The Washington times., 1922-01-09

can induce Jack Dempsey TO desc
part In a battle for the title.
Now that Jess Willard has stepped
out Of the picture the only white man
worth considering az an opponent TOR
Dempsey is Tom Gibbons. Offers for
this match are beginning to reach Jack
Kearns from various points. St. Paul
got ahead of New York by submitting
the first definite offer for Dempsey
Gibbons match. -,
This offer came from Frank McCor-
mick and Kearns says he will give II
due consideration. However. there Ia
little chance Of st. Paul being able to
Ioutbid New York for such an attrac-
ton and II Tex Richard wants the
match there IL no doubt that he can
get 1t. Richard evidently would rather
wait until Gibbons meets Carpenter,
and then II Gibbons won q Gibbons
Dempsey match would be q much
greater attraction than II would be at
the present time.
| Would Need An Arena.
II Gibbons should beat Carpenter
in sensational style the Dempsey
match would then loom up 20 big that
It could not be held during the winter
months. but would require an outdoor
arena.
On the other hand. there IL .
chance that Carpenter will flatten
Gibbons, and in that case Richard
would be left without an opponent Tor
Dempsey. as the Frenchman could
not be used in a return match.
There is no question that Gibbons Ia
well enough equipped in the matter
of speed, skill and hitting ability to
give Dempsey a battle worth while.
The only doubt is whether Tom pos
Isesses courage enough to be able to
fight in his best form when facing
such a terror as Dempsey. 49,. ...
Report says he does not show to
good advantage when the opposition
n great. and the fact that he refuses
to meet live opponent seems to bear
/ Difference In Build.
Gibbons Is big enough for the task
liz he possesses the right kind of fight
ing spirit. Dempsey weighed only
lisa pounds when he met Carpenter,
and Gibbons scales at 176. A differ
ence Of ten pounds does not mean 30
much in the heavyweight class.
1t Ia true that Carpenter had no
chance because he was oufclassed
physically. but 1t was not 30 much the
difference in weight as the difference
in their physical construction that
made the Frenchman's task hopeless
lone. ..
While Gibbons Ia only few pounds
heavier than Carpenter there h q
great deal of difference in the way
they are built. The Frenchman IL
slight and frail. He is all nerves and
totally unfit to sustain punishment.
IGibbons is a ruggedly built fellow. He
looks as though he could stand much
trough usage and his record indicates
that he is not easily hurt. He boasts
that he never has been knocked off
his feet.
T. They Build Him Up.
That Gibbons is going to be used In
q big match Is evident by the pains
that Is being taken to build him up.
He has stopped nineteen men in sue
'cession, and no one who has a chance
to go the distance can get a match
with him. Before he meets, Dempsey
he will have to beat at least one good
man, as nowadays ring followers are
too wise ito fall for q manufactured
record. Carpenter evidently Is the
man chosen to help put the finishing
touches to Toms record.
/ II II Is true that the Frenchman
suffered so badly from the body pun
ishment he sustained in the Dempsey
affair that he became seriously Ill and
lost over ten pounds, Gibbons ought to
Carpenter meets George Cook, the
Australian, for twenty rounds on jan
uary 10. Cook is more or less a joke
las a fighter, and II Carpenter does
not polish him off in quick time II will
be evident that the Frenchman's
fighting days are over.
Il II ring followers had their own way
in such matters, they would prefer to
see the Carpenter Gibbons and Glib
bons Dempsey bouts staged in the
Garden this winter and then have q
lDempsey.Wills battle for the big event
next July 4. :"
Dempsey eventually will have p to
l fight Wills unless a new white heavy
weight sensation is discovered. Out
side of Gibbons there Is no white man
In sight that would have a ghost of a
chance with the champion. Even IL
there should happen to be another
sreat fighter just over the horizon II
would take at least three years to
make a championship contender out
Of him.
Dempsey cannot afford to remain
idle for three or four years. He must
don the gloves from time to time, not
only for the money there is in II, but
to keep him in fighting condition.
| Ring followers want a Dempsey Wills
match. Not one in twenty Is against
Il ON the grounds that a negro cham
pion would injure the sport.
Wills as champion would be Just as
much a credit to boxing as Dempsey
is and perhaps great deal more.
Wills Is not Jack Johnson, but a
sober, Industrious citizen who minds
his own business and has gone
straight despite every temptation to
do otherwise.
|