A Wonderful Fight

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 158, 24 September 1927, Page 10

A Wonderful Fight

STORY FROM THE AIR THRILLING DESCRIPTION (Special to THE SUN.J GISBORNE, To-day. “It has been a wonderful fight—the best I have ever seen or ever hope to see,” said the radio announcer, after describing the Dempsey-Tunney fight at Chicago yesterday. “There were no fouls, and nothing of a questionable nature.” Subsequently Tunney, who retained the world’s heavy-weight championship, addressing himself to all the world, said: “It was a great fight, and I am pleased to have retained the title.” Dempsey also was asked to say a few words, but -there was no response. Evidently he was too full for words. A full description of the fight was made available through the courtesy of Mr. Ivan O’Meara, the reception being clear from start to finish. The keenest excitement was displayed by the 150,000 people who thronged the Soldiers’ Field, each telling blow for either contestant being greeted with prolonged cheers. A deafening roar filled the air as the champion and the challenger entered the ring, accompanied by such wellknown fighters as Jefferies, Sharkey, and Flynn. ' Dempsey, it was stated, looked very fit and ready for the contest. “He just looks real good,” said the announcer, “and is in fine physical condition —every Inch a fighter, and a much different man from the one who beat Sharkey a few weeks ago.” Tunney, he remarked, was just the same—as quiet and conservative a man as ever, who looked as if he would not miss much in the way of opportunities. “Its hard to tell wliat’s at the back of his mind,” remarked the announcer. “You just don’t know what is at the back of those grey eyes of his. He keeps his thoughts well in the background.” The fight was won in the last round, Dempsey being “knocked out on his feet” a few minutes before the final bell went.

OPENING ROUND In the first round Dempsey looked aggressive, and got in several olows before there was a clinch. He renewed the attack, and got in with a left and right. Both fighters were very careful. Dempsey got home with a left to the body. So far Tunney had not struck a decent blow, but now he got one to Dempsey’s face, but did no damage. He came back with a right, and Dempsey did not attempt to return the blow. Tunney scored again. The round finished without any great advantage. MANY THRILLS Both were quickly up for the second round, Dempsey getting in first with a blow to the chin, chasing Tunney away with a right to the body, followed by a left. Tunney got in with a solid right and pushed Dempsey to the other side of the ring. Again Dempsey got pushed to the ropes, but he entered a clinch. They were separated and Dempsey chased Tunney, getting a short left to his opponent's body. Tunney got in twe successive blows and Dempsey got in a left to the face, coming out of a clinch. Tunney got one to the jaw, but did little damage. He got in three more before they went into a clinch. Then Dempsey chased Tunney round the ring again. It was a thrilling round. DEMPSEY AGGRESSIVE Tunney was less active, but he got Dempsey into a corner. Dempsey got a hard blow to Tunney’s body, Tunney’s counter going over Dempsey's head. Dempsey got in three short blows to the body. Tunney got in a terrific punch to Dempsey’s head and the latter came back with two body blows. Immediately after he scored heavily again, driving sledge-hammer blows to the head and body. The bell rang-with Dempsey still aggressive. LIKE WILD BEASTS Dempsey opened the fourth round with a right to the body, but Tunney started to box and got in two terrific punches to Dempsey’s face. Tunney got Dempsey into a corner, and they were fighting like wild animals. Dempsey took a left to the body and another hard right; but go*, severe punishment into Tunney before they entered a clinch. Tunney hit Dempsey the hardest blow of the fight, and followed up with more Then. Then they started sparring. Tunney got a bumper right to the body which made Dempsey decidedly groggy. Tunney kept at him with terrific punches, the men keeping on for some seconds after the bell went. The round went to Tunney by a great margin. At one stage Dempsey was nearly over, but the bell put an end to the toughest round so far. A WONDERFUL BLOW

In round five Dempsey had revived considerably. Tunney got a left to the jaw, but Dempsey retaliated with short jabs. Tunney drove a left to Jack’s face. Dempsey came in with a hard left to Tunney’s f ace, and the latter seemed to wobble for a moment. Then Tunney came in with a short left, and apother left and right to Dempsey’s body. The challenger retaliated with a nice left to the face, both getting well punished. Tunney got in a wonderful blow just before the round ended. Dempsey held on for daylight, but as the bell went he straightened and walked steadily to the corner. DEMPSEY LESS AGGRESSIVE

Both took things easy at the opening of the sixth. Dempsey had been given smelling salts, but was not so aggressive as Tunney. The latter got a left to Dempsey’s head, but got a heavy one to the body in leturn. The pair clinched. Tunney chased Dempsey round, but the latter turned on him. Tunney got a short left in and followed with a hard one to the chin. Dempsey got a good right and left to the face, but took two in return. As they came out of a clinch the bell rang, an exciting round ending in Dempsej T ’s favour, he having kept Tunney moving most of the time and more or less at his mercy. WAS IT A KNOCK-OUT? They came together ;arly m the seventh round. Dempsey sailed into Tunney, but did no material damage. The champion got in a beautiful right, but Dempsey retaliated with a long, powerful left to the head. He followed Tunney round the ring, but just failed to catch his man every time. Finally the latter turned and struck out at Dempsey, but . did no good. Jack continued the chase, but this time Tunney stopped him with a right and. left in quick succession. With one leap Dempsey was upon his opponent, connecting with a right and a left.

Tunney gov. a blow to Dempsey’s face, but. the latter instead of backing away sailed in. The round ended with Dempsey still fighting hard. He put Tunney down just before the bell went, this being the first time that the champion had been knocked off his feet. He was somewhat dazed and his look of confidence was carrsiderably dissipated. The round was decidedly Dempsey’s. EIGHTH ROUND Despite his punishment Tunney came forward fairly fresh for the eighth. He sent a hard right to Dempsey's head before they clinched. The champion again connected with a hard right and left, then Dempsey took a hand in the game, showing renewed vigour, but failed to pile up points. Dempsey sent a right to Tunney’s jaw and put the champion on the mat again, only to rebound immediately and make for his opponent. Dempsey, however, continued to set the pace, but Tunney got in a couple of blows The challenger landed a hard right as the bell ended the round. Once again the round was Dempsey’s. BOTH EYES CLOSED In the ninth round, the challenger immediately set out on the warpath, and got home with a right, following with an uppercut, but Tunney retaliated. Dempsey continued to go after his man, but he was not so fresh. He ducked a hefty right from Tunney, then managed to connect with one himself. Tunney. however, sent back two for one, landing each time on Dempsey’s head. Dempsey came out of the encounter with a bad eye. A second blow on it nearly sent him down. He stopped another on the jaw. Then his other eye was made a fitting mate for the first. Nearly blind, he was in pretty bad shape, and was content to let Tunney force the fisrht. Tunney led and got a left and then a right on Dempsey’s jaw. Dempsey was

j hphtinK with determination, but ! Champion was certainly ha vt J best of it. K FIERCE FINAL ROUND 1 Both fighters went into the « round with much of the si in* taw of them. The crowd was out of” ° UI ! trol. Tunney forced a clinch i start, but almost immediately was tS ° to the boards, only to come up " * nt straight away, and retaliated win, ! hard blow to the face. Dempsey * | hack a hard right to the .-atr,e~ u then a left and right to the head Th were quiet for a second or two Th Dempsey made the pace acain T " ney, however, quelled his enthnJZ with a right and let,. Then clinched again. After a brief Tunney sent a right and left to Demn sey’s face, but the latter reu i.. with two hard jabs to the head t'*' ney hit Dempsey on his bad eve .I a really bad eye it was and an:l with another to the same plac-’ sey took a left uppercut and then into a clinch. Tunney got the best some in-fighting which ensued an, Dempsey was obviously tired and several blows. Then Tunney got a hard one to Dempsey that sent him down well and truly. This ended the encounter. Dempsey being obviously done.