The sun., 1919-07-04
WILLARD SURE HE
WILL RETAIN TITLE
Champion and Challenger
Each Predict Victory in
Final Statements.

TOLEDO. July s.-In the before battle
statements given out by Jess Willard
and Jack Dempsey TO the Associated
Press here tonight both champion and
challenger express confidence In the out
come Of to-morrow's ring engagement
Dempsey In his boyish manner bubbles
bit moro braggadocio than does the
older and more sedate champion, who
calmly reviews his training period. an
swers the critics who differ with him
in tho matter of his conditioning. and
says he is confident OF successfully de-
Tending the championship.
Willard declares IL his beliefs should
prove wrong he will stand up like a
man and admit the superior boxing
ability Of my opponent without bubble,
excuse or abb"
Dempsey wastes no words in predict
ing his triumph over the champion, but
there Is vein of doubt running through
his remarks, for he hints that there is a
possibility OF Willard being the super
man his supporters claim he is. Like
a youngster telling a boyish rival he will
knock his block or" Dempsey declares
that he may stop the champion in the
irst round and that II Willard does stay
out the first round he only is framing a
lot of trouble for himself" The official
| statements follow:
willard Says,
Champion Jess Willard said:
From the day I signed the con-
tract to defend the championship Il
has been my one idea to enter the
ring In condition to give my best eff
forts to the public and titular honors
which am fortunate enough to hold
Il have trained with this in mind
Tor period of more than three
months to the best Of my ability and
intend to give every ounce Of strength
and degree OF skill that possess to
the defense of the championship.
know that some followers OF boxing
do not agree with my system Of train
ing. but 1 am convinced know my
self and my conditioning require
ments. I believe that am In per-
feet shape and confident that 1 shall
successfully defend the champion
ship II Il should prove that I am
wrong. I shall stand up like a man
and admit the superior boxing ability
OF my opponent without bubble
excuse or abb. Beyond that I feel
that events must speak for them
selves"
Dempsey's Def.
Challenger Jack Dempsey foreca 9,
| his victory In the following words:
six weeks OF consistent training
has made me At forNthe big event of
my life. In all my career I never
felt better than do right now, and
am as certain of victory as man
can be. The bigness OF Willard does
not bother me. like the big ones
Carl Morris and Fred Fulton were
not dwarfs. and I put both OF them
away. doing the trick each time in
less than one round. No man In the
world can Withstand the attack I will
wage when I enter the ring with Will
lard. My youth. strength and natural
fighting ability will prove more than
| an Offset TO the extra poundage Of
the champion. That have real con-
fidence IN my ability TO take the title
away from Willard Is to be believed.
have never yet met a man I feared.
They all look alike TO me and unless
Willard ia the superman claimed by
his supporters ! will knock him out
In hurry. ! would not be sur
prised TO list him along with Fulton,
Morris and the other one FOUNDERS.
He may get by the first, but II he
does he is only framing a lot of
trouble for himself I'm sure ready
to go to him. hope IL Is a good
battk, no matter how short 1t H.
Take It from me. though. you are
talking to the winner