Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-05
of a really great fighter and the rise

of really great fighter and the rise
of a greater one.
There will be no excuse Of lack of
condition from, the Willard camp,
for he was in excellent shape. Vie
was beaten by terrific puncher
who landed the first good punch.
Dempsey was faster than Willard
and it was his speed that won for
him. Without it he would have
never landed that first left hook
that won his battle for him.
Dempsey and Jack Kearns. his
manager, danced and laughed in the
corner like school boys when Viii
lard's towel came sailing across the
ring. His friends crowded into the
ring and hoisted him to their Shout
ders. They carried him around the
ring, cheering till it was thought
their threats would crack. A joyful
throng took up the cry. Even those
that had lost heavily on Willard
| cheered Dempsey to the echo.>
Upward of 10000 fans witnessed
the fight and every one of them had
CHEEKY word for the new cham
pion.
Heat Is Blistering.
A blistering heat inside the arena
weakened every one OF the boxers
in the preliminaries and spectators
were anything but comfortable. The
press stands were full of newspaper
men who wore faces as red as
boiled Holsters when they left the
arena. Dempsey and Willard were
shaded in their corners by huge UNI
brellas held by their seconds.
Dempsey was the first in the ring
and selected the corner with his
hack to the sun. Willard followed
him into the ring minute later and
walked over to Dempsey and shook
hands with him. They posed for
some pictures, received referee Pc
cords instructions and returned to
their corners to await the call of
the first bell.
The men came out of their cor
ners fighting. having shaken hands
at the center when instructed BY
thereferee. and Willard led with a
light left. He repeated and followed
with light one to right. This con-
tinued for some time, Willard jab-
bing and Dempsey slamming his
right to the body. Suddenly 'Demp-
sey shifted his attack and hooked a
vicious left to the jaw, landing flush
on the point of the chin and from
this blow his victory resulted.
DEMPSEY Unmarked.
Dempsey left the ring practically
unmarked, while Willard was as
sisted from the ring with his jaw
sagging, his right eye completely
closed and his left eye almost
closed. The entire right side of his
face was badly Swollen and was al
ready turning color, being mute
| witness of Dempsey's terrible pun
ishing ability.
The rise of the new champion
marks new epoch in the history of
boxing. Dempsey has risen to the
highest point attainable in this line
because of his great love for fighting.
He has stated repeatedly that he
would be a real fighting champion
if he won the title and every fight
fan in the country hopes that he
will. Should he pursue this course,
he will be the most popular cham
pion America has ever known,
not even barring John L. Sullivan
and Bob Fitzsimons. He is young
fellow of pleasing personality and
fights purely for the love of fighting
Whether the money that comes
with a title will turn him from this
love of battle is still to be learned
The 10000 fans who saw the mill
will be enthusiastic supporters of the
new champion if his avowed inten-
tons are carried out.
Rise Sensational.
The rise of the new champion was
sensational all the way and the more
than ordinarily sensational manner
in which he won the title will re-
main fresh in the minds of the wit
nesses long after he has retired from
the game.
1t strikes me that a real champion
won the title in a real champion.
like form. lie won his honorS on a
knockout and it is to be hoped
that when he loses them, it will be
the same way. Should he ever be
knocked out and lose his we'll
earned championship, his conqueror
may we'll be hailed as the greatest
heavyweight the world has ever
seen.
Today, Jack Dempsey stands in
this position and were there any
way to prove this fact many men,
even those who lost money by Jacks
victory, would back him to the full
extent of their bank account. He is
declared a greater champion than
Jefferies was. 1t is claimed that he
is a harder hitter than Jeff and that
he is more vulnerable to punish
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