The Washington herald., 1921-07-01
Lighter Mitts Barred By
New Jersey Boxing Body
Less Danger of Cutting and Bruising, But
Knock Out Chances VIII Not Be Reduced.
No Dispute Over 18-Foot Ring.
By ROBERT EDGREN.

ThOhSDA1, June SV. n heo'J
rain in New Jersey. starting yes
terday and lasting through today.
has worried holders of night tickets
but the weather sharps say the
downfall was the best thing that
could have happened to insure fair
weather on Saturday. For the week
the air has been supercharged with
moisture, and the heat has been
terrific. The fighters have had no
trouble in getting up the free how
of perspiration supposed to be es-
sential to good condition and every
one else has lost enough weight to
make the huge stands at Boyle's
forty acres safe for democracy. The
builders. however are not counting
on a. lightweight crowd. They have
tested the stands by piling up
empty hogsheads on the high points
and filling them with water to get
a pressure many times the weight
of any mass of spectators.
As for the possible chance of rain
on -the bout nothing short of a
cloudburst can cause a postpone
ment and that only II it starts in
the morning and continues through
the day. In case of impossible
NcdLncE the DOuI "OulQ De nelQ
Monday July 4 instead of Saturday.
In case of rain during the bouts
the ring will be covered with
high canopy that won't interfere
with the view. This is necessary
TO provide a dry footing for the
boxers. Carpenters fast footwork
would be of little use on a slippery
ring covering and Dempsey isn't so
-
advantage through having skiddy
floor under him.
No Kick Over Ring.
The tales about Carpenter insist
ing upon a 24-foot ring have been
exaggerated by at least four feet.
Carpentier did tell Descamps that
he would like to have 20 feet to
cavort in. but he wasn't very in
sistent, and when Descamps looked
the ring over and found it satisfac-
tory Carpenter withdrew any OBJ
lection. AS a matter Of fact the
24-foot ring is an anas.ronism- 1t
isn't used any more, and hasn't
been used for many years. All of
the championship bouts promoted
by Tex Rickard have been decided
in Is-foot rings, and the New Jersey
boxing rules provide for a ring not
more-than 20 nor less than Is feet
in size. In the contract both box
ers agreed TO abide by local regula-
tions should the bout be held where
the local rules conhicted with the
original agreement. Rickard Is
sure 70 have a suitable ring in any
case. The new ring platform built
especially for this bout is 22 feet
from. edge to edge, and the ropes
can hs- adjusted to a safe distance
fronyrhe posts.
To, Use Eight-ounee Gloves.
A toint about tbs ehampionship
contest that has been little talked
of Is he Size of the gloves the men
will Iuse. Five ounce gloves are
customary. but under Jersey regu-
IationsE the bigger and softer eight
ounce gloves will be worn.
Sol, Leyinson of San Francisco,
who has made the gloves for nearly
all American championship battles
during the past twenty-five yenrs,
made two sets for this fiEht-six-
ounce'0and eight-ounce. The six
oune< gloves will be left at the
Earlen for use In some other bout.
Ei<kt-ounee gloves are the same
useds In nearly all athletic club
gymnssiums. Both men will be
fairly accustomed to large
EIov<p- Dempsey has used four
teen-opnee gloves throughout his
Training. So has Carpenter. Drop
ping from fourteen to eight ounces
will make both men faster. although
PERHAPS they may lack n small per-
rentake of the speed given by fight
Ing with fye-ounee mittens the
-Aa.af .fhing.
There II less danger of a cut or
\ brufse with the eIght-ouuce gloves,
but tie soporinc effect will remain
about the same. Both Dempsey and
Carpenter preferred the lighter
nitt., but bowed to the boxing COM
missions decision.
Both Have Huge Hands.
Etther Dempsey or Carpenter
would have fairly effective
weapon with fists encased in pill
lowS Theirs are the two larges
pairs of hands ever carried into
ring to settle a championship con
test:s- Dempsey's hands are huge in
proportion. his wrists heavy, an,
his knuckles have never broken
sown. even under the strain Of his
terrfic hitting.
Carpentier's hands are fully as
big as Dempsey's. and the muscles
Of his. hands, undeveloped in mos,
athletes. are so developed from ac-
robatfc work that his hands are
eunchy, the palms and the fingers
extraordinarily thick. These hands,