The Washington herald., 1919-06-30
DEMPSEY BEST
IN SPEED LINE
Heavyweight Challenger Is
Fast Boxer Who Depends
On a Charging Ofense.
BY JACK MUNROE.
Written Specially for The Washing
ton Herald.

ton Herald.
Few there are who will attempt
to dispute the matter of speed be-
tween the rival boxers. Jess never
has been a fast boxer. never will
be or wants to be. from all appear
ances. For all that he is a great
defensive boxer. He wages war
dat-footed. Jess doesn't even shuf-
| fe after his man in the manner OF
Fitzsimmons or a Cans. He props
himself on his broad-beamed feet
and lynx-like awaits the coming of
the foe. Then he shoots his sting
ing left jab and brings up a right
, counter II the proper opening pre-
sents itself. But Jess is wholly de-
void of speed as we associate that
element with the roped arena Jim
Corbett had il with his phantom
like cleverness. Kid Mccoy exhibit
ed consummate though less snowy
skill. Jim Jeffries, Tom Sharkey,
Gus Rubin. Fitzsimmons and Maher
were men Of unceasing activity
along purely fighting lines. Tommy
Burns was great little heavy
weight and always kept moving af-
ter his adversary until he connected
with a crushing punch.
Speed, in a large measure Is ac-
ton reinforced with cleverness in
avoiding punishment while carry
ins on" or with the alertness for
taking advantage of openings for
a swift attack. Some fighters create
openings by the fury of their ad
vance and their smashing blows.
Being a genuine fighting type, free
from "frilfs" Dempsey undoubtedly
has speed" He never resorts to
straight boxing but places full de-
pendence on the might of the smite.
Speed. therefore is as necessary as
I it is natural to him.
Speed Is Effective.
/ Jack relies on his speed to effect
openings which the gifted boxer
obtains by means of feints and all
around fancy work. II is getting
the desired result in a different
manner that is all. Thus far
Dempsey's speed has blazed the
way for his soporific walIop more
efficiently than the boxing strate-
gems of a Corbett or a Mccoy. In
deed mere speed. if not thwarted
by a knockout or a damaging blow,
can achieve openings which could
not be accomplished by the most
dazzling ring craft.
1t was speed that enabled linn
Corbett to stick twenty-three fast
rounds with the giant Jeffries when
the former champion came the
nearest of any boxer to coming
back" Curiously enough, too, IL
was speed which proved Gentle
man Jim's undoing in that famous
bout at Coney back in the sum-
mer of 1900. Corbett was ALWAYS
on the hop. hooking and jabbing
tn. burly Californian pretty much
as he pleased. With such regular
ity did Corbett maintain his battery
of blows on the Jeffries anatomy
that he held a clear lead up to the
| knockout. despite the fact that he
had been felled to the canvas in
! the nineteenth by a vicious right
handler on the ear. 1t was only
when Corbett discarded speed, and
! in his approaching spirit of over
confidence, the decision within
reach. that he foundered on the
black rocks of misfortune. He
attempted to mix things with his
bulkier foeman, and the essay
proved disastrous. AS for Jeff and
his obligation to the pug's cardi-
nal asset of speed. things looked
mighty drab for the hairy Levia-
THAN of the ring when the twen-
tieth round opened.
Speed CauEht Corbett.
James A. Brady, his manager,
and the pugilistically astute Tom
my Ryan read big Jim a solemn
ultimatum just before the bell sent
the men out for the twentieth.
You'll have to speed up, Jeff, II
you're going to get him before the
limit" admonished Syracuse Tom
my. Hes got the decision on
points now. Put all you've got into
IL and get over a finisher. It's
your only chance"
(Copyright wheeler Syndicate. Incl
Continued tomorrow.)