The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-14
Expert Says That If "WiId Bull" Wins Fight It Will Be Against All Traditions Of Prize Ring
-=== By BENNY LEONARD


 Copyright 1923, in United States and
 Alliance, for The Age-HeraId. All
 rights reserved)
 NEW YORK, Sept. 13-I pick Jack Dempsey to knock out Luis Firpo in- side of five rounds.
 If an army mule were in a match race with Zev, our champion Swear old, who races Papyrus. England s best, next month at Belmont park, would you bet on the former? Then don't bet on Firpo, but if you are in- clined to wager, place your money on Dempsey.
 Of course. there have been lot of sure things go wrong at the track, just as there have been in the ring, but when you are betting you can't look for accidents.
 True, in race between Zev and an army mule, zev might break his leg or something like that and the army mule go plugging along and win. But it's an awful long shot to put over.
 likerf Firpo to an army mule be- cause he has got the kick of one but not the speed of g ZeV, which is Dempsey. Speed is William Harrison Dempsey's, middle name. He is such a bundle of energy that he Is on the go every minute of the time. He doesn't know what it is to stop; at least he hasn't known up to date. From the information I have glsaned from the two champions, Dempsey will rush al Luis at the clang of the bell. He will be all over him, shoot ing punches with deadly accuracy. He has short snappy punches that have tremendous force behind them.
 O o O
 FirpO Easily Bewiidered.
 I noticed at his camp that Firpo is likely to get bewildered when he has punches thrown at him. He doesn't like infighting, for he doesn't know anything about it. That's Dempsey g forte-this battling in close.
 Firpo's effective punching has to be done at long range. He won't have a chance to hit Dempsey at long range unless he chances to slow him up by meeting him with a straight left or right as he comes in. Dempsey will tear in like a wildcat. He will be on his toes every second, weaving in and out and shooting rights and lefts wherever he sees an opening. If Firpo hasn't got his head guarded Dempsey will send swift right al it with deadly accuracy and make him crumple under the bombardment
 Dempsey has been very wise in his training. He selected several little fellows to box with and he stepped around as fast as any of them. HC knows that his best plan of battle is to keep on top of Firpo every sec ond, and he can't do it unless he is ir wonderful shape and as fast as { deer, which he is.
 Of course, a good punch takes thu speed out of anyone, and if Luis should happen to land he may slow III Jack, but Jack is as game as pebble
 No champion ever quit. They al go down fighting. Some of them don display the utmost gameness afte they lose, but while they've got tn crown they defend it as they woult their homes.
 Fighting For United States.
 Dempsey is fighting for the homo, and glory of the U. s. A., too. H. will fight harder than he would If h. were meeting another American. H. doesn't want to see a foreign natioI have the distinction of producing tn, new worlds heavyweight champion It will be the first time that thu heavyweight title ever went to for eign shores if Jack loses.
 Dempsey will go into the ring con fident and unconcerned. Firpo doesn' worry him as did Willard and possibl. Carpenter. He knows that Luis i as slow as molasses and practically 
 by poor handling in training, and h Is apt to get the same poor handling in the bout, whereas Dempsey vii have the expert handling of his man ager, Jack Kearns, who took hir from obscurity and made him tn most popular boxer in the history o the sport.
 don't think Firpo has eaten prop erly in training. l understand tha he has eaten anything and everythin that he wanted If he wins unde such conditions 1t will be against al tradition. No athletes of any kin can do their best if their food is no carefully prepared and selected. Firpo is apt to blow up, his stomac of men around him who have bee him their hero, their champion. thei king and all that bull" for the vii bull.
 FirpO Better Than He Looked. However, l think that Firpo is bet | ter than he showed in training. boxed with him a little in private a his home in Atlantic City and h showed me that he has a good lei as we'll as a right. He hit shorte | and cleaner with 1t than he did in hi | public training. He is really conf | dent. He intends to wait for Demp sey coming In and then hit with l left or right all his might. He ha an idea that Dempsey will tire quick | ly. and then he will beat him down a he did Brennan, McAuliffe and vii