KINGS OF THE RING

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1946, Page 8

KINGS OF THE RING

'Straight Left")

DEMPSEY ONE OF GREATEST

(By

It is not by mere accident that we plaee- J^ck Dempsey as one of the greatest heavy-weight champions ever. Dempsey had a good, hardhitting left and few will deny that oy his sheer ferocity and gameness he has ever, been equalled or surpassed. Behind his terrifying and sweeping attacks was cool-headed precision and a keen and aleft boxing brain, fuli of masterful ringcraf't. These qualities bore him aloft irom the company of second rate slOggers and placed him on the mighty throne of world champions. Viewed from every angle he was a great fighter, and must be recorded as the greatest king of the ring. With the childhood and boyhood expioits of William Harrison Dempsey we are not really concerned. Life began for him like it has for most of us. There were no lucky breaks and no pulling of strings to bring Jack to the front. He got there the ®hard way. His first big success was against Fred Puiton, whom he easily beat. Other notable wins in his early days were over "Battling" Levinsky, "Porky' Flynn and others. Jack's goal was the world's heavyweight title. His first opponment was Jess Wiliards. He was no "softie" so Jack began intensive nreparations. When the two met both had doubts about each other. The gong went and like q, flash Dempsey was across the ring, swinging vicious lefts and rights at Willard's body. Big Jess pushed out a few punches, but none of them really did any damage. Dempsey sent a powerful "left to Wiliards' body, doubling him up, and then a pile-driver right to the jaw sent him. to the canvas. Six seconds later he rose, but was badly shaken. Dempsey did not wait, but went in again. Wiliards sank once more tp_ rise unsteadily. He repeated this performance seven times in three minutes, and was able to last that round and the second and the third. Wiliards staggered back to the corner at the end of the third, .battered 'beyond reccgnition, weakly reached for the towel and threw it into the ring. Dempsey was the winner. For eight years Dempsey reigned champion, adding success after success to his ever-growing fame. One of his most .sensational bouts was against Luis Firpo. In the first round Firpo rushed Dempsey and knocked him clean out of the ring. i Dempsey came back for the couiit of ! nine, rushed Firpo and knocked hirn ' to the canvas for the count of ten. I Dempsey was an instructor with the United States Marines during the war.