Arizona republican., 1919-07-05
DEMPSEY EATERS WILLARD INTO AN
 IGNOBLE DEFEAT
Champion Practically Knocked Out in First Round Couldn't Stand Fierce Onslaught of Little Man
 Throws Up Sponge End of Third Round


 Harrison Dempsey, today became
 the worlds heavyweight boxer.
 To all intents and purposes he
 whipped the huge Jess Willard,
 favorite in the meager betting, in
 ore round. Dempsey thought the
 referee had announced him win
 ner and actually left the ring, but
 he was called back and the butch
 cry continued for two rounds more,
 when Jess, sitting in his corner
 with bewildered look on his swoI-
 len countenance, failed to respond
 to the gong for the fourth round.
 "No Use to Continue"-Willard
 "IC was no use to continue" said the ex-champion, my strength went from me IF the first round
 He sat there, apparently the most surprised man in the United States His right eye was closed and his right cheek swollen and blue with bruises. Blood covered his body and his arms hung so helplessly over the ropes that it seemed as if child might give him further abuse without arousing his in terest
 Dempsey was breathing hard when the fight ended, but it was from exer- ton and not from exhaustion. He had been using his arms like trip ham mer on his opponent for nine minutes in a sun that sent the thermometer to 115; his heart was still pumping at high pressure and he appreciated the breathing spell.
 Couldn't Follow Blows
 In the few seconds of the contest 1t looked as if the experts who had been assigned to keep detailed account of all blows struck might come meas urably close to doing so, but it was only for a fraction of a moment
 After the first few seconds the ex- pertS did well to count Jacks blows. The challenger knocked the big fellow down five times in the first round and had him hanging helplessly on the ropes or draped over his own shoulders most of the time when he was not talk ing advantage Of the count.
 The crowd thought the fight was over in that round. Willard was down for the fifth time and the count appar- ently was about to end when the gong sounded. IL was a modest gong which couldn't make itself heard, so many | people, and even Dempsey, didn't ''get it." He crawled through the ropes and headed out onto the shoulders Of screaming fans when the truth was broken to him and ne was hauled back.
 Such fighting as the Kansas ranch man produced was placed on exhibition at the onset. He had stood in his cor ner a picture of confidence His smile seemed that of one who had a brief and not unpleasant task before him. He certainly was all set to go, for just be- fore time was called he was heard to remark:
 Let's get this thing over" He measured the attendance which disappointed estimates by about 50 per cent, with an appraising eye. Contrasts in Confidence
 Dempsey presented a contrast None of the confidence of his training camp statements appeared in his bearing.
 The man across from him outweighed him forty pounds and looked as biz and impregnable as metropolitan bank building. The mood of the cnal- lenger was plainly thoughtful, and more than one ringside gazer whs- pered: Hes licked right now When they were introduced, Jess sauntered over with the cordial man ner of one desiring to reassure a , youngster, and took his hand in the friendliest way. Jacks handshalxe was lOOs JuSl lu0Il, UQl IL Was luS last token of friendship from those gloves. A minute or so later they were , using Willard for a chopping block. and some in the crowd were crying "Stop it. Stop it! It's plain murderln !, Dempsey first effective blows, and the ones which apparently settled Will lard's fate, were a right over Jess 1 shoulder to the jaw, left to the body and right to the jaw. Jess staggered. His eye was closing and he reeled, and the challenger, with all the energy Of , lis pulsing youth, began hitting him at will.
 The attendance was below expecta- tions. Seats were built for S0,000 and the estimate was that not more than half of these were occupied. Speculat- f OTIS lost heavily. No betting was re- ported at the ringside, nor was there , much elsewhere so far as could be , ascertained.
 Heat Terrific The heat of the day was terrific, in . tensified by the vast acreage of green
 lumber. During the preliminary bouts
 which lasted from Il o'clock till 2:S0
 the thermometer jumped to 120 degrees . It showed N110 degrees when Willard .. and Dempsey entered the ring. When Dempsey was proclaimed win ner the crowd surged onto the mat in g l wild scramble to shake the hand o1 the new champion. At times some oi l them toppled over onto the telegraph : CTS and reporters just below, who were struggling in the mad disorder to re- port what had happened The police e eventually dispersed them by hustline Dempsey away.
 a Willard was taken to an automobile
 and departed from view, followed b,
 the crowd.
 While the passing of the heavyweight
 championship was one of the mos
 dramatic events of modern ring history it was lacking entirely in high clasi boxing With the exception of the frs three snappy left jabs with which Vii lard opened the contest the comba 2 was simply a series of terrific drive ] and smashes, virtually all of whicl were delivered by Dempsey. l. First Blows Oazed Willard The first of these crashing swing 0 to land on Willard's jaw and body ap
 parently seemed to completely daze an, to take away from the titleholder ever ounce of strength. Whether he coul,
 have stood up better under the batter
 ing of Dempsey a few years ago wi
 always be a moot question. It canno
 be denied, however, that Willard was il = good physical condition and displaye' . gameness up to the moment that hi t seconds persuaded him to relinquisl e the championship to Dempsey.
 This was demonstrated by the fac
 that he received in three rounds o a fighting more punishment than did lief 2 fries at the bands of Jack Johnson i : their fifteen round bout at Reno an oI1 fn fr lo 1aII I,, Il his seconds been callous enough to sen d him A gain to the slaughter. Even affe