DEMPSEY AND WILDE.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1923, Page 4

DEMPSEY AND WILDE.

INABILITY TO GET FIGHTS. (By Trevor (L Wignall in the "Daily Mail.") The woes mill tire worries of a ’.vorld's boxing ehanipion arc very many, and apparently hard to hear. Consider the ease of .Tack Dempsey. He is the* greatest heavy-weight of his time, hut whenever he displays the least inclination to arrange a contest someone steps up and either definitely liars it or else kills, it with objections. Dempsey's experiences during the lasi few weeks must he making him wonder whether he will ever ho given an opportunity of fighting again. 11" was asked whether he would consent to another meeting with Willard, from v horn he annexed the title alter three rounds in 1!)]!). He consented—ipitte naturally became be realised, as did evervou" ebe in the world, that the result was a foregone conclusion. The echo of his voice had hardly died awav when the body controlling laming in New York issued a statement to the .licet that the propo-ed light could not receive the sanction owing to their belief that Willard was too elderly to he regarded as a suitable opponent. It is too much to suppose that Dempsey was surprised, although it is possible that he may have remembered that very shortly, in London, a pugilist who is a year older than V. illard—

ai cording to tho record books- w ill light for the Lonsdale belt and the heavy-weight championship of Great Britain. Wi!h"'d "as born in Kansas on Dei ember fidth. ISS7. He is therefore still well iind'T lit—hut Du-!; So.!lh. ill, prlgili-i IV). ITod to. if the some tea old bn.)!; i- i . be believed. V a ■ lorn i l l I. union on Lebrunry 1 D11'... ’bKCKFTT THE ONLY ONE. Dempsey probably knew that another bout with Willard was p rad ira lly out | of the question hut he could not have j been prepared lor what lollowed. In ; almost r lll ichor time than it takes to j tell he has been informed that Wills j tic Negro --another suggested oppon- i cut—is too dark-lined. that Grab is too light in weight. that Lloyd is too young and inexperi-nretl. and that Carpentier e unsuitable beinuse it is felt that he i;i still sulfering from the elicits of his defeat, by Siki. Tills means, of i nurse, that every indicated antagonist, with one exception. has he;'ii removed from the list for some good and sufficient reason. I b • exception is doe BeckedL. I am prepared iu la-ar that remarks have boon made about his i|Uahlical ions, or absence of them; hut th.e fact remains that at t!:: • moment he appears to he tio 1 only lighter in the world who stands a ghost oi a chance of meeting Ibmp-cv lor In- title. If Be"kctt is beaten by Smith or Carpenlier then In. too. drops out. Should that, happen. and it is very possible. Dempsey a la iher he likes i; or not. v. ill he ler"c ! into i imp ilsory retir- moot. | IT.un t In- point of view t he outlook ; a, i,hick in the extreme. Bill Jimmy I Wild", another w, ral's champion, i- in : mu, i, s : 11 , i c j c ■-mi n. He has made j it cl xir that lbs uii.nc !;• In ccga;o' in I another fight is aimo-l o’ ci'W ladmin g. ' Like Dempsey, how.''.or. If i- loreed to lllii 11;' his att, 11; icil- t, cl. 110111 j !'■ ho Vll i ’. :!■ • Lilipnm. All t h ' j other 1 -o',lie v. ho want to moot Wiide arc too heavy or too small, or to 'oine- : i big or a mil her; \'i!la t dew i lhed by j eim A ll1 ■■ ric;in autliorny as the "most wonderful boxer tile world hrs ever Ini, wn" ) i- aecepled by till and sundry I a- lb" nia’ ii:Ti-on who r-nuid give the ! \\ els'.,,nail a real ball! a Vli.l \ ASKS El 11! iilti.bot. i i- f..r got i en coll veili 1 lit ly. oil! oppose'. liv liaise who are nihecating i! nia '.mi l hot t If Filipino i - tot a IB .-.wight. He lias !g mi a fly-wight 1 loi .."If ; nllslee; able 111!..'. Ills ill e l re, "it contests have bran v. ilh bautami weights, and lie lias Ifati-n them v. III) th: ulmost ease. Lor myself. I wo'ild !ik sec .liuimv Wilde go out in a b!;i',m of glory, but it i- impossible to i mu civ" of bun doing anything of tin hi ml g" i e a cho < r you l !i who v.r,uld on: weigh him ly. many pounds. II ~: 1 ■ coiial 1 1 .' t rtain that \ dir, would lake th,- t big weighing much the -nine 1 as Wild", the match would undoubtedj Iv I ■ an admii able one. 1 am told. ! line e.. r. i \ tlaw v. 111! sliotild know i til.-: ii not pic-sibie. \ ; liu . '. I"-,' i! "aided no! lulls el llis j o ~\ ;i lie has asked for £D>.(H):i a hi- share of t he. iiiir-c. and he has ■ ;,G allow ml i; l a he mu! rsinod thnl in ■ ad : 11 ion : an a i a ex pe, c- c- nil! have In I i, met. 'I hi-. - a jest, would he ex i c j am; hot a - a ■ uri uis | ronostt ion it

quire at least an equal amount. so that the promoter, whoever he is, would have to find well over £20.00f) before the matter of profits arose. The proposal that a sort of subscription list should he instituted, -o as to si" lire a large enough sum lo bring the nun together, certainly possess", the merit of quaintiiess. fins is a development that is strange even for boxing. |t has been said that somebody will put up £lll.OOO if others will guarantee a similar figure. It is difficult to believe that -nciO" will attend this effort. 1 hold the opinion that Bucket!, it things go well with him during the next few months, will eventually light Dempsey, but tor a variety of rca.-on- which need not be gone into now, none of width has any bearing on financial matters. L fed eqltaly sure that Wilde v. ill not meet Villa in this < ountry.