The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-13
DEMPSEY-FIRPO BATTLE
MAY DRAW MILLION
DOLLAR GATE
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Dempsey and himself, knowing
well that a Dempsey-Firpo battle
will just about do that little
thing.
They said Jimmy De Forest had
taught Firpo how to use his left
hand. If so, the Argentinian forgot
his newly acquired knowledge with
the first weak jab from Jess
willard
Firpo. judged by his showing
against Willard. is a wild, leaping
caveman. He would be a hell-devil
IN a bar room shindig. AS an
example of the highly developed
modern boxer, he is not there, most
certainly not there. This explains
the smile that crept to Jack Kearns'
face during that fourth round last
night.
1t is difficult to say whether or
not he has a defense. The in
effective jabs and the one or two
poorly directed right uppercuts
offered by Jess Willard provide
small grounds for knowledge. At
times Firpo swayed his shoulders,
Q shadowy imitation Of Dempsey's
famous weaving attack" but ell
ways his attack was that same
vicious leap straight at his oppo.
nent, with the hammer-like rights
20 the ribs, to the heart, to the
neck, to the jaw, to the head.
Dempsey, a clever boxer for a
heavyweight, shoots singing left
3olts and hooks from his weaving
attack" This seems impossible for
Luis Firpo. The Argentinian is q
one-handed man, but, man alive,
that is a terrible right hand ne has.
With it. he beat Jess Willard to
the floor at Boyie's Thirty Acres,
beat him SO badly that he sat in
his corner for fully five minutes
after being counted out, grinning
Eckly as his handlers worked upon
him.
Firpo Ii a slow man in the ring.
Willard is slower. This made the
wild Bull of the Pampas" look
fast last night. Dempsey 10 as
much faster than Firpo as the
latter was against Willard.
Willard. a tirnid giant standing
up something like the gladiators
in those old colOred pictures once
In barber shops and vile gin mills,
was always there to receive Fir
pos vicious jumps. Willard could
not hold him off with his weak
lab. He seemed afraid to do any
thing else, though he did essay
Q right upper cut now and then.
Using the same method of attack,
Firpo is likely to go flying through
the ropes in a battle with Dempsey
simply because the champion won't
be in the way. Either that, or
FirpO will run right into one of
those awful Dempsey left hooks.
The result will be the same. In the
first place the Argentinian will
land on his face. In the second,
on his back.
Now for that million. If Firpo
and Dempsey are matched, beg, bor-
row or steal the dough to see the
scrap.
They called the Dempsey Carpen-
tier affair the battle of q century"
A DempseyFirpo contest, with
Dempsey recently shorn of his
deadly Iron Mike" and the Ar
gentinian elated over his defeat of
Willard, would be a battle to de-
light George Barnard Shaw, yes.
even Jim Johnson, whose bank has
just busted out in Montana be-
cause of Jim's love of things fistic.
The coming Dempsey-Firpo contest
Will be "the battle of the cons"
Today all New York is consider
ing Firpo's chances against Demp-
sey. The suave hotel clerk, the
porter, the taxi driver, the cop.
the broker. one and all are talking
of just one thing. beginning with
Can Firpo take Dempsey"
Luis Angel Firpo is lowering
upon the fistic horizon as the
coming heavyweight champion of
the world. Make no mistake about
that. He has size, weight, reach
and . terrific punch in his right
hand. But, better than all that,
he is imbued with the love of per-
sonal combat.
Djer-Kiss Jack Kearns will be
showing considerable wisdom in
matching Dempsey with Firpo for q
battle on Labor Day, 1923. Demp-
sey would win, possibly not by a
knockout, but certainly on points.
A year from now. or a little more
than year, this Firpo, II handled
continuously by Jimmy De Forest.
the best trainer of boxers in the
United States today, would enter the
ring quite as likely to win from
Dempsey as Dempsey would from
him.
Today the Argentian is a crude
performer. He has much to learn,
probably much that he will never
learn. But he possesses consider
able groundwork for champion.
You have heard much about
Firpo's deadly right hand. You will
hear more. 1t is all that is claimed
for it. And, too. it is something
we have never seen in looking at
ring contests for more than fifteen
years.
1t is not a straight punch 1t
is not a hook. It is not a Jolt.
1t is much as II FirpO held a
short hammer i'm his right hand
and. without making a complete
swing, pounded his rival with il.
Take a hammer and any weight.
ed stick Of at least f"~' u"
length, and try to hit with Il
without bringing your arm to
swing. You will be apprOximat-
ing FirpO's method of using his
right.
Firpo's weakness right now is HE
open attack. Dempsey would err
Joy showing his short left into
Firpo's face as the Argentiniar
charged. moving away to his right
and popping away at the big fel
lows face.
Firpo's moving shoulders are al
most always seen when he is back
upon his heels. Furthermore, he
seems bent a bit backward. thus be
ing easily pushed off balance by =
man as quick as Dempsey, who