Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-27
FULTON AND DEMPS PSEY
ON EDGE EFORB|C BOUT.
Each Heavyweight Has His Sup
porters to Win; Today's Fight
at Harrison.

New York. July 27-As Jack Dempsey
and Fred Fulton, having completed their
tiairipg, loll about in then respective
camps on the eve of the engagement IN the
Harrison ring today, large number OF
wise gentlemen appear willing to wager
st odds of 10 20 that Fulton Will emerge
victorious from his scheduled targic with
the rugged WesteIner. while an equally
lslge number Of equally wise gentlemen
are quietly bettirg their coin hat Demp,,
sey will not only win. tut that he VIII
flatten the giant plastei,r before the
expiration of the eight rounds 10 which
the tout Is limited by law. The judgment
of these who are inclined TO wager III tins
manner is influenced bv a number of
theories having for their foundation the
past performances of both nNn.
In the first place among those who
have seen him ia action frequently,
Dempsey bears q reputation as rough
customer when TUNED lCcSe within a
roped enclosure A two-tsied fighter
with a mesn disposition, he Is prone, so
II Is recited, to apply himself &c the task
Of disposing of his opponent as quickly
as possible. and further testimony is
adduced bv those who like hls chances IN
the coming mill 10 the fact that he has no
fear Cf Fultons lOr and rangy left and
that he will waste no time IN gong after
the big fellcw
Taking it for granted that Dempsey
will carry the fight TO his taller opponent
the adhcrertS of the Westernor are cCnti-
dent that Fulton Will rot he able To with
stand bis Qnslaughts for more than three
oI four rounds. and cite two reasons fer
his belief One is that Fulton hnds o
Joy IN absorbing stiff punches; the other
Is that. even il he were mcIncG to take a
few. he is not equipped toy nature with a
physique that VIII stand great deal Ct
batterIng
There is much 70 be said in support of
both Of these arguments Fulton has
been hit hard in a number OF contests ne
had he'd in this vicinity and lie iW-
pre- ssion gathered by the onlGokcrs was
that he is net another Joe Grimm either
bv inclination ar IN the METER oi rug
gedness. lie certainly has not tho firm.
we'll rounded Jaw or the sturdy neck Of
he ideal pugIllst and as far rs lis game
ness is concerned. it has mole than once
been in doubt
rs Fulton game was . question put
to man who has boon close to the
Rochester heavyweight for tho past two
ordhrcc wears
Il wish knew, was his reply Il
have watched him closely in every I'M
portant hght hi has had IN the last wear
or two. and never can figure hIm- Nomc-
times | have had grave doubts as 10 his
gancncss. Vet have never hccn al''e tn
satisfy myself that TIC h%~ >iIcak II
saffron hur
One reason for the creation ~ a doubt
in the minds Of many followers % the sport
,vovv,opas. anH stamina
is found IN his habit of repeatedly assert
ing that he can take a punch and keep
going II gives one the impression that
he too. has his doubts and IS merely
trying 70 convince himself to the contrary
IN other words that hc!rahvely speaking.
he Is whistIinC as he passes the graveyard
No one ever heard the late John l..
Sullivan tell any ono that he was game
and could take punch Every ono waS
aware Of the fact and needed no asslIr-
anccS OF that nature from him.
Roth men have wound up their pre-
paratorv work for the contest and arc
now awaiting the bcll that viii start them
on heir way Needless 10 say, each man
has issued the customary statement
to the effect that he ls better than he ever
was and expects 70 wIn hy a knockout
That IS what they always say. fulton
has trained down rather tine, anC the
latest report from his camp AT Rye Beach
includes the information that ne VIII
enter the ring weighing about Do pounds
In the matter Of weight Dempsey viii
not conct,de q great deal TO the plasterer
as he expects to weigh III 81 go Fui-
ton, however. has the advantage in
height and reach lie stands & feet :
inches while Dempsey measures AL even
G feet. and his reach IS >4la inches %
dempsey -.