Evening journal., 1919-07-07
NO OPPONENTS FOR
( DEMPSEY IN sight
Search Must be Made for
New Man to Face
Champion
JACK NOW TO
GET THE COIN

I'll III SOae'
Now that Jack Dempsey has won the
worlds heavyweight championship man.
ayers Of boxers will begin a most ex-
haustive combing OF the country TO find
an opponent for him. but II Is believed
he Will knock of the contenders as fast
as they are trotted out. for a while at
least. because be really loves 10 fight.
OF course this new tite-holder Is not
different from any other man who has
won the crown. He knows there Is a
gold lining there. and that n Is for him.
80 he Will not hesitate TO do little col
lectlng before he again turns his atten-
tlon 20 the ring.
This iay-off FOR theatrical tours IS
bound 30 come, but Dempsey, accordins
10 the spirit OF the times, Is deserving
Of his share Of this worlds goods and he
VIII become a more attractive, mort
popular champion than any this world
has known since the days OF Jim Cor
bett.
Dempsey Is young and boyish in man
ner. but he has the head Of a man OF 80.
He IS no unsOphlstlcated back woods
man. He knows the ropes and Is city
broke. He knows how 10 meet people
and how 10 make himself liked. Also.
he knows the value OF money. and no
viii get Il. II Is quite probable that he
will get more Of 70 than any champion
that ever lived, for he should make an
ideal American champion.
49, 4 ehn n
have gone before him were not ideal
American champions. They were not
ideal because they were not aggressive,
and II there IS any one thing that an
american stands for and expects OF the
kingpln Of anything at all IL Is aggres-
siveness.
Jack johnson was considered a Won
derful boxer, but he was far from that.
He was a clever defensive boxer. but
that was all. He was beaten by giant
who had lived cleaner life. but Il was
a defensive battle they fought. For once
johnson was beaten al his own game.
He waited for Willard to rush in, but
the giant waited for Johnson, and the
Negro simply was outwitted. He then
tried 10 put Big Jess away and didn't
have enopgh power 70 hurt him.
This alone proves that Johnson never
was a good offensive boxer. He wore
himSelf out, for Father Time had taken
much Of his stamina before he entered
the ring. and Willard just stuck around
and won.
Some persons marveled al the sight
Of Willard. They believed him invinci-
bic. and. unfortunately. Jess finally
came 20 the same conclusion. This very
thought had more 70 do with his rapid
downfall than any one thing. He came
10 believe himself capable Of qAything
and everything. He thought he could
transact all Of his own business affairs
connected with the ring and that he
needed no trainer. He really believed
he could walk into the ring with any
boxer. pull a little oaveman stuff and
romp home with the laurels.
But few persons can do so many
things well. and Willard was no eXcep-
ton 10 the rule. He did not reckon with
Father Time His journey through life
had carried him past 81 milestones and
three had flickered by while he sat
around waiting FOR a suitable opponent.
or perhaps a suitable purse. AZ any
prince and continued thinking himself
invincble.
Hard times passed with his defeat
Of johnson and he Just loafed along,
indulging in luXuries. and when the
time for lighting 5ame he was not
there But despite statements and ap-
pearances 10 the contrary. the writer Is
convinced that Willard either realized
when It was too late that he was not
there or else was drowned in his own
eeotism One thing however. Is GER
tain-he possessed none Of the ring fdar
that other champions have exhibited
when confronted by a formidable ad-
versary.
Willard. had he originally feared
Dempsey. would have gone 10 the mar
ket Immediately land procured the very
best handler in the country. and he
would have naid a large part Of his
$4,000 guarantee for the best sparring
mariners that could he secured. But he
did nothing Of the sort. lie turned his
back upon all Jadvice and gathered to
seiher about the poorest lot Of mate
rial that could be found TO help him
get into condition.
Walter Monahan had boxed with the
champion so often that Willard knew
every move he made before he started
II. Hemple never hsd any class and
Heinen was worse, II possible. Joe
Chin may be eliminated. because no one
ever expected a middleweight TO stand
up against such a giant in a serious
workout He was engaged simply 10
furnish the speed.
All during the training siege Jess had
no one 10 tdyise him. no one to tell him
what he lacked or where he was weak.
He was the boss Of the camp. He did
everything himself and now he hasn't
the slightest ground for alibi. Forty
nately. he is not offering any excuses.
He has been very sportsmanlike. and.
no doubt. will continue TO be, for Jess
Is no piker.
For years fght Ians will ask each
nther and themselves whether or not
willard ever could fight There viii be
no answer. His record shows that he
never defeated a good man, but as a
matter Of fact there were no good men
for him 70 fight. Had there been nu-
merous sapable contenders for the title
WEflrd either would have been quickly
dethroned or soon proclaimed the
greatest champion Of all time.
That is the one sad feature OF VIII
Iardts career. He took himself very
seriously and may have had the right
to do so. He told the writer some
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