Sportswriter assesses fantasy matchup between Langford and Fitz

In view of the fact that, only an opinion is asked on the subject, the writer will have no hesitancy in saying that he believes Bob Fitzsimmons - up to the time that he met and defeated Jim Corbett at Carson City - could have whipped Langford.
But he does not think that either 'Nonpariel' Jack Dempsey or Kid McCoy could have defeated the Boston 'bonecrusher' had the latter been fighting in their day.
In selecting Fitzsimmons as the superior of Langford, the writer does so because he thinks the Cornishman was the greatest Heavyweight - in a pound-4-pound sense - that the ring ever had. This does not exclude Jim Jeffries or Jack Johnson.
Had Fitzsimmons been a 200-pound man when he met Jeffries the latter would have been knocked out. And if the Cornishman happened to be at his best today and was as large a man as Johnson - or if the latter was as small as Fitz used to be when he was fighting - the money of the writer, if the pair met, would be carried by the freckled conqueror of Jim Corbett every time.
Sam Langford as has been stated before in these columns is a freak. Stunted in height - but with arms that seem reach his knees at times.
But so was Fitzsimmons a freak. The difference in the pair is that the Cornishman was a long and “super skinny" freak, while Langford is a short and “chunky" one. Both men were giant killers - Fitz, you couldn't figure where his power even came from? Sam, you were surprised he could reach some of their chins?
Fitzsimmons sent many a 200-pound pugilist to the floor for the count with his sledge hammer blows. Langford is doing the same thing today whenever he gets the chance. Fitzsimmons being tall and rangy with a certain amount of cleverness could have hit Langford from a distance. The latter would have been too short to keep out of the way of Fitz for any length of time. Sooner or later - had it been possible for the pair to have met - he would have been forced to come in close in order to get his own punches in. But then Fitz could have gotten his "6-inch" short arm digs into play there too and “Mistah Langford" would have either hit the carpet - or he would have been a very sick man for a while.' - Marion T. Salazar, 1910