The sun., 1919-07-05
How Heavyweight Title
Descended to Dempsey
HEAVYWEIGHT CLASS.


sWorld's champion.
-
club, obtained Dempsey's consent. But ,
Dempsey soon became Disguised with his
bargain and he left for the West with
out the formality of saying good-by.
In the early part of 1917 Dempsey was
matched with the veteran Jim Flynn
at Salt Lake City and was knocked out
with practically the first blow Flynn let
ny. However, those on the inside OF this
affair assert that all was not as It should
have been in that bout. Some Of those
in a position to know what was going
on now are predicting that Willard will
win on July 1 and some are with Demp-
sey, but none hold the Flynn affair
against the youngster in arguing the
merits of the two from q purely fighting
standpoint.
Begins to show Form.
It was shortly after this that Demp-
sey began to show real form. He went
out to the far coast and won a decision
over Willie Meehan in four rounds. Then
he knocked out Al Norton. a very clever
hight heavyweight, in one round. Two
weeks later he knocked out Charley
Miller, a giant who had draw with Jess
Willard to his credit. The following week
he outpointed Bob McAllister in four
rounds. Dempseys victory over Meal
lister, who was as fast as streak ana
a very clever defensive boxer, attracted
| great deal Of attention to the new
wonder. It was evident that novice
who was fast enough to land on that
will o. the wisp must have something
out OF the ordinary In his makeup.
BY this time Dempsey had cleaned up
all the available talent on the Pacific
coast, so the promoters imported Gun
boat Smith from the East. Smith proved
| to be q tough nut for the novice 20
crack but he won the decision after
hard battle.
| Carl Morris, the Oklahoma giant, and
| the original white hope. was brought on
to tackle Dempsey, and Morris also was
we'll beaten in four round bout That
ended the supply OF heavyweights IN
California; so Dempsey came back to
the East to capitalize the fame he had
gained by his sensational victories.
BY this time Dempsey had acquired
some knowledge of the fighting game.
He did not follow any set rules but had
a style entirely his own. For the most
part he relied upon his terrific hitting
and seldom attempted to block. He &C
Qu!red a trick Of bobbing his head con-
stantly 30 that 1t was a difficult target
to, hit and he no longer was forced to
take punishment.
After stopping off at Racine to knock
out Homer Smith in one round Dempsey
| landed In Buffalo, where he took on Carl
| Morris before the Queensberry A. c.,
which still was in full operation despite
the repeal of the boxing law. This time
| Dempsey fairly smothered Morris. In
| the sixth round Morris tried TO lose on
a foul. but Dempsey refused to have the
| contest awarded to him in that way and
he battered the big fellow until the
referee was compelled to stop the
| slaughter.
Meets Jim Flynn Again.
| Then Dempsey took on Jim Flynn
again and bowled him over in the first
| minute Of the first round. Bill Brennan,
| one of the most promising heavies in
the ring. came next He was outclassed
by Dempsey. who knocked him down so
hard that Brennan sprained his ankle,
and the fight was stopped in the sixth
round
One punch apiece accounted for Bull
| Sadee and Tom Riley. but Dempsey's
string of knockout victories was broken
when he tackled Billy Miske in ten
round affair at st. Paul. Miske was a
good boxer. and he knew how to stall.
I BY following jab and grab tactics he
, held of Dempsey for the full ten rounds
and earned an even break I'm the est
nation of some critics. although the
| majority favored Dempsey
That Dempsey was improving rapidly
10 shown by his progress from that point
on. In his next five encounters only ono
man was able to last through the first
round. This was Dan Ketchel, who was
rocked to seep in the second. The other
victims eyre Arthur Pelky, Kid Nc
Carly. Bob Devere. Perky Flynn and
Fred Fulton.
The battle with Fulton was really the
means OF obtaining for Dempsey the
present match for the championship
Fulton was looked upon as the logical
opponent for the title holder at that
time. The tall plasterer had stopped
| Frank Moran with the greatest of ease,
something that Willard could not do
II he had defeated Dempsey he would
have removed the last obstacle from his
path. for Fulton had beaten every other
heavyweight Of prominence.
However, Fulton proved to he as easy
for Dempsey as any OF the setups lie had
been bowling over. The tain plasterer
was frightened so badly that HIS muscles
refused to respond TO his will apd before
he could gain control OF his shaks nerves
Dempsey stepped in with a series of
short hooks and knocked him cold
Meets Setback on Coast.
Out on the coast Dempsey met with a
setback when he tackled Willie Meehan
in a bout that was staged for charity.
Meehan was awarded the decision at the
end of four rounds. although Dempsey
had knocked him down and had done all
the real damage.
Returning Fast Dempsey stopped Bat
Ting Levinsky in three rounds, Perky
Flynn in one round and then outpointed
Billy Miske in six rounds Miske was
outclassed by Dempsey. but by holding
on he managed to stick the full route.
He was very weak at the end and It IL
probable that another round would have
seen his finish.
Dempsey's last ring battle prior 20
yesterday took pla.'e at New Orleans
where he stopped Carl Morris In the
first round OF bout scheduled for
twenty. Morris probably never had any
idea OF winning the fight, as his previous
attempts had demonstrated to him that
he was outclassed, so he lost no time in
taking 90 the floor,