|
New
York, October 16. - John L. Sullivan
wants to fight again, and as soon as possible. It is announced that
the great John L. has got his sleeves rolled up, is about to exchange
the bottle for the sand bag and sweater, and is advertising for a man
to come and be put to sleep. The great man's challenge, in his own
inimitable, vigorous and boil-down language, is seen in the following
sentence which the champion mouthed yesterday:
"I want to fight. I've got the championship, but any man in the
world is welcome to try and get it if he can. I want to fight, and I'll
accommodate any man on this earth, and for any sum of money."
John's challenge will find official expression soon in the
Illustrated News, which Mr. Sullivan edits, and in which his sentiments
will be found set forth in such precise and dignified terms as best
become the formal announcements of diplomacy and prize fighting. In
this challenge to the wide world Sullivan will express a peculiar
longing to have Jem Smith or Charles Mitchell accept his invitation to
come and be upper-cut, cross-countered, swinging-right handed and
otherwise attended to, but all will be assured of a welcome if they
have backing. Sullivan considers that Justice, that blind and
prejudicial enemy of the ring, has made of bare knuckle fighting an
occupation to precarious to admit of the genuine comfort that a man
should get out of his life work, and so he says that gloves and the
rules of the Marquis of Queensberry must be submitted to. If Jem Smith
will only come over here Sullivan will gladly pay his expenses and pay
for his food and housing while waiting for the sacrifice to come off.
He will also pay the thick Englishman's way out to San Francisco, for
he believes that it is there, sheltered by the roof and the pull of the
California Athletic Club, that the deed should be done. He would not
object at all to an arrangement whereby the Englishman should be
assured of a certain sum of money to take home in lieu of any symmetry
that he might leave behind him, in the land of the free and the home of
the big fellow. Among other interesting remarks of the champion the
following are worth mentioning:
"They've called me a coward, which is ridiculous and beneath my
notice; but they have also said that I was all broken up. I want
to show them that they don't know me. I'm not broken up, and if I was,
any piece that was left of me would do to lick my enemies. I don't want
to knock any man or humiliate him, It's as painful to me as it is to a
mother to spank her baby. But talk has got to be stopped. After all,
these ordinary fighters are only fit to be put to sleep. The get paid
for it, and it pleases them. I'm an abused man, and I want to fight." |
