The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-25
SAYS DEMPSEY
CAN'T TOUCH HIM
Jess Willard Not Worrying About
July Fourth Battle Which
He Says He VIII
Win

fBy Dick Meade. in the Toledo
News-Bee.J
Dempsey won't lay a glove on me.
/ don't want you to think I'm boast
ing when ! say that. but it is the
way / feel and the confidence / have
In my ability to retain the title on
the Fourth That's the way Jess
Willard talked to the writer on Mon
day. and he said his little say IN
such a vehement and insistent way
that there was no mistaking his ce-
termination The champion is not a
'camoulaged chatterer. He's not a
free and easy gabber. He talks right
out In meeting when he has a theory
to e1pound or information to give.
Jess character is an open book II
he feels you are on the square with
him. If he has an idea you are
tricky he viii only smile in his big
genial way and say nothing. But if
you are in his confidence the cham
pion unbends, will give you any in
formation you want and will tell you
freely and without strings. Strange
as it may seem, he is rather shy.
likes to fade away from crowds and
keep to himself Willard has roamed
much with the Indians, which may
account for his desire and his deter
mination to live within himself
Jess isn't at all bothered by what
the Fourth viii bring. TEX Richard
and the others are doing their big
work now" he said. "On the Fourth,
when / step into the ring at Bay
view park. III De ready to do my bit.
And / want to assure you / will be
ready and right TO do 1t. This is
the first bout l have ever gone into
that I haven't had mental as well as
physical worries. | used to roll and
toss half the night wondering how |
was going TO protect my financial
interests.
TITS different now. As a rule
drop OF to sleep Immediately upon
retiring. And ] never move until
they call me in the morning. Ny
mind is easy and l haven't soil
tary thing to worry me l have the
greatest confidence in the world in
Tex Richard and Frank Flournoy
and know they will protect my In
terests to the limit And feel that
same way about Ray Archer. my
business manager You can't imagine
what a relief Il is to be interested
in a venture with such high class
ana honorable men.
$50 have nothing to do but get
myself In condition for Jack Demp-
sey. probably have said before
that I am IN shape now, but want
10 ten you that ] have never felt
better in my life I know 1 am in
perfect health. And I know / am
better than when / fought Jack
Johnson, and much better than when
! faced Frank Moran"
Here the champion was interrupt
ed by one of his old managers, Tom
Jones. Hello. Jess" said Jones, as
he extended his right hand. Hello,
Tom" returned the champion That
was all Then Jess resumed his con-
They try to tell me l /
don't do enough road work, that
ought TO skip the rope and follow
all the old line boxers who had
such a routine when they were
battling for the title.
Maybe they're right. | don't think
SO. l know more about myself than
any other person in the world. / !
know what need and what I don't |
need. A man who can't think for
himself and who can't follow bis
own line OF training reasoning has
no right to be champion. You rear /
a lot of talk that / have too much /
fat around my waist. that my wind /,
is bad, that I'm heavy on my feet !