LIVES OF GREAT BOXERS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 September 1946, Page 6

LIVES OF GREAT BOXERS

(Continued from last week) When Gene Tunney announced that he would one day win, the world heavyweight title, he was sneered at beGause he was a high brow and studied the classics. His knowledge of literature was more than any other boxer had ever known. In his spare /time he could be i'ound studying law, and when he entered the ring he made up his mind to study this profession just as seriously as his boxing. As a preliminary to the Dempsey-Car-pentier bout, fought in New Jersey City, Gene just managed to K.O. a burly boxer named Soldier Jones in a poor exhibition of boxing. When the big bout commenc,2d, Tunney crouched down in a ringside seat, watching every movement of Dempsey and storing iway knowledge which v/ould come in handy for the future. Although Dempsey may have laughed then if he knew that Tunney, who had just managed to win his preliminary bout in a second rate show, had dreams of remoying the crown from him. Tunney knew that every Champion must reach the top the hard way, suffer hard knocks, reverses and disappointments, and he knew ihat he was no exception. Three years passed before Tunney came into the news again, and this was when he defeated Ermino Spalia in seven rounds. His next bout was to be against the Frenchman, Georges Carpentier, and this fight was regarded as one of the mpst thrilling displays ever seen in America. (To be Continued)