The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-19
WILLARD IMPROVING
RIGHT UPPERCUT
Figures Dempsey's Rushing
Style Will Make Challenger
Mark for Blow.
by CHARLES r. MATHIsON. TS$l
Special DespatcA to TIE sux.


Special DespatcA TO THK sux.
TOLEDO, Ohio. June 1s-In ring
swept by a brisk breeze that dashed tAs
muddy waters OF Maumee Bay to-
foam Jess Willard, heavyweight cham
pion of the world, this afternoon fur
nished strong evidence that he expects to
win the bate from Jack Dempsey on
July 4 with a right uppercut, the most
effective punch In his repertory. 4
In shadow boxing the champion figur-
atively cut the air to ribbons with
vicious right hand uppercuts With ,tha
exception OF an occasional duck or sfdt-
step. Willard devoted most OF his tffSs
in the ring to uppercutting. Even waeu
sparring with his helpers Willard ,rA-
sorted to the uppercut, and as he walked
out OF the ring at the close of his I'M
terestlng training schedule he upperSpt
an imaginary Dempsey along the petit
way to his quarters. ~
right uppercut is the blow With
which Willard toppled the rugged SOL
der Kearns to the floor of ring Id
New York city a few years ago. and the
champion rightfully believes that if'he
can bring the same blow to bear against
| the Jaw OF Dempsey that young MANS
| titutlar aspirations will be indefinitely
postponed
Willard doubtless believes that De.1p-
! lenger an easy mark for a right uppers
cut TO the chin and the champion thefsf
fore is seeking to perfect the blow outs
| side OF his uppercut, the progress nlade
| by Willard in his training is byNno
means impressive, and " he expectSttD
be in At condition for hard fight at 'tke
end Of the three weeks now remsinlns'hS
will have to accelerate his gait. ~
| 80, !jSs
willard Must Reduce. sda
Willard. who has done little road work
for four days because OF the heat.
showed after three rounds of shadQy
boxing that he had bellows TO mend.'
| The generous layer OF flesh over his mid
| section billowed like the waves on the
| bay and the champion obviously was not
| breathing easily He insists that thtst
| due TO the muggy atmospheric conditions
in this part of the country, he being ac-
customed 10 the bracing airs OF The
bounding West 'P
AS the work progressed and he bessp
boxing with his partners the big man
perspired profusely and exerted himself
with desperate energy. He first begged
with Jack Hemple and in the intervals
OF uppercutting permitted his helper ~
hit him in the stomach. but not With
full force, by any means. The blows
made resounding noise and earned tbs
laughter of the onlookers, but as test
of the champions resistance to stomach
blows they were valueless.
Jack Heinen was next on the pro-
gramme. and he did the best he knew
how. Then came Joe Chip, brother OF
George Chip, who looked like bantam,
in comparison with the champion. Chip
also acted like a bantam rooster. hop
ping up and cutting Willard on the Jaw
and nose Walter Monahan wound up
1h..~ 49,
esting though not essentially useful tc-
| count of hrnseIf uI..
.i.S
Champion in Poor CondtttaBss~
The champion concluded his days en-
tertanment by tossing the medicine ball
and then retired to his quarters tired ana
heavy. The assertion made TO the effect
that Willard Will weigh less than SS1
pounds on July is idle gossip. Tho
champion at present is quite as heavy, as
he was the night he faced Moran in
Madison Square Garden, and his Conda-
ton is not so good.
By working industIiously for the next
three weeks the champion should be able
to enter the ring in condition To mako n
good fight. but unless he speeds his work
of preparation he will be at a disadYan-
taRe on July 4. ~
Dempsey practically has suspe pdet
1
necessary to keep his wind in condition.
This he accomplishes by road work apd
swimming. He does little more than
shadow box and punch the ball, and Tor
the most time Tolls about in a bathing
suit. Dempsey already is in condition
for a fight and additional hard work
would be superhuous. The challenger, is
lean as a greyhound brown as barry.
supple as india rubber and active rs n
tiger cub. Dempsey long since adopted
the straight front" style. His stomach
is fiat as a board and there is not an
ounce OF superfuous flesh on his entire
body.
He is in the same superb physical
condition that marked linn Corbett when
he started for New orleans To take the
title away from John l.. Sullivan II
the fight on July hinged on physical
condition alone, Dempsey would be the
ueNt champion. But many well informed
persons believe that the enormous hatk
OF the title holder, combined with his
hitting powers, will prevail over the
smaller Dempsey. .--r