Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-01

in bringing that contest to an issue,
having been forced almost at a mo-
ments notice to move from Califor-
MIA to another State in order to Sc
cure battle ground. Richards out
lay for the coming battle, including
guaranteed purse, cost of arena con-
struction. advertising and other ex-
penses. will amount to a vast sum.
The casual observer might think that
the promoter will still have a big
margin of profit out of the charge
Tor admission. At first glance this
seems reasonable, but Richard is GO
ing to pay the regular war tax of ten
per cent on all tickets purchased and
has guaranteed the local authorities
a percentage also. The United States
Government however, will have big
claim for income tax, so that when
everything is deducted from the
gate Richards margin of profit
probably will fall far short of the
results be attained in some of his pre-
vious ventures.
Some changes have been made in
| the conditions governing the bout
since the original articles were
signed, the most important being the
limiting of the contest to twelve
rounds and the reduction of the size
of the ring to twenty feet square.
Originally the men were to have gone
/ twenty or more rounds and the inten-
| tion was to have a regulation twen-
| ty-four foot ring. Otherwise the
/ agreement stands as signed by Rick
/ ard. Willard and Dempsey, each be-
! ing entitled to a third of the NOV
J ing picture privileges. Willard is
! guaranteed 100000 and Dempsey
! S27,50O.
| Big Following For Each
When the two men step into the
ring on Friday each will have a big
! following of partisans. Those who
| rely on Wizards retaining his title
| insist that he is invulnerable to pun
! ishment and that Dempsey will fail
! to reach his burly opponent with an
effective blow. Many of them also
claim that Willard has never hit a
! human being with the full force OF
| which his huge frame is capable. II
! is said that once during his prepara-
! tion for a previous contest Willard
! lost his temper on being stung by the
! blow of a sparring partner. Then
/ the big fellow landed a vicious swing
! which swept his opponent and one OF
/ tbs ring posts to a spot several hun
dred yards away from the ringside,
| and that the partner" needed medi-
cal attention for many days after
ward.
Dempsey's friends. and they are
! legion confidently state that no man,
| however big and strong, can with
stand the impact of a full weight
| hook or swing from either of Jack s
| fists. They look for a quick ending,
| with Dempsey a winner. They say
! that Jack can land on Willards jaw
just as effectively as he did on Fred
! Fultons last year. They rely on
! Jacks fearlessness as a big asset, in
! conjunction with his heavy hitting
| power. Dempseys youth also is one
| of the arguments his adherents ad-
| vance as being a decided factor in
| his favor, as Dempsey is "a years old.
| There are conflicting statements as
| to Willard's exact age. but it is gen.
| eral belief that the Kansan has passed
| the 40-year mark.
Dempsey has taken part in many
ring contests during the last four
| years. while Willard has fought only
| twice within that period. Jess won
the championship from Johnson at
! Havana, Cuba, in April, 1915. That
| battle lasted % rounds. i5ust IL
months later Willard met Frank Mo-
ran, for 10 rounds at Madison Square
Garden. New York. This was a no
| decision contest, but Moran was so
| far outclassed on that occasion that
! there was no question as to Willard S
| having won decisively. Since that
time. March 25. 1916. Willard has not
| defended his title. Thousands of fis-
| tic patrons believe that this protract-
ed absence from fighting has a de-
! teriorating effect on the big cham
pion's abilities. while Dempsey. hav-
| ing been in ring action almost con-
| stantly. will be in much better con-
| dition.
Dempsey n knOckerout
Dempsey fought 16 ring battles last