The sun., 1919-06-29
MATHISON SURE
DEMPSEY WILL
BEAT CHAMPION
Youth, VigOr and Aggres-
siveness of Challenger
Big Assets.
WILLARD TOO PASSIVE
Rarely Rouses Himself to
Real Action-Hard Fight
Certain.
WILLARD TOO PASSIVE
By CHARLES f. MATHIsoN.

TOLEDO. Ohio, June 2s.-In selecting
Jack Dempsey as the probable winner
over Jess Willard here on July the
writer's opinion Is based on the follow
Ing facts:
l. Dempsey is in the full bloom of
youthful vigor, while Willard has passed
the age in which an athlete can do his
most effective work in n physical con-
test. The champion has practically been
out Of the ring for four years.
2. Dempsey's training has brought
him TO the highest point OF physical
perfection. Wizards lack of training
has left him woefully deficient in the
essentials OF speed. wind and endurance.
8 Dempsey is 80 per cent. faster In
the use Of feet and hands than Willard.
( Dempsey hits with 60 per cent.
more force than Willard, as the ring
records of the two men prove.
s. Dempsey is 100 per cent. more ag-
sresslve than Willard. Willard is COM
pletely lacking in aggressiveness, while
Dempsey never had a superior in that
branch of ring work.
g. Dempsey, in bulk. is 40 per cent.
inferior to the champion. but the chal-
lenger has shown in the way he handled
giants like lIorris. Fulton. Brennan and
others that the weight and height OF
an opponent cannot check him.
l. Dempsey is not so effective In de-
fence as Willard, but the challenger's
speed will enable him to get In close
enough to deliver crushing blows.
s. Dempsey, in combativeness, Is so
per cent. the superior OF Willard, and
even IL the challenger fails to score
knockout he will, through his forcing OF
the battle. earn the decision on points.
Dempsey Is In condition to set a
fast pace and continue indefinitely
while Willard, Judging from his con-
dtion. will tire and slow down after a
few hard rounds.
10. Dempsey has been hit hard in
many OF his contests and has never fall
tered. Willard never has faced 80 hard
hitter as Dempsey and the champions
ability to stand UP under hard knocks
u yet to be proven.
Hard Fight Certain.
By no means does the writer pre-
DICT one sided combat. On the con-
trary. there is reason to believe that
Dempsey will receive the acid test, for
Willard will fight desperately to retain
his title, and he will infiict all possible
damage on the challenger. 1t would
not be surprising II Dempsey were cut
and punished about the face by short
blows when at close quarters. Willard
has practised this speciality with his
sparring stan. These. while irritating.
will not stop the challenger. who Is apt
to deliver the really damaging jolts
when the men get to close quarters.
II Is but necessary to compare the
work OF champion and challenger to get
a good line on their respective abilities
Willard boxed four round draw with
Charley Miller; Dempsey knocked out
Miller in the fourth round. Willard got
the popular decision over Arthur Pelkey
in ten round bout that lasted the
limit; Dempsey knocked out. Pelkey In
the first round.
Willard lost twenty round decision
TO Gunboat Smith on points Dempsey
stopped the Gunner IN the first round.
Norris Extended willard.
Willard had hard time in a ten
round bout with Carl Morris. Dempsey
stopped Morris in the first round.
Billy Mlske outpointed Morris. man
Willard could not defeat, and Dempsey
had Miske groggy in the sixth and last
round Of bout In Philadelphia
Ii the contention that Dempsey has
not met heavyweights Of high class holds
good then It applies with even greater
force to willard. who struck his eolors
TO Gunboat Smith and Tom McMahon'
the best OF a poor lot.
Therefore the only recorded victory
by Willard over a man of class was
that over Jack Johnson. So far as the
Havana battle is concerned the writer
declines TO accept 1t as true index
70 the ability. past or present. OF the
title holder