San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26
But Accommodations and
Price Limit Likely to
Prevent Record.
FIRPO FEARS THE MOB
Thinks Fans Will Be
Against Him, But His
Fears Are Unfounded.
BY ROBERT EDGREN.

weight attraction in or near New York
since Jim Jeffries and Bob Fitzsim-
mons fought for the worlds cham
pionship at Coney Island a quarter OF
century ago, will draw as big, a
crowd as seats and standing room can
accommodate. If Richard could pro-
vide an arena to seat a million peo-
pie, at popular prices, it would he
filled, no doubt.
The bout won't draw the biggest
gate, because prices are now limited
by the state boxing commission rule.
1t wouldn't draw as much money as
q Carpenter and Dempsey in New Jer-
sey for the same reason. New Jersey
also limits prices now. The gate Of
over $1,600O00 drawn by Dempsey
and the Frenchman will be worlds
record for long time to come.
In one way the Dempsey Carpenter
fight had more features to attract a
big gate. Carpenter was war hero,
a romantic figure in world events os
well as in the ring. Firpo is simply
a man bigger than Dempsey, hairy,
husky gisnt with a beetlins brow, no
sentiment, no romance, but a right
hand wallop that may possibly tip
over a champion.
Wanted carp" To Win.
Man. people went to see Carpenter
!. and Dempsey hoping that the gallant
rf'renchman might win, because Of the
kind of a man he was. The public
is Indifferent to what kind of man
Firpo is. Firpo never flew an air
plane over German batteries and came
back to be mentioned in the order Of
the day as hero. He's former
blacksmith and drug clerk, with big
hands, a thick neck, square jaw,
bristling black hair and a great yearn-
ing to succeed Dempsey as a money
maker.
Most of the people who go to see
Firpo and Dempsey fight will be at
tracted by curiosity. There's a chance
that Firpo may knock Dempsey out.
Almost everybody likes to have
ringside seat, or at least bleacher
seat. when championship changes
hands. It's something to talk about
afterward.
1t will be interesting in a less de-
gree If Dempsey knocks out Firpo.
Dempsey knocking out.a giant is al
ways interesting. You see the twist
ing, swaying body of Dempsey NOV
ing swiftly in, avoiding hard-driven
fists. There is swift forward move
ment, pantherlike in sinuous grace.
Dempsey is swaying under lead.
Then he comes up with two or three
tremendous lifting blows, and the
giant is thrown back as if he'd been
torpedoed. The rest-the finishing
is more detail. Usually the fight
is half over when Dempsey gets in
his first crushing punch.
Best Against Big Men.
Dempsey is at his best against big
men. He doesn't do so well when
> fighting clever boxers who can match
him in speed. as Tom Gibbons did at
Shelby. Firpo is in the giant class,
couple of inches taller than Demp-
sey, twenty-five pounds heavier.
Dempsey isn't a big man among heavy
weights.
~ Th6.e is the international feature,
too. but il isn't like the international
feature of the Carpentier-Dempsey |
fight. FirDo is from country little
heard of here. The crowd will be
more Dempsey crowd this time, |
merely because few Americans would |
like TO see any American champion |
beaten.
Firpo, suspicious, thinks the crowd |
will be violently against him. He |
,,a,1oI - r,ala no,ppcay oo 70 Tho l
Argentine to fight him.
He couldn't understand it when the |
crowd at his fight with Willard rose |
up aud cheered big Jess at the end |
of the fourth round. He thought that |
was caused by prejudice against a |
foreigner. 1t wasn't. The cheering |
was for an old champion trying 10
fight his way back and showing I'M
expected aggressiveness and determin-
alton in spite of heavy punishment.
The crowd was with the "under dog"
il was showing appreciation of game
ness.
Yelled For Fftzsimmons.
Bob Fitzsimmons, naturalized
American. was foreign-born and be-
gan his fighting career in New Zea-
land. When Bob was knocked down
BY young Jim Jeffries, native-born,
with a tremendous left jab in the sec
ond round, and came back in later
rounds fighting like a wild man in de-
tense of his slipping Gown, the crowd
yelled its head off for Fitzsimmons.
When CARPENTER staggered Demp-
sey with a right hand punch on the
chin the crowd yelled itself hoarse for
Carpenter.
When little Charlie Mitchell upset
the great John J.. Sullivan in Madi-
son Square Garden. and then danced
all over the ring before Sullivan's in
furiated rushes, the crowd yelled for
Mitchell.
We like to see Americans win. But
American crowds are unique in one
way. They give visitors every chance
in the world.
Copyright, 1928. by the Bell Syndi-
cate Inc IL