HOW DEMPSEY FIGHTS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1920, Page 4

HOW DEMPSEY FIGHTS

(iiv Fred Iveais, Assistant Sporting Editor New York “Evening Sun” ami former Light-weight Champion of •State of New York. William Harrison (Jack) Dempsey, the Colorado heavy-weight, \ho won j the world’s championship by deleating j the gigantic Jess A il lard in four rounds at Toledo on July 4, 1919, is the youngj ost and in many respects the most re- ! markable man that ever held the title, j Two years before lie won the highest j honours in pugilism Dempsey was a hoI ho (railway tramp), living from hand lto mouth. Now, at the ago of 24,.he is jon tho point of being matched with i Georges Carpentier for the biggest j purse ever offered. In 1917 Dempsey | was unknown, except to the closest followers of boxing. In one short year ho made a record that compares favourably with that of the best of tho champions who preceded him. During 1918 he encountered 20 of the leading aspirants in the title and IS of the 20 were “put to sleep.” No fewer than 12 were counted out in the first round. The following year Dempsey appeared in the ring only once before he met .less Willard and won the title. Dempsey has a mixture ol Trish, Scotch, and American Indian blood in his veins. He has the ideal temperament and build for a fighting man. He stands 6ft in his stockinged feet, hot he is so symmetrically proportioned that a stranger cannot be made to believe that he is so tall until he actually applies the tape.

Dempsey never received a boxing lesson in Ills life. He is a natural fighting

man. Nature made Dempsey for fighting and nothing else. He combines great strength with remarkable speed

to an extent that has not been equalled since Sam Langford, the Negro heavyweight, was in his prime. He carries his 13st 81b of fighting weight as .gbt ly as a ballet dancer. He never rushes wildly nor does lie

: take a backward s tep. With both 3 , hands poised ready for hitting, he walks • ' steadily into his opponent- until he 1 draws the latter’s fire, and then ho 3 either “beats him to the punch” or ; counters with such tremendous force , that if his fist lands on a vulnerable spot the battle ends at oneo. j T)empsev is not particularly hard to - hit. IT is only defensive tactic is a 1 peculiar swaying motion of the head. His head is never still for an instant. This makes it difficult to land upon him solidly and has the further advantage of leaving both his hands always free for action. The straight left of the, conventional boxer has no part in Dempsey’s scheme of battle. Ho uses nothing but short “snappy” hooks until his opponent clinches, and then he brings into play a left or right upper-cut that is almost as effective. In fact, ho does most of the damage while at close quarters.. He is so powerful that his opponents become worn out trying to check the piny of his punishing fists. But there is a chance that Demnsey will heat himself the first time he encounters a. fast clever opnonent, who i knows how to use his feet to the best advantage. Dempsey lias often told me that tlio bigger bis opponents tbo belter he is pleased, because the slow-mov-ing giants have no chance to escape his punches. “It’s the fast little fellows who know how to take it on the run that, esnso me the most trouble,” Dempsey always declared, “The big follows nro

‘right there, ’ and all 'I have to do is walk up and slam them, hut the lighter men generally are more clever, and they move around faster, so that it is not , always easy to get one home on the right spot.”