The Washington herald., 1919-06-27
LOOK FOR KAYO
IN BIG BATTLE
Fight Fans at Toledo Can
Not Realize Setto Will :
Go l2-Round Limit.
BY Damon Runyon.

Toledo. Ohio. June 26.-Its rather
an odd circumstance, but nobody in
these parts seems to give the possi-
bility Of this Willard-Dempsey matter
going the full twelve rounds the
slightest tumble" as they say in
the classical language of the sporting
fraternity.
All hands apparently take it for
granted that it will be well inside the
limit, by knockout or otherwise. AT
least there is never the faintest sug.
gestion in all the oceans of gossI ID
, that both men may be on their feet
. at the finish.
And yet this possibility assuredly
>exists. 1t exists just as strongly in
this bout as in any big bout ever
staged. Like everyone else, I am
looking for short fight, and a merry
one. but. like everyone else, 1 am
/ oasing that idea on the expectation
that Dempsey will lug the battle to
Willard right from the kickoff.
Supposins Dempsey fails to 90
that? What then, good gentlemen? :?
II seems improbable that Dempsey
can change his style. but supposing
he discovers in the first few rushes
he Is certain to make that he cannot
get past the long left of Willard
without having his nose plastered all
over the map?
Would it be reasonable to expect
, Jack to keep on rushing? Would 1t
be good sense for him to keep plung-
ing again at that sort of barrier? 1
think not. 1 don't think Dempsey
wants to get messed about, and per-
haps knocked cold. any more than
any other fighter.
! If the Coloradoan meets early re-
buffs he may try waiting around, and,
as Willard is a waiter to the manner
born-a sort OF head waiter, so to
speak-we may see an afternoon Of
waiting. and l can think of no worse
way OF putting in our nations birth
day anniversary.
Dempsey has knocked out a lot
of queer looking parties in ragtime.
! but he has also engaged in a num-
ber of squabbles which went the
limit. l well remember hanging
over a ticker wire waiting for the
*. o." fash that never came. That
was the night of his fight with Billy
Miske in st. Paul.
There is no single incident in Will
lard's fistic career on which to base
the thought that he may end this.
or any other fight quickly. He is
positively malingerer in battle.
Slow to begin, he is dilatory in fin
ishing. People who expect Jess to
stop Dempsey use as a foundation
for that expectation the fact that
Jack is a mark for a left hand. A
very ordinary port prodder can hit
him. Willard has a good left but
don't forget that Willard swatted a
! lot of persons with that left and
failed to bring them down.
Tom Mcmahon. Gunboat Smith.
Boer Roedel. and others weathered
it. Granting that it wasn't so good
in those days, there is Frank Moran
who lived under the Willard south
paw when it was supposed to be at
it's best. Surely Dempsey is as stout
as any of those.
Willard has said that he in
tends taking some of the battle at
least to Dempsey. 1t seems incon-
ceivable that Jess can bring him
, self to forcing a fight. yet it was
equally Uncomfortable that Jack
Johnson could do such a thing. Jack
was strictly a waiter, yet at Ha-
vana he went shuffling ufter Jess in
a manner that astonished behold
crs. II Dempsey starts aey waiting
on July 4. the crowd is pretty apt
to spur Jess to some action. But
IL they both wait-wenf 1 can
imagine you'll scent IT back therein
, New York before the twelve rounds
are over.
With a decision depending on the
result however. whether there is a
knockout or not. it is pretty GER
tain that one or the other will
manifet some aggressiveness. That
counts in tbs summing up.