The Washington herald., 1922-12-18
SAYS
: HE'S NOT IDLE
NOR RUSTY NOW
Champion Declares Folks Will
Be Surprised at His Condi-
! ton When He Enters Ring
Again.
By JACK DEMPSEY,

Again.
By JACK DEMPSEY.
1esvweisht Champion Of the World.
(copyright. 1899. by King Features
Syndicate, Inc-)
TT is quite likely that the folks
who are figuring that / am
growing rusty through idle
ness will be handed a few sur
prises the next time I step into
. ring. &.
Ali the boys have pointed out
that idleness nulled John LIS
greatness, that it did the same
thing to Jim Corbett, that it
killed of Jim Jeffries, Jack John
son, and that it was one Of the
deciding factors against Jess
Willard when ! met him in To-
lsdo.
III oonceds that idleness-real
tdleness-on the part Of a fistic
champion is q terrible handicap.
But the point 10 that even though
INhave fought but three times since
/ whipped Willard In 1919. and
that I haven't had a fight sincs
July, 1921, haven't become rusty
In any way whatsoever.
Keeping fit has always been
something Of a religion Of mine.
In my nonchampionship days, I
kept fit by fighting. l would still
be keeping fit in the same way If
there were any opponents for me to
battle against.
GETS NO OFFERS.
But, as everyone knows, 1 am
being kept on the shelf because IT
is ruled that there are only one
or two men for me to fight-and
no promoter has stepped forward
with a real effort to put US to-
gether.
But all the time that 1 have been
In 'idleness" / think l have done
more real boxing and more training
than most of the active boys in
lst-up at any time since l fought
Carpenter in July. 1921. There
has not been one day since then
when I haven't gone through
some form OF exercise or another,
and there hasn't been a month
barring the time ! was in Europe
when ] haven't been working out
In a gymnasium or against some
boxers.
AT no time since I fought Carpen-
tier have l gone beyond 2O3 pounds
In street clothes. That means
about 1876 to 1876 stripped for ac-
tion- That's only six or seven
pounds bevond my old time fight
Ing weight. When l went into
training for Willard. weighed 1871;
when i went into training against
Mlske, Brennan and Carpenter l
weighed about the same.
Is DOWN TO WEIGHT.
And everybody knows that found
no difficulty whatsoever in getting
down to the proper weight and re-
porting fit to put up a successful
battle in defense of my title.
So many persons have pointed out
that i have been "idling" while on
vaudeville tour. That's the really
funny thing about all these idle
ness statements. For the faU Is
that there wasn't day during my
entire vaudeville tour that l didn't
box from nine to twenty rounds
with all sorts and sizes of fistic op-
ponents.
In every town ! visited the local
prides were permitted to step for
ward and mix il with me to the best
Of their ability. | promised all that
I wouldn't let loose with my heavy
punches and would confine myself
solely TO tapping away at them in
nondefense. And l kept that prom
Use.
The result has been that each day
while on tour | went through about
as much physical exertion as l nor
mally would have to indulge in were
pitted against a really tough foe
man As a result of this stage work.
am down again to 1872 pounds and
could. with a week OF stiff target
practice. get down to 1sS.
Is NOT LOAFING.
I just want to make these little
facts concerning my condition and
concerning my training public so as
to correct any impression there may
be among my friends that / have
really been loafing and that 1 have
been fattening up and simply idling
away my time.
Ever since the day I won the
championship have had before me
always the vision of how Sullivan,
Corbett. FitzsImmuns. Jeffries. John
son and Willard shortened their ca
reers. and their championship reign,
because of lO4fing tactics. And with
that before me l made a resolve
which I shall always keep. II is
this:
IN never let myself get out of
condition and always keep myself in
such physical trim SO that, were II
necessary, I could accept a fight on
twenty-four hours notice and 90 into
the ring in such shape that there