Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1896 — MAHER KNOCKED OUT. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAHER KNOCKED OUT.

BIG FIGHT LASTS BUT ONE SHORT ROUND. - to , - ■ '' Fitzsimmons Lands the Deciding; Blow After One Minute and Thirty-five Seconds of Actual Fighting—Texan Bangers at the Ringside. Battle in Mexlc,»Bob Fitzsimmons won the championship of the world Friday afternoon in one minute and thirty-five seconds from Peter Maher in a twenty-four-foot ring pitched on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande within sight of the Texas village of Langutry. Exactly 189 persons saw the mill •and wondered at the short-arm, righthand, back punch which settled the business. tip to the time of the knockout it was any sort of odds that victory would perch on the Irishman's banner.

in the early stages of the short fight, was most uncertain in his delivery and seemed to have a very poor idea of distance, and his wild misses with his right hand caused consternation in the ranks of his advisers and backers. Three different times

Maher escaped right-hand swings. They were not ordinary misses, nor was it by cleverness or agility that Maher got his. head out' of danger. It was dtto to FRz’s wildness. All three of these blows were at least a foot the mark. The Irishhian did not look to be cntjrely confident of victory when he stepped into the ring, but his manner and appearance soon changed p-hen he found that he could dddge Fitz's leads easily. When the men were called up for instructions both agreed not to hit in clinches and to break away clean, even when one arm was free. Maher, who claims he did not agree to this, struck Fitz in the face in backing away from the first clinch. There were loud cries of ‘•foul" from the Now' Zealander's corner. Referee Siler warned Mailer not to do it again. The fight, though short.’ was full of action. and it was fight all the way through. Both jnen started in from the bell ring to niakp a hot pace. Fitzsimmons, except in the last rally, did not use his left and then he only feinted in a strange way so characteristic of the man. It Was more of an. upper cut than a straight-lead, and drew Maher's head in range. Quick as a flash Fitzsimmons shot his right across square on the point of Maher’s jaw and the Irishman’s head hit the floor. It was a short right-hander. The place where the fight took place was in a rocky amphitheater and the sports had to tramp across a pontoon 'bridge to Mexico to reach the ropes. The ridge of rocks -was fringed with men and women, but within the tented inelosure, which was so close to the Rio Grande that its roar drowned the voice of the gatekeeper, 250 fatigued sports leaned against the ropes, 7

ROBERT FITZSIMMONS.