Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1901 — JEFFRIES WINS THE FIGHT. [ARTICLE]

JEFFRIES WINS THE FIGHT.

Champion Pugilist Defeats Ruhlin at San Francisco. James J. Jeffries, champion pugilist of the world, forced Gus Ruhlin, his challenger, to quit after five rounds of fighting before the Twentieth Century Athletic Club at San Francisco. Jeffries retains his title; Ruhlin is branded as a “faker.” The fight ended abruptly. After three rounds of easy fighting Jeffries pounded the Akron giant to pieces in the fourth round. In the fifth he almost stopped him, according to accounts of the contest. Ruhlin foresaw the outcome. So did every spectator of the 10,000 in the hall. At the end of the fifth round Ruhlin gave up. A blow in the stomach, he said, had disabled him. That was his only explanation for refusing to continue. It is the first time in the history of the ring that a contender for the championship has deliberately quit. Ruhlin is being called a “faker” and a “quitter” and Jeffries says the victory was too easy. Critics are kind enough to say that Ruhlin has been overrated as a pugilist and was outfought. There are others who declare openly that Ruhlin went into the fight simply to get the small end of a big purse; that he knew he was beaten when he entered the ring and that he showed it by quitting when the punishment began. Ruhlin’s career as a pugilist of the first class is ended. His action has given the boxing game in San Francisco a severe blow, and there is already talk of preventing any further contests in that city.