New-York tribune., 1920-12-16
Jack Dempsey
No Man Eater.
Proves Brennan
Next Opponent of World
Champion VIII Enter
the Ring With Confidence
By Grantland Rice

Jack Dempsey's crown is still on top
Of champions head, but quite bit
of his man-eating glory faded out with
the smoke Of Madison Square Garden
on Tuesday night. 1t may be that en-
tirely too much was expected Of the
champion, and that no one man could
be counted upon to maintain the terri
fic pace he had set for the last three
years. His one and two round triumphs
had become a matter of habit, but few
habits are eternal.
There is no getting away from this
one detail-Bili Brennan, just good
ordinary heavyweight without any past
career to justify the label OF greatness,
not only carried Dempsey into the
twelfth round. but held his own a
greater part of the way by inhicting
Almost as much punishment as he re-
ceived.
Brennan had been looked upon in ad-
vance as a set-up, another Levinsky or
another Miske. In fact, Levlnsky had
outpointed him at their last meeting.
But while the Chicago boxer was
finally knocked out, the champion who
stood above him was bleeding freely
from mouth, nose and ear, extended to
the limit.
Those who saw Dempsey stop Will
lard and Miske with such savage sud-
denness could not figure Brennan last
ing beyond three rounds. They re-
called Dempsey's speed, the fury OF his
attack and the killing power of his big
brown fists. And, after all, what had
Brennan ever done beyond the average
work of an average heavyweight!
E1ou fhCso Who know The quaint nm
certainty of sport in all its stages were
still unable to see anything except tne
losers end between the third and firth
rounds. You can imagine their amaze
ment through the second round, when,
in place of hitting the mat, Brennan
was hitting Dempsey on the jaw with
the champion clinching to protect him.
self.
The contest proved three important
details, as follows:
l. That at least one heavyweight can
take all Dempsey's blows and still keep
going.
2. That an average heavyweight with
fair boxing skill who isn't afraid tc
take a chance can hit the champion
without much trouble.
3. That Dempsey can take quite
beating himself and keep on figntlng
at top speed-somethlng he hasn't had
to prove in many a tlstic moon.
This combination proves that any
first class heavyweight with speed anc
} hitting power has good chance tc
wrest away the million dollar crown, ol
at least knock it over one ear.
What, possibly inquiries the average
fight reader, was the trouble with thf
: champion? One reason advanced was
that he merely made boxing match
of it for d few additional rounds tc
help the motion picture value. This
reason doesn't hold If Dempsey hac
had any such idea in his head he woulc
have changed his mind quickly after
the second round, when Brennan proved
that he had a Furnishing wallop at hand
After being knocked half groggy he
would hardy have been willing to bump
into another such dangerous risk ii
he could have rang down the curtain
detail compared to the loss of his title
Which seems reasonable enough.
Another idea advanced was tha,
Dempsey, undertaking his opponent;
was overconndent and inclined to LOAF
until Brennan had developed confidence
But Dempsey has always taken grea
pride in his ability to kill 'em quick
to end the engagement with an early
punch.
Here's our idea: Before this Demp
sey has either fought big men wht
,, were slow, clumsy and easy to hit O.
smaller men who were afraid to stel
out and give him battle. On thi
occasion he met man almost as fas
who wasn't afraid to step in and ex
change wallops, and the occa sion there
by proved that Dempsey's greatnes,
has been trife overrated. He sill
stands as fast, hard hitter. He i.
still champion of the world. But h,