New-York tribune., 1919-11-20
Willard Said
To Be Anxious
ToBox Again
Ex-Champion Asks 'STex"
Rickard to Get Him a
Match With Fred Fulton
BY w. O. Mcclellan

Jess Willard wants to come back.
The big ex-champion. who was knocked
into considerable obscurty by Jack
Dempsey last Fourth of July, ia be-
sieging Tex -Rickard with pleas to get
him return match. Richard is not
making any sort of comment on the
request, but he is keeping his she'll
like ear close to the ground
Certainly Willard was about as thor
ouEhly beaten as q heavyweight cham
pion ever was. There is nobody who
saw the fight that ever would believe
that Willard would care to enter the
same. ring with the present champion.
But now comes Willard, who never
seemed to care for fighting and who
found little glamour in wearing tho
crown of champion, with modest plea
for return match.
Willard, before the first round at
Toledo, never could be convinced that
Dempsey could hurt him. That was
the reason why he looked so utterly
bewildered when the present champion
toppled his huge bulk to the floor of
the ring with two terrific punches. The
huge Willard was so amazed that he
sat for time wearing an idotic
grin. Even as he sprawied there he
seemed to refuse to believe that such
thing could happen. Now that he
has been thinking about it duly ever
since he remains unconvinced that it
could have happened and he wants to
try it again.
Richard was bit cautious in talk
ing about the prospects of return
match. "Willard might try to come
back" he said last night There may
be quite lot Of people who believe
that he could come back. Of course,
they hardly would look with any favor
on return Willard Dempsey match
right ott the reel. Willard would have
to fight his way into that position.
willard always felt that Fulton
would be a mark for him, and Fulton
will be back in the United States
pretty soon. Willard and his manager.
Ray Archer. have asked me to see
them. 1t is highly probable that Will
lard wants q bout with Fulton; then
if he knocks out Fulton | suppose that
he will continue to demand q return
match from Dempsey until he gets it.
1t all will depend on whether people
want it or not. There seems to be
something of scarcity Of what they
call logical candidates Tor bout with
Dempsey"
1t is my belief that Dempsey would
repeat if he ever met Willard again.
but there aye those who maintain that
Willard was not in good condition
when he fought on the Fourth of
July Others contend that Dempsey
was tiring rapidly, and that Willard
might have lasted if he had not thrown
up the sponge.
believe that Willard was in the
best of condition and that he showed
superhuman powers of endurance and
gameness in coming back at all after
the terrific punishment he received in
the first round. On this assumption a
return Willard Dempsey fight would be
my idea of nothing to see.
1t would seem that the Willard ego
should have been fattened completely
by Dempsey on Independence Day, but
Wizards stubbornness and confidence
in his bulk seem to make him believe
that 1T can't be done again. think
that it can, but that there is no par
ticular reason for it being done.
There might have been some reason
for q return match between Corbett
and Fitzsmmons. but there appears tc
be no good reason for a repetition OF
the Toledo turmoil.