New York Journal photograph of Fitzsimmons' 'peculiar' techniques

https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024350/1897-03-16/ed-1/?sp=2&r=0.007,-0.046,1.211,0.628,0

Also features an article written by Corbett as well.

 

I've seen a lot of articles leading up to Corbett-Fitzsimmons describing Fitzsimmons as an 'unorthodox' fighter with unusual tactics, I've also seen @cross_trainer say that Fitz's stance is unique to pretty much anyone he's seen from before, then and since. Perhaps he was just considered unorthodox by a society used to Corbett, and knowing Corbett he probably painted himself as the 'pristine boxing artist' fighting the 'mindless brute puncher' Fitzsimmons.

Fitzsimmons also appeared to be the type of fighter that needed to be set and preferred his opponent to come to him, rather than go on the on the front foot and chase a sprinter like Corbett. He looks beyond uncomfortable in the Corbett footage, and doesn't really use any of the tactics from these sketches. Then again, Corbett was looking for pretty much any reason not to engage with Bob and even admits it in the article.

It's always been of my personal opinion that Fitzsimmons was more capable than that fight suggests, but that's just me. It just seems like he knows too much about boxing to be defined by that poor performance, judging from his book.

This content is protected

 

Excerpts from Fitz's book:

Distance of the Feet

Put the left foot forward in a straight line from the body. Bend the knee slightly and rest the foot on the toe. Have the weight of the body on the right foot, with the toe turned a little outward. Have this foot flat on the floor. Stand near a wall Place your feet as I have told you. Now reach out your left fist and touch the wall with your knuckles. Have your arm almost straight, bent just a little at the elbow. Push back as hard as you can. If the push throws you out of your position, your feet are too close together.

Poise In Boxing

In taking your stand for a "bout" with the gloves, let the body lean a little bit forward from the hips. Have all the muscles loose. Put the left side forward. Do not stand with your body square to your opponent : it gives him a wider target to hit and does not allow you the swing of the body and shoulders which you need in order to strike a good blow.

Hold your shoulders down, the left one particularly. This gives you length of reach and ease of arm movement Keep your left arm out, but not straight. Always have your elbows bent a little. A perfectly straight arm is easily hurt If the arm is bent a little at the elbow it gives it strength and quickness of action.

Swing your body with the waist as a pivot. Do not have it "set;" that is, held rigid. Always keep it swinging, not so hard as to tire you, but so that it is ever ready to start in any direction* The body can start much quicker If it be moving than if it be stilL

Getting Away from Attack

A boxer with his shoulders about his ears and his body held rigid cannot move quickly. When you jump back from an attack do not alter the position of your body ; in other words, go back with the body held in the same manner as when you began to span The reason for this is, that when you land away, on your feet, you are still in a position for either attack or defense should your opponent follow you.

The man who would evade an onslaught by thrusting back his head and body so that he is almost falling backward is all wrong. His adversary could follow die attack and easily have the *' backward" man at his mercy.

Hitting and Stopping a Blow

In hitting a blow never close the hand until the blow is landed. The reason for this is that it strains the muscles of the forearm and tires the boxer needlessly. Holding the hands open not only relieves the muscles from any unnecessary strain J but keeps a wider space of glove always ready to defend from attack.

Now, in stopping a blow there is a wrong and a right way. Always turn the palm of the glove outward in stopping a blow. Keep the hand open. This presents a larger surface to the glove of your opponent and will do more to prevent his blow from landing than if your fist was closed.

In guarding always keep your elbows close to your sides. This takes in the benefit of the forearm, and if the glove be held close to the face all that side of the body is protected. Never land a punch without having the block ready to meet the counter. Every time you start a punch remember that your opponent intends to come back with another punch.

The particular art of the game is to land a blow without a return ; but every time you make an attack you render yourself liable to an offensive demonstration from the man with whom you are sparring.

One of the best uses of the hands in boxing is not to use them. When a blow is struck the proper way to avoid it is not to stop it with the hand or forearm, but to **slip" it By **slipping** a blow, I mean that you should get away from it in such a manner that no part of your opponent's arm touches you. This is known as "ducking" and ** side-stepping." For instance, if your sparring partner swings his right for the side of your face, lower your head and let the blow go over. Do not "duck" in toward him. Let your head go under the blow and away from it to the side. This prevents your opponent from landing an upper-cut, which he would do if you were close enough to him.

 

A Simple Blow

An important blow is the straight left lead for the face. It is a simple blow and easily landed But it is not one of the hard raps in boxing.

To deliver a straight left lead watch your chance when the other has his guard low. Step in quickly. Swing the left shoulder forward from the hip, at the same time sending the ann out in a straight line. As the arm goes out shut the fist Keep the palm of the hand turned inward and partly downward so that the top knuckles will strike.

In landing this blow I told you to send the arm out in a straight line. I do not mean that you should straighten the arm entirely. Have the elbow bent a little, as this prevents a strain at this point. If the arm be straightened out there may be a snap at the elbow, and an injury there is almost impossible to cure.

A straight right lead is like one with the left hand, only, of course, the right is used. In this lead the right leg is brought a little forward, adding its swing to the force of the blow.

Right Swing

In landing this punch wait until you get your opponent's guard low. You can do this by making believe to hit him in the body. Then^ when you think you have the opening, drop your right hand down and back with the elbow bent so that the forearm and upper arm are almost at right angles. From this position throw your arm in a half-circle up and over to the side of your opponent's head.

Close your fist while the blow is travelling. Keep the palm of the glove up and down in a line with the body. As the blow starts swing the right leg and all the right side of the body with it. Jost as it is landing stiffen the arm and push the shoulder forward, turning the body at the hips. The force of the blow should not be ended the moment it lands. Keep it going : it will have more effect that way.

The first two knuckles of the hand should land the blow. If you throw your palm down and hit with the thumb you are liable to break it even with the protection of a glove.

The left swing is made with the left hand in the same manner as the right swing, only the position of the legs is not changed. It does not have as much force as the right swing, because it does not get a like shift of the body with it. But it is easier to land, as it travels a shorter distance.

On how to hit hard

The muscles of the shoulders play the most important part in the delivery of a hard blow. Take any boxer who has finely developed back and shoulder muscles and you will find that he is a stout hitter. No matter how weak his biceps and forearm muscles may be, in comparison with those of his shoulders and back, if the latter have the power he will be what is commonly known as a "knocker-out."

Of coarse, it is to one's advantage to have well-developed biceps and forearms, as this will add to die compactness and solidity of the blow*