainly a very regrettable ending to what might have panned out a very interesting contest.