The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-22

BOUT WITH JACK
Dempsey and West virginlan
Possible Drawing Card
on Labor Day

4GLtEGA ALA W. "a April "a.
Boxing fans throughout West
Virginia suffered a long looked for
thrill the past week when the an.
nouncement was made that Bob
Martin, A. q. F. heavyweight box.
ing champion was the party of the
second part to a proposed matcn
with Jack Dempsey on Labor Day
in New. York.
Last July when Martin won from
Moran the pessimistic fans turned
optimistic over Martins chances
overnight. The most enthusiastic
fans believed that Martin was
then good enough to meetthe cham
pion, while the more conservative
wiely counseled that the youngster
had better wait fot a year OF two.
The Martin fans first onthused by
the soldiers great showing as a
mere cub against Bill Brennan, in
their Is round bout held in Madison
Square Garden in February 1921.
became inspired when the youthful.
soldier boxer knocked out tho
formidable Moran. When this lat.
ter event became history the eli.
thusiasts hold the day. Last Sen.
TENDER after Fay Keslef won a dc.
cision over Martin, the II told you
SOS" came to the front, and consil.
erably dampened the pep formor.
~ exhibited over the Martin colors.
Issues Challenge.
Near the close Of 1921 Jimmy
Bronson. Martins manager, issued
a formal challenge for a bout for
the heavyweight crown. The chal-
lenge was not accepted any too well
by the public, although American
Legion men did succeed in stirring
up considerable interest in such a.
bout, especially in the middle west,
whore Martin is a ~favorite. About
this time came an auto accident,
and for a time Martin was constd.
cred out OF the question.
Starting six weeks after the nc.
Ctdent Martin began to add knock.
outs to his record. From 60 knock.
outs in 81 fights the ono time II. P.
sergeant has now raised his Off.
cial record Of achievements to 90
X. o.'s in 1O5 bouts. His 1O5th
bout was fought March 18th at
Reading Pa, where he floored
Sailor Townsend for the count in
the second round. Tomorrow night
in Akron, Ohio, Martin will meet
Billy Steele, the Canadian heavy.
weight, in his 106th battle.
Martins immediate future II.
filled with some Of the biggest oh.
stacles q young fighter might care
to face. These obstacles are tho
persons Of Capt. Bob Roper. and
Bill Brennan, each OF whom Mar
tin must meet and defeat before
Labor Day. The soldier boxer is
confident that he can take the
measure Of both Roper and Bren.
nan, and he reasons this in this
fashion: Over a year ago he fought
Bill Brennan and the big Chicagoan
then looked but little better than
did Martin. March 27th Pat Nc.
earthly defeated Capt. Roper in
Worcester, Mass, in ten rounds.
Martin is right now In the best
condition physically and scientif!.
cally he has ever been. In the last
year he has developed, q good left.
using Gunboat Smiths style with
the port side battercr. Gupboat,
after being K. o.'d by Martin be.
came the youngster sparring mate
for several months and The rangy
Vest Yirginian learned from him.
Charles H. Ebbetts, owner Of the
Brooklyn Nationals will promote
the proposed Dempsey.Martin fight,
and according to the present plans
the fight will take place at Ebbetts
Field In Brooklyn. Ebbetts was
present last week at the conference
held by Managers Bronson and
Kearns, at which time It was agree1
that Jack Dempsey Is to return 10
this country from Europe to get
in shane to meet Martin, in case
the soldier challenger succeeds in
winning his way to the right to a.
title match.