Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-12
OLD WALLOP
MAY DECIDE
So. American May Stay limit
if Old Punch of Champ
is Lacking
By o DoRMAN
NEA Service Writer

Az 9Nkts N
! win, Dempsey o Firpo?
That question has been agitating
the minds OF the pugilistic fans Of
sportdom since the announcement of
the match.
What has each man to offer in
support of his claim to be the win
ner?
Their age is nearly the same;
Dempsey is 2S and Firpo 81. Hardly
enough TO make a difference, except
that Dempsey for four years has
reigned as champion, with all the
tendant pleasures and temptation.
Dempsey will weigh about 100
pounds when he enters the ring,
Firpo about 30.
Jack More Polished
In past battles Dempsey has given
away weight without affecting the
result, and this difference OF 20
pounds will not favor Firpo to any
extent. Should Firpo, in clinches,
lean on Dempsey, his greater weight
will help in weakening the champion,
but not much.
In reach the challenger has 1t on
Dempsey, but as Dempsey is strictly
an infighter and Firpo does not pos
sess enough knowledge of boxing to
keep the champion away from him,
his longer reach will be OF nc bene-
fit to him.
Dempsey is far superior in knowl-
edge of fight g~eneralship and ring
craft. A veteran of many battles,
and with the experience of meeting
the best men in his division over a
period of years, he far excels Firpo,
who has had but 20 fights in his
career (ten Of them in this coun-
try), and those fights against mel
who, at the best, were no better than
second raters.
In boxing ability Dempsey must
again be given the preference,
though not to such an extent as most
people imagine.
Luis Awkward Boxer
Neither Dempsey nor Firpo are
orthodox boxers. Dempsey, in his
own peculiar style, is as clever a
boxer as there is in the ring today.
When Dempsey first came into the
limelight he was hailed as a great
fighter but a poor boxer. 1t is only
recently that Dempsey has been
| given credit for his undoubted skill
in the ring.
Firpo has a way of fighting that is
far from the generally accepted
method. But 1t is a method that is
natural to him, and it is one that.
awkward as it seems. is not ineffec-
Tive.
Firpo never will be a graceful
boxer, but that is immaterial. To
keep the other fellow from landing
with his full strength is the point.
And this Firpo often manages to d
In speed Dempsey has a slight ad-
vantage, more apparent than real.
The different style of fighting used
by the two men Is deceiving. Demp-
sey Is of the rushing, crouching,
weaving style, panther-like in its
~ferocity. Firpo stands erect, letting
his man come to him. He reminds
one of a huge bear, and bear-like, he
possesses the same awkward quick
ness.
Ffrpo Is Ambitious
Confidence will have little bearing
on the result.
Dempsey possesses the confidence
born of the knowledge that he is this
champion. Firpo has a peculiar men
tally. He il possessed with the idea
that he is destined to be the world.
heavyweight champion.
To him, there is no possibility tina
he can lose. Fate has appointed hin
to a high place, and Dempsey is jus
one more obstacle to be hammered
aside.
Ambition also plays its part. F1rp,
has all to gain, nothing to lose
Dempsey has all to lose, and nothing
to gain.
The courage OF both men is un
doubted. Both men have takel
- 49, l,..& 1-1xr - Rnrna ho n
and win.
In strength-there would seem t
lie answer as to the winner.
Depends on Jacks Steam
If-and it's a big if-Dempsey stl
has the steam in his punches, tn
steam that flattened the giganti
Willard in a round. then there is n
question as to the winner. Dempsey
with his greater ring ~generalshiI
and with the edge in boxing an
speed, will drop Senior Firpo insid
of -four rounds.
But in his training, both at Grea
Falls for Gibbons, and in his presen
daily workouts at Saratoga, Dempse,
would seem to have shown that tn
old punch is weakening. His nigh
with Gibbons indicated, too, that hi
punches had lost much of their for
mer terror.
Firpo. on the other hand. possesse
terrific power in his right.
In his fight with Downey a
Indianapolis, Firpo, wearing 16
ounce gloves, regular pillows, pu'
his opponent in the hospital. Will
! the regulation 4-ounce gloves the
impact of his right will be terrific.
Let one of those land in the righi
spot. and Mr.. Dempsey "a bid fare
well to his title.
Summing up, It'll would appear that
Dempsey has a great advantage IN
ring craft. an edge in speed ana box
ing ability. with the advantage OF
weight and reach with Firpo. Con-
fdence and courage are equal.
Strength is prohlematical, although
I am inclined to believe that here
Firpo has a tremendous advantage.
Such being the case, the fight will
probably 20 the limit, with Dempsey
winning on n0inta.