The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-04
Times Sporting Section z
Tex Rickard Will Probably Be Called Upon To Name Referee
 For Championship Go July 4

 precision, too.
 !. Jack kearns personally prefers Dave Fitzgerald and is, in fact, the most persistent booster the New Havener has in Toledo Ray Archer, it is said also, is satisfied with Fitzgerald as is Jess Willard who is well acquainted with the Connecticut mans tactics in refereeing.
 Joe Mulvihill, a Connecticut man to whom Fitzgerald must be thankful if finally appointed referee, is working hard for the New Englander. Joe is very confident that Dave will be the fortunate man to get the position.
 And Mulvihtll is in a position to know for he is very close to Rickard and the others connected with the gigantic enterprise.
 Since the arrival of Jess Willard here on Monday the fight situation has undergone a change for the bet ter. Until Jess arrived here Toledians stood prepared to bet their last shirt that Dempsey would defeat the cham pion. Since sizing up the champion, however, this feeling of optimism over Dempseys chances has been swept away.
 Today the spotlight is transferred from Dempseys camp to Willard'S training quarters Dempsey is in fairly good form and in fear of his getting stale his trainer, Jimmy DeForrest, has ordered him to take a rest that started today. Jimmy and Jack will spend most of their time in the woods or on the lake near the camp. Willard is a perfect picture of a man In the best of health. He is wear ing smile that is winning over Tol- edo completely. His good nature and ever-readines to listen to a good yarn and his other all-round good fellow methods have made him extremely
 popular here. Jess intends to work every day in his gym and on the road from now until the day of the fight.
 Willard has let it be known that what he needs mostly is road work
 and just enough boxing to keep him
 keyed up to a fighting notch. Between munches of bacon and eggs, Jess told your correspondent many interesting things about his moving picture stunts in Los Angeles. It was a hard job to
 pin him down on the fight, but efforts in this direction proved successful aft CT while.
 Nothing is bothering me about this match" declared Jess, "and all talk about Dempsey's wonderful hitting ability rests lightly on my mind. I'll be in great shape, and you certainly will see me at my best on the afternoon of July A
 Willard has mapped out his train ing and he isn't going to let any one else tell him what to do. Ray Archer is attending to his business affairs, and that's all. Monohan, Jack Temple, and one or two others will whip him into the condition he was in when he fought Johnson.
 It isn't an easy thing to get Jess to talk. He is the well-known clam lucky for we caught him in good humor this morning.
 "Of course I will win,'' said Willard. What do you suppose I came here for ito lose?"
 Jess was riled over an alleged statement that he was going in to fight for the s100,000 he was going to re- ceive for his efforts from Promot Rickard.
 That's joke" snarled Jess. My title is the biggest asset have and l am here to keep it. I am going to re-
 tain it by beating Dempsey. I don't know just how badly I will whip him, for realize Jack is a great fighter and a game fellow, but I really cant see how he is going to hold his own with me at his weight. Wait until I get into action expect to be lighter than I was in the Moran fight and below 249 pounds I tipped the scales at in the Johnson fight. Kid Mccoy will not be in my corner the day of the fight. He wants to be. realize he
 knows his business, but I don't know
 him well enough to have him there. Those in my corner must be ones I have known personally for years. 
 Newspaper writers who will write
 the fight are arriving here on every train. Most of them are finding it very difficult to securt reservations at hotels. Tex Rickard was to hold a conference with the manager of the Secor Hotel where the press head quarters will be established. Ike Dor gan, Tex's press representative, will look after the writers.
 Jules Hurtig. manager of the Empire theater here, has decided to invite Jess Willard and Jack Dempsey and their associates at the training camps to attend his show as his guests on various nights. Both have turned down the invitation, however.
 Eastern boxing fans who contem- plate coming to this city to attend the DIE snow are aQVlSeQ 10 make reSer- vations in their sleepers, for it will be
 next to impossible to secure accomo- dations at the hotels. All the hotels have been sold out for the period be- tween June 26 and July 5. Jimmy DeForrest is not taking ser iously the statements being made by former pugs that Jack Dempsey can not defeat Willard. These men," said Jimmy last night, "have not even so much as seen Dempsey handle a
 mitt and yet they have the audacity of coming out and stating that he hse
 no chance. It's all a lot of bunk and ! | cheap way of getting into newspaper print.
 Mrs. Jess Willard and family will be in Toledo on Luly 4. Jess. however. will not have his wife at the Casino. Jess admits that boxing shows are no places for women. He contends also that he would be a trif1e nervous with i his wife in the audience
 Mayor Schreiber does not believe in | asking for or receiving passes for the big fight. for he has asked Tex Rick