The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-18
JACK DEMPSEY
WEIGHS POI
Challenger Is In Fine Shape ana
Flight Followers Arc Riskin0
Their Money on His
Chances.

1
Chances.
[By III. c. Hamilton, United Press
Staff Correspondent
TOLEDO, O., June 1S.--Jack Demp
sey money made q renewed appear
ance here today with much vigor
following his surprising action yes
terday when he stepped on set OF
scales at his training quarters and
shot the indicator point to 20l
pounds. far more than any follower
of fight things here had expected cr
| him.
Opponents of the challenger
chances with the gigantic champion
have been predicting that Dempsey
would wear himself to shadow
with his strenuous methods OF train
ing and that he would fall a QUICK
victim to exhaustion by being trained
so fine.
As a matter of fact, Dempsey weighs
about thirteen pounds more right
now than when he met and defeated
Fred Fulton in less than round at
Harrison, N. J., last fall. and he Is
in better condition, considered from
every standpoint The fact that he
has been able to put on weight while
going through such a gruelling tram
ing as he has tackled since starting
in on the long grind for the Willard
battle speaks volumes for his aolilty'
and the folks hereabouts were not
slow to realize 1t.
When the two heavies meet on
July 4 there will be about forty
Sy, s..
provided reports from Willards camp
can be taken at their face Value.
This is about the same margin that
existed when Tom Sharkey and jim
Jeffries met in their memorable scrap
at Coney Island, and Sharkey, though
the smaller of the two, was able to
present such an argument to the
champion Jeffries that any witnesses
of the affair claim to this day that
Sharkey should have been awarded
the decision.
There need be no fear regarding
the condition OF the challenger fol-
lowing this most startling thing. He
will be there. His general condition
could not be better than it is right
now, and that he is not drawing
himself too fine for the big effort is
well proved by the silent testimony
of the scales.
Little less surprising was the ease
with which Joe Chip, the Pennsyl-
vania middle weight, was able to
pound Wizards chin during his first
experience as a sparring mate for the
big champion. OF course, too much
stress must not be laid on this fact,
for Willard was doing little leading
himself. He was contented to be OF
the receiving end Of the punches,
combining his efforts to blocking.
But Chip was at him with such speed
that the champion could not protect
himself from the snappy overland
wallops and fast short-arm smashes
the smaller man directed at him.
Dempsey is faster than Chip, II
anything, and of course hits with
vastly more power. If Chip has no
trouble in reaching Wizards vital
points, it is cinch that neither
win Dempsey, unless Wizards fore
casted aggressiveness fights Demp-
sey off his feet into defensive po-
sition of his own.
Willard announced himself years
ago as a cool, calm man in the ring,
one who is willing to wait many
minutes for an antagonist to carry
the fight to him. He has even 1ndt-
Gated that he will play this kind OF
a game with Dempsey, although the
purpose of such conversation may
be for effect only. But il Chips ap
pearance yesterday is anything to go
by, Jess will have little luck from
making such fight.
1t is disappointing that Dempsey
lis forced to take so much time for
his eye to heal sufficiently so he
can resume his daily boxing. It
would be interesting indeed to COM
pare boxing exhibitions by the two
men, now that Willard is beginning
to realize the need Of speed in his
work and is providing himself with
sparring partners who can supply it
There was a lot OF II knew him
when" stuff floating about today,
reminiscent Of the days in Reno
when Jim Jeffries was trying so
hard to get himself in condition for
his battle with Jack Johnson. Out
wardly, it will be recalled jeff was
in the best of shape, but his internal
spots were wrecked and could not
be repaired. It's not probable that
Willard is in this kind of shape, but
1t is obvious he is not making an
open door policy of his training. It
leaked out today that he has been
keeping away from road work In the
heat, but Dempsey has been taking
his daily grind