Heavyweight bio's part 3(Bob Fitzsimmons)

BOB FITZSIMMONS Bob Fitzsimmons cut a strange, almost comical figure in the ring. He was variously described as "grotesque" and "a cartoonists caracature". He had a powerful, heavyweights torso(a legacy of his years working as a blacksmith in NEW Zealand) but his legs were spindly and he was knocked kneed. Facially, he looked older than his years. He had receeding red hair and was covered with freckles. His colouring gave him his politest nickname, Ruby Robert. He was also known as The Fighting Blacksmith and, less kindly, The Freckled Freak. Fitzsimmons was born in Helston, Cornwall on the 26th of May 1863. His family emigrated to New Zealand when he was just a child, and it was in the antipodes that he carved a reputation as a formidable fighter. He served his boxing apprenticeship under the tutelage of the Norfolk gypsy, Jem Mace, and then in the Sydney gym-saloon of Mace's protege Larry Foley. Fitzsimmons learned his lessons well. In eight years he suffered only one defeat. When he was 28, Fitzsimmons headed for the United States to further his career. In an age before global media, he was an unknown quantity to the American boxing scene. Opponents and fans alike must have raised an eyebrow at this odd looking figure, weighing in at just 11 st 4lb, who was prepared to take on all comers from middleweight to heavyweight. They quickly learned that Fitzsimmons packed a mighty punch for one so light. Having taken the middleweight title after beating Jack Dempsey in 1891, Fitzsimmons set his sights on the heavyweight crown. He was present at the Sullivan-Corbett fight a year later, and wasted no time issueing a challenge to the new champion. It would be five years before Corbett's hand was forced. In the intervening period one of Fitzsimmons victims was Peter Maher, the man Corbett nominated as heir to his crown when he flirted with retirement. The pressure on the champion was growing. Even the public joined in the fun, regularly taunting Corbett for avoiding Fitzsimmons. "MOVIN PITCHER" Ruby Robert raised the stakes by taking on Maher yet again. This time he beat the big Irishman even more easily. Annoyed that the fight was to be filmed on the new Edison Kinetoscope and that he was to recieve no percentage of the money the "movin pitcher" would make, Fitzsimmons responded by knocking Maher out barely a minute into the contest, and before the Kinetoscope operaters had got their machines working. The clash between Corbett and Fitzsimmons was now inevitable. In the run up to the contest, which took place in Carson City, Nevada, the ill feeling between the two men was very evident. On one occasion, Corbett violently tweaked Fitzsimmons nose in a hotel lobby. The champion then added insult to injury by asking his brother to sign the register in Fitzsimmons's behalf. Fitzsimmons, who was semi-literate, had to be restrained, otherwise the big fight would have been staged there and then. It is little wonder that there was no handshake when the two stepped into the ring just before noon on 17th March, 1897. Taller, 15lb heavier, faster and with a glorious array of punches, the champion toyed with Ruby Robert for the first five rounds. Strutting and grinning, Corbett picked his man off at will and made him look like a novice. In round 6 a vicious uppercut from Corbett lifted Fitzsimmons clean off his feet. The challenger slumped to the groung and lay like a rag doll. Corbett stood menacingly, ready to go in for the kill. Referee insisted that Corbett retire before he began the count. That, and the fact that Corbett berated Siler for counting too slowly, gave Fitzsimmons time to recover. BURNING DESIRE Corbett continued tomete out alot of punishment but couldn't put Fitzsimmons away. The challenger was tough as teak, he also had a burning desire to win. By the 10th round, Corbett was beginning to tire and the tide began to turn. In round 14 Corbett rocked backwards to avoid a scything right from Fitzsimmons. Previously he had danced his way out of trouble but now he wanted to stay in close so he could counter. It proved a fatal mistake. He left his body exposed momentarily and Fitzsimmons drove a sickening left into the pit of the champions stomach. Fitzsimmons's wife Ruby who was in her husband's corner, had been yelling "hit him in the slats" and Fitzsimmons finally got the chance to heed her advice in the 14th round, to decisive effect. The body bloe dropped Corbett to his knees, his face contorted with agony. He tried to get up at the count of eight and reached for the ropes, only to fall ignominiously flat on his face. When he did recover, an incandescent Corbett railed at his opponent that it was just a lucky punch. It was certainly a punch that Fitzsimmons had used to good effect before. WYATT EARP BETTING RING The previous year he had sent Ton Sharkey writhing to the canvas with an identical blow, in a contest refereed by the legendary Wyatt Earp. The solar plexus punch, as it came to be known, was devestating and perfectly legal. Against Sharkey, Earp had ruled it a low blow and disqualified Fitzsimmons, but that was because he was involved in a betting ring which had invested heavily on Sharkey. There were no such underhand shenanigans this time, the solar plexus punch won Bob Fitzsimmons the heavyweight championship of the world at the age of 33. Corbett could hardly complain when Fitzsimmons ignored all pleas for a rematch, the new champ also preferring to cash in on his celebrity status by taking to the stage. It would be two years before he was tempted into a title defence, and then only to satisfy the clamours of the boxing fraternity and to replenish his own coffers. Instead of a return with Corbett, Fitzsimmons lined up James J. Jeffries, a mountain of a man whom Corbett had sparred with and used as a punchbag. On the eve of the fight, which took place at Coney Island Athletic Club on June 9th, 1899 , the supremely confident champion went out with friends, carousing late into the night. He believed that Jeffries' 50lb weight advantage would simple mean he would hit the canvas that much harder. But it was Fitzsimmons who was to come down to earth with a bump. NAME-----------------------Bob Fitzsimmons REIGN(HW)------------------------1897-1899 REIGN(LHW)-----------------------1903-1905 REIGN(MW)------------------------1891-1897 RECORD----------------------------W46(39KO's)L8, D10 Next bio is James J. Jeffries