The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-05

the Pacific coast lightweight; Jack Burke and Lee Moore. the Los An geles featherweight; Mike Trant and Hugh Mccarthy, Chicago detectives As he took his seat in the northwest corner of the ring, with his back to the sun, he looked nervously about and occasionally motioned his attend ants aside so that he could look out at the crowd. It was apparent to those nearest the ringside that the champion was extremely nervous. He clasped and unclasped his hands, shuffling his feet back and forth Trant held an umbrella over his head to shield him from the sun, while a battery of camera men swarmed the ring platform to make pictures of the titfeholder.
 Two other Chicago detectives, Bayne and Tapscott, entered the ring later and stood on either side of Dempsey. Gibbons entrance to the arena about five minutes after the champion, was greeted with loud and prolonged cheering. The con- tender immediately went over to Dempsey's corner and shook hands heartily with his opponent. He then examined the champions bandaged hands. The two fighters then stood in the center of the ring and posed for number of pictures.
 Dempsey Much Heavier.
 While Dempsey's gloves were be ing adjusted, Manager Kearns paced nervously in the center of the ring When the gloves were on the cham pion stood up in his corner and danced nervously on the resined can vas. He looked often at the crowd and only occasionally at Gibbons Dempsey's weight was announced as 1SS bounds and that of Gibbons 1751l pounds. Gibbons smiled confidently when the bell sounded and the two men leaped to the center of the ring. Dempsey imme ediately hooked a left to the jaw, but it did not seem to have sufficient force to shake the contender. Tommy then landed three lefts to the body and a right to the head. Dempsey swung straight left to the jaw as Gibbons backed away
 In the second and third rounds both landed light blows. although Dempsey swung Viciously at every opening. Tommy, under the jabs of the champion, covered his face and clincked often. Referee Dougherty was kept busy separating the bat tiers. Dempsey fought furiously pounding Gibbons about the head and midsection but seeming unable to set over blow that was effective During most of the rounds. Gibbons appeared to be fighting entirely or the defensive, only occasionally land ing blow on Dempsey's head and face.
 Tommy On Defensive.
 When the champion would start with crushing right or left, Tommy would quickly fall into a clinch Much of the time the contender was backing away from Dempsey, who was constantly seeking for an open ing for the planting of the finishing blow.
 But the opening was not there. Gibbons was in and out or tightly locked in a clinch. The contender appeared calm and collected through = out, but he was always on the watch for the punch that would mean his finish.
 At all times his speed was the equal If not greater than that of the champions. In the fourth and fifth rounds, Dempsey punched Gibbons around the head with rights and Iefts and hurt him with sledge- e-hammer body blows. But none of these at Jacks seemed to stagger Tommy, who frequently retaliated with blows to the head and sought safety in the clinches.
 At the end of the fourth Gibbons was landing on 'Dempsey's head and when the bell sounded, the champion was bleeding from an old wound over the left eye.
 O O O
 Jack Redoubles Efforts.
 When the fifth round opened Dempsey had evidently arrived at the conclusion that difficulties were be- ing interposed in the way of a quick knockout. From then on his attacks on the contender redoubled in their fierceness. He was on Gibbons from the moment the bell sounded in the succeeding rounds, administering se- we're punishment about head and body.
 By the tenth round it became ap- parent to the crowd that Gibbons had every chance of remaining the limit. Dempsey, obviously trying everything he knew, was unable to reach a vital spot. Gibbons, however was somewhat groggy at the begin ming of the fifteenth and 1t Is a mat ter of conjecture whether he could have lasted for another round.
 In the preliminary bouts. Jack Macdonald of Seattle knocked out Ernie Sayles of Rochester, Minn.. in the second round of an eight-round contest, and Bud German of the Gib- bons training camp won an eight round decision over Harry Draake of London. Eng, one of Dempsey's's ring partners.
 There were to have been three preliminaries, but the promoters were unable to find the money to pay for the third contest Jack Kearns himself guaranteed the money for the two fights that were given.
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