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Show .. . : a-ii ; Si)fl!imrt ma Even with Tommy Sullivan's record of Laving put out Abe AtteU and of having outfought him In the five rounds of their combat in St. Louis in 1904, there are many followers of the game today who are pooh-poohing the chances of the passionate-haired boxing instructor instruc-tor of the Missouri Athletic club in the proposed $10,000 battle supposed , to tak place in April at Tonopah,' Nev. f The facts in this case justiry no skepticism skep-ticism in the case of Sullivan, save for the possible chance that two years of absence from the rine have diminished his tghting ability. Whatever bearing 'this' factor may have in the matter should be left for secondary consideration, when it comes to summing up the merits of these two grand fighters. "Grand lighters" will probably sound like an exaggeration or a press agent's notice to those who did not see the memorable battle of October .13, 1904. Without the least desire to boost the game of Sullivan it may be said that there is little question but that he outfought, outhit and outgeneraled out-generaled the famous light-weight phantom phan-tom of the ring daring every minute of their engagement. AtteU Conceded Weight. AtteU was giving Sullivan about six pounds weight no more than he will give way under . the conditions the champion himself proposes for " the coming contest, for AtteU at his best is under 122 pounds. AtteU was more than confident in their last fight. He tried to take lib- erties with Sullivan to show off before the crowd, and in the very first round got himself into chancery and in serious danger of dire results. He awoke to the situation before the second 'period came around. In this three minutes some of the most beautiful footwork ever witnessed was displayed by AttelL Sullivan, cool and collected, showed speed enoueh to offset AtteU s famous left jab. AtteU has found few fighters able to counter on this lead, but Sullivan Sulli-van anticipated him, and, getting under un-der the left repeatedly, got to AtteU 's stomach during three rounds, notwithstanding notwith-standing the Hebrew's will-o'-the-wisp tactics. In the fourth round, had not AtteU 's friends had sublime confidence in his agility and speed, they would have said that the end was at hand. BuUivan took the fight in his own hands, forced the clever Jew around the ring, and finally landed him against the ropes. Attell simply covered up, while Sullivan rained blows upon him. So perfect per-fect was Attell 's guard, however, that most of Sullivan 's pounding was rained on the San Franciscan 'a elbows or gloves, and finding a chance when Sullivan Sul-livan slowed up from his exertions, he slipped out from his precarious position, and saved himself for the round. That Body Uppercnt. When the fifth round opened Attell was none the worse physically for the rally on the rones; but that a moral effect followed is beyond doubt. He tried to keep away from- Sullivan,- and clinched, only to find his kidneys exposed ex-posed to Sullivan's pounding. Then eame the rally which ended the battle. bat-tle. Attell was dancing, in and out in his old style. He stepped in with his left, trying to get away, but Sullivan ducked under it and brought up his famous fa-mous left upper-cut to the stomach. It is this blow that - has brought Sullivan into the disfavor he enjoys In Western pugilistic circles, for many times it has landed foul, and several of his battles have been lost to him , through it, although he had the better of the contests. This time, however, it landed fairly and struck with terrific force on the nit of Attell 'a stomach. The clever Hebrew went down to the floor immediately, rolling over and over, and claiming that he had been hit foul. So entangled were the men when the blow was struck that it was almost impossible im-possible to see where it landed. Prom the press stand it eould only be 'seen tht Sullivan had started one of his famous body blows. Where it landed was not apparent, as Sullivan himself cut off a view of Attell 's body. Physicians: Decided Be suit. An examination of Attell was immediately imme-diately demanded by Sullivan 's seconds, and three physicians stepped into the ring and Inspected the supposed injured in-jured fighter. No mark of any kind was found on him in an illegal region, while a red spot in the pit of the stomach apparently ap-parently told the story of where Sullivan's Sul-livan's blow landed. Sullivan was given the fight on the testimony of the physicians. With aU this in view, it is impossible to disparage the chances of Sullivan in the coming contest, especially as it is to be at a Weight that exactly suits him. After a few days of light work. Sullivan Sul-livan is today but six pounds over the figure required of him. and there seems no reasonable doubt but that he can make 126 pounds or less ringside and be at his very best. In such case, Attell will have his work cut out, unless he decides on a stay-away policy, instead of one that brings him to fight it out at elose quarters. quar-ters. If there is one argument that favors Attell it is that he threw discretiomjo the winds in his last battle with Sullivan. Sulli-van. Overconfident, he started out with the intention of cutting Sullivan to ribbons rib-bons and knocking him out, presuming on a fancied superiority. The next time he fights the red-haired one from Brooklyn, it is a certainty that he will adopt more wary tactics. Should he play a waiting game, it will be even then a close affair, as Sullivan is noth-thing noth-thing if not clever. |