Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-18

have arisen from his own flowing
| blood to start two wild charges that
came within a hairs breadth of lead
| ing to one of the greatest victories
ever known.
Dempsey Keeling and GrOggy
For there were moments near the
close of that first round when Demp-
sey was battered and bewildered,
almost beaten to the floor of the
ring, merely going forward through
the instructive fighting spirit Of ring
training. 1t was the comeback from
his hobo days where he came up
through a hard school. If he had
not been blessed with the toughest
of fiber he would have passed on
and out, for there were two occasions
when ne was reeling badly, almost
gone. Firpo came far closer to win
ming that fight than the final re-
turns will ever show. He landed
at least six full swings to Demp-
sey's jaw or body, proving that he
could hit the champion almost at
will, and each one of these blows
had Dempsey in deep trouble. But
the one factor that beat Firpo was
his complete lack of defense. He
had nothing at all in this respect
to offer against one Of the fastest
and one of the hardest hitting cham
pions that ever lived. He was big
and open target, a target to be
struck at will whenever Dempsey
swung.
And Dempsey last night was a
white streak of lightning. He was
in ideal shape, hitting harder and
faster than he has ever hit since
he struck down the giant Willard,
at Toledo, over four years ago. And
last night he had no shifty, crafty
Gibbons before him, he had an UNI
trained giant who knew nothing
of boxing, nothing whatsoever; an
unframed giant who knew nothing
except to fight on and on in his raw,
crude way. The wonder is that SO
much technical crudeness could
ever land solidly and heavily upon
such a shifting target. Firpo hit
Dempsey harder and oftener than
he was ever hit before III four
minutes of ring work. He hit him
hard enough and often enough to
keep the champion reeling; to lift
him off his feet and drive him
llylI1S HSdOIOIlS lIIIOOSA LAS ANPNS
with his feet in the air.
First Great Round
In place Of circling about as he
did at Toledo against Willard, Demp-
sey came upon Firpo with such
a savage rush, with so much speed
that as he swung q man killing
right to the jaw, he missed and fell
to his knees with his arms circllng
Firpo's giant thighs.
The champion was up in flash
and he was up hitting with speed
and power as they worked to a
clinch. 1t was here that Referee
Gallagher ordered them apart. AS
Firpo stepped back he turned his
head to catch the referees words.
AS he did Dempsey swung forward,
struck him on the jaw and knocked
him down. Firpo should never have
looked away. But Dempsey could
have proved a finer craftsmanship
by waiting to strike. Yet who can
ask for any craftsmanship in the
modern ring game that is controlled
purely by the commercial end. Per
hacs it is the last word in foolish
ideas to expect any sportsmanshlp
from the boxing game.
At this blow delivered with ter
rifle force, Firpo fell to the floor
dropping upon both knees with MS
hands to the floor.
At the count of six he was back
again with a crimson stream run
ming from his mouth. In less than
IL seconds, from close quarters, he
was completely at the mercy Oh
Dempsey. a right hook sent the
South American sprawling AGAIN
Once more he arose, and this time
with a wild charge he landed heavy
right to the side of Dempsey's head,
and the champion dropped to both
knees. Then and there Dempsey
proved that he could take it. For
the blow carried full force, and there
was a haze over DempSey's sta4tled
eyes. He had not expected the
wounded bull to turn so quickly. He
had looked for an easy and carly
death after those two knOckdoWns.
But here he was upon his knees al
most knocked into oblivion that fol
lows all ring champions. In flash
Dempsey was up and after his man.
Once more his far greater speed, skill
and ring knowledge came to his as
sistance as he charged in. rms
time he caught Firpo with a terrific
hook to the jaw, and for the thlrd
time the invader fell.
Dempsey Hurled Through Ropes
But this time he fell With crush.
He fell as a man fell who was knock
ed cold, who was beaten into an I'M
conscious state. No one in that
great bowling mob ever thought
Firpo would get back upon his feet.
He was apparently far away in
poppyland, gone beyond all recall.
Dempsey stood above him, waiting
with the look Of the mankiller upon
his face. He barely gave Firpo time
to rise. He was only half up when
Dempsey again cut in with a muir
derous right that landed obliquely.
But in place of going into a clinch,
Firpo turned again, came upon the
champion wit, the widest rush of
the fight, whipped a crushing right
to the body, and then followed with
a mighty crash to the jaw that lifted
Dempsey from his feet, hurled him
out through the air, and for a brief
moment looked as he was the new
champion of the. world. The old
champion landed out beyond the
ropes with his heaC and shoulders
striking the first rows of press re-
porters. 1t was here that Dempsey
Also proved his stamina and ring
courage. In spite of the terrific
blow that lifted him from his feet, he
lost no time in scrambling back. And
once back in the ring he lost no time
in starting a new charge. This time
Firpo made a wild furry Of rights,
but the invader had too little science
to finish his man.
If he had known one-third Of the
ring lore of Tom Gibbons he would
have knocked Dempsey out as sure
as the grave follows death, as sure
as sleep follows the grave. For he
had him reeling and dazed, battered
and bewildered, for the first time in
his career as champion. Yet in spite
of this, surging back once more to
inside fighting, close against his
open target, Dempsey delivered
another furry or blows that sent