San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-12
STILL NO PROMOTERS
APPEAR WILLING TO
STAGE A WILLS BOUT
Reported "Higher-ups"
Have Given Them ''Lay-
off" Sign.
BY SPARROW MGANN.

Copyright. by The San Antonio Lisht
New York, Aug. 11.-Where is the
promoter who will put on a Dempsey
WI" battle? Ever since the subject
of this mixed bout was preached, the
writer has maintained that it couldn't
be held and never will be held be-
cause the politicians are thumbs down
on tie scheme. They fear it would
cause ructiOns that would result in
the abolition of boxing.
Now a considerable time mas passed
since Jack kearnss announced he was
ready to sign his man up for Harry
WIS. Yet not a promoter has come
f0rwd! with even tentative offer
for the bout. Why not? Well, there
are several stories. One is that Jack
kearns has stated taat he wants
S2JO,NO0 for signing TO meet Wills,
toward meeting Il 60 per cen, cut on
the gate receipts. If this is so it isn't
mands in the rast. And if there is
DIS great public interest in the fight
as some persons seem TO think, that
battle could be staged under these
conditions and yield the promoters a
sun respectable or large III accord.
ance with terms granted to Wills.
And since Wills is the challenger,
he would be satisfied--or ought 10 De
with Il small share of the proceeds.
Harry Greb is accepting only l. II
Per cent of the receipts of his battle
with Johnny Wilson, being willing t.
make a sacrifice for the privilege of
a good chance at winning the middle
weight championship title.
Another story is-and this appears.
from information that has drifted in
to the writer, the real up and up on
the situation-that the big promoters
have been advised by political inter
ests to lay off this projected Wills
Dempsey affray and confine theic ac-
tivities to bouts that are qualified IA
possess drawing power as great as
tais mixed bout would and yet cause
no disorder that would bring the lucr1-
tive sport of boxing into disrepu;e.
Wills and Dempsey could meet IN
some remote state and perhaps make
= great deal of money but after his
Montana experience Kearns has
harrting desire to conduct further
business in centers where taxicabs
are immediately available and the po-
lice exist in numbers adequate TO
insure safety TO even grasping fight
nIannger.
From inside sources the writer gath
ers that il Dempsey survives the as
sault of Luis Firpo. his next opponent
will he Tommy Gibbons, the scene
of battle New York. Paste this in
your hat and see if it isn't true. Al
ready the tallyhoo has started in
word war between Gibbons and jim
mic Daugherty, the referee of the
bout at Shelby.
Gibbons claims he was robbed of
the fight. And Gibbons has this TO
say 10 the writer:
without seeming to appear ego.is-
tical ] think / can whip Dempsey the
next fine we meet. I'll tell you w5v.
! maze the mistake in my last battle
Of trying TO keep in close with Demp-
sey whereas / should have kept away
ard let him tire himself trying 10
reach me. Then in the latter rounds
| could have begun to come on and
take advantage of his arm WEAKNESS
by slipping punches over on him with
frequency to WIN on points,
If rot knock out the champion. |
still believe Dempsey is far below the
PEEK of his best FORM"