Evening star., 1923-09-14
Fast and Furious Battle Pre-
dicted Tonight as Heavy
weights Meet.
EXPERTS FORESEE END
DURING EARLY ROUNDS
Challenger's Mighty Blows and
Grim Determination Pitted
Against Champions Skill.
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, September 1.-two
gladiators of the new world awoke in
New York this morning, ready Tor
battle to decide whether the f1stic
championship of the earth shall re-
main in North America or cross the
equator and become the property OF
the Argentine Republic.
These warriors, Jack Dempsey OF
the United States, present holder Of
the heavyweight championship. and
Luis Angel Firpo of the Argentine.
scowling chieftain of South Americas
sluggers, will step into a brilliantly
lighted arena at the Polo Grounds
at $3.50 O'clock tonight. They will be
watched by a crowd of more than
10000 persons. some of whom have
come all the way from Buenos Aires
to see the meeting
More than S1.000.O00 will have been
collected by Manager Tex Rickard.
Half of this amount will go TO the
fighters, 81 IL per can't to Dempsey and
the remaining 121z to Firpo. The
rest goes to Rickard Some of the
others will pay $3.50 when the gates
are opened at 4:30 o'clock. Still
others have paid $3.50 to speculators.
1t was said.
Expect Short Fight.
The actual time Dempsey and Firpo
will be fighting each other cannot
exceed IS minutes. The bout is sched-
uled to last fifteen rounds of min
utes each. Most experts ands enthu-
siasts predict that 1t will not last
nearly that long. Indeed, some have
predicted that there will be less than
three minutes of fighting. Most of the
predictions of this sort come from
those who think Dempsey will win.
They are counting on furious at
tack from the start, with the result
that Firpo will be knocked out in
the first round. Many others think
differently.
Firpo faces his ordeal without the
backing of the experts-s Virtually all
OF them expect him to be foored by
the fighting machine North America
has produced in the shape of Demp-
.sey. But, Il am not afraid, says
the challenger.
Psychology May Be Factor.
Psychology may play an important
part in this physical test tonight.
Firpo says he is not afraid. He has
been hailed by his countrymen as the
man of destiny" His fellows of
the Latin race are, counting on him.
He knows the great acclaim that viii
be his should he win the champion
ship. Firpo will fight: every one ad-
mits that and those who say he will
win are basing their prediction large
ly on his downright desire TO win.
They admit he lacks Dempsey's ex-
perience, his speed, bis ring general
ship; they admit he is somewhat awk-
ward as far as boxing standards go.
But. say they, Ffrpo has mighty
wallop; he can stand being hit hard
and they believe he will be able to
take the blows Dempsey is bound to
deliver and then. finally, land one
glorious punch that will spell hts
If am knocked down again and
again 1 will come up again and
again." says F1rpo.
They don't usually come up when
Dempsey knocks them down. IT is
this dogged determination. expressed
by the Argentine that his hackers are
counting on.
Only Gibbons Extended Jack.
Dempsey enters the arena with the
confidence of the champion. He has
nroyed that he Is great fighter. Few
men have been able to hit him. Only
Tommy Gibbons, the st. Paul light
heavyweight, has been able to with
stand his onslaught for full hfteen
rounds Ssince he became champion.
Gibbons was QeIedIeu even lHcn Oh
points in Shelby. Mont, last 4th of
July. Dempsey's other foes have faced
him for a short time only. First he
pounded his way to the title by CIV
ing big Jess Willard terrific pun
melting. Then came Billy Miske and
Eli Brennan. Both fell before his
smashing attack Then came dap
per Frenchman. Georges Carpenter.
popular idol and war hero. But
Carpenter was added to the list of
the mauler's victims.
Dempsey stayed out of the ring for
two years until his fight two months
ago with Gibbons Some said he
wasn't the Dempsey of old in that
fight; that his man-killing powers
were diminished. But Dempsey, now,
saws he is in better shape than he
ever was There is none of the brag-
gart in his statement that he expects
to win, for he says Ffrpo is big and
strong and dangerous"
'If can end the fight in one
round I'll do it," says Dempsey.
SIashing Battle Expected.
The experts expect slashing. tear
ing, terrific attack from the moment
the first gong sounds tonight. VIII
Firpo be able to face 1t? That is
what more than 10000 persons are
paying more than s1,o00,000 to find
out.
The fight will be brilliant affair
In point of attendance 1t is expected
to rival that of two years ago. wheA
Dempsey won from Carpenter, an
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