New-York tribune., 1921-06-09
Dempsey Sets
Down to Serious
W ork for Bout
Champions Smile Disap-
pears and He Now Will
Travel at Top Speed
By c. F. Fitzgerald

Dy ~ Il 4. IlZSCFdtd
ATLANTIC CITY, June s.-The giant
killer was in action to-day--ferocious
action. Everything about the champion.
showed deep-dyed earnestness. Two
weeks ago he worked with smile on
his face. The smile has disappeared
and the task Of getting himself in con-
dition for the big fight is under way.
1t may be that Dempsey will be unable
to get down to the desired 100 pounds,
but from now on he is gong to travel
full speed ahead.
Jack removed the patch from the
cash over his left eye and the wound
appears to be healing nicely. In fact,
it took lot of persuasion from Mana
ger Jack Kearns to prevent the man
eater from calling in his sparring part
ners. He tipped Jack Renault and Joe
Benjamin to appear in fighting togs
and but for the sudden appearance of
Kearns just before the afternoon ex
hibition Dempsey would have had the
boys in the ring
Dempsey was almost in tears when
he was refused the privilege of having
live objects to batter at instead Of the
punching bags.
II tell you they will never reach
that eye," said the champion to Kearns.
"They can't hit me unless let them
do it. Think I can't i.eep away from
these fellows? I've got to work. The
| fight is less than four weeks off. You
make a guy feel like loafer. YoI
know, I've got to get that old left work
ing in good shape"
Rips Punching Bag Loose
But Kearns stood his ground, and in
his argument with Dempsey he had the
support of Bonesetter Phil Hanley.
Hanley is the youngest bone expert
extant, and he gives Jack the up-and-
| down twice daily.
In his work this afternoon Dempsey
ripped punching bag loose from its
fastenings with left and sent it sail
ing twenty feet or more over the heads
| of the spectators. Jack tore off some
of the hardest wallops he has in his
deck at the expense of his leathered
opponents. He ducked under the spin
ming object and came UP from a low
crouch with a left or a right that sent
/ the bag against the board with thud
! that might have been heard hundred
| yards away.
Finishing with the light objects, the
champion took turn at the sixty
pound sand bag suspended over the
center of his indoor ring. He
wrestled with the heavier load and by
the time he finished his boy was
! dripping with perspiration and he was
| blowing lick a porpoise. Jack took a
six-nle hike early in the morning and
spent several hours building yard
for his four dogs.
Dempsey took the opportunity before
| his public appearance to say cornpli-
mentary things about his opponent.
Calls Rival Gentleman
81 am very glad to fight Carpenter" j"
Jack averred. "He is a gentleman and
| would much rather fight gentleman
than rough-neck, although some peo-
pie consider me one of the roughest-
necked men in the world. But that is
another story.
The affair next month is not in any
sense of word a grudge battle.
have never met a man in the ring
toward whom | had more kindly per-
sonal feelings. believe the French
| man feels the same way about it, He
has said he wants the best man to win.
That's the way I feel about it.
~ appreciate Carpenters assertion
that he desires me to be perfectly fit
| for our battle, and my reply to Georges
is that l return the compliment.
understand he is fine condition to-day.
That's good news to me; there would
not be much glory in whipping a fell
| low that wasn't at his best. I am q
little overweight at present, but I am
don't think Carpenter will be disap-
pointed at my appearance"
Jack hasn't selected his pronuncia-
tion of his opponents monicker He
tried out several to-day and none of
them seemed to satisfy him. First he
called him "Koppontere," just as Fran
cois Deschamps does; then he selected
"Koppenter" and "Koppentier." Exas-
perated, the champion finally turned to
| the deuce do you say that fellow any
way"
Not to Quit Fight Game
"1've got to win at Thirty Acres,
Dempsey said. II must win it. Biz
/ gest crowd of all. Biggest money
I've got to knock Koppenter out; that's
final"
Somebody sent out story the othe,
day that Dempsey will retire after
July 2.
Quit the game? ?" he exclaimed TO-
day Me quit the ring? Now, not on
your life! I've got lot of scrappina
still left under my belt and some OF
the big fellows are talking too much
I'll shut them up one at time"
There were about 200 "pay -as-you-
enter" spectators at the Airport to-
day and at least half the number were
women. One aged woman visitor ran
up to the champion and grasped his
hand as he was walking from his resi-
dence to the Airdome. "I'm for you
Mr.. Dempsey" she said sxcitedly. "l
hope you knock him out"
Jack turned to Kearns and said
"She reminds me of my mother. Please
give her a supplementary ticket to the
camp"
Latane Named Chairman