The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-13
BY BENNY LEONARD Worlds Lightweight Champion


 Worlds Lightweight Champion
 WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, N. r, Sept. 12.-Going from the Luis Firpo'c training quarters at Atlantic City to the Jack Dempsey quarters here Is like walking out of the dark ness into the sunshine. It seems to be about the difference between am The camp of the challenger seems to have no head or tail to 1t, where as the champions camp is nothing but system.
 My trip here has been a revelation. After seeing Jack for two successive workouts l am at loss for words. In my widest dreams l never expect ed to see what 1 have seen here. He Is the greatest conditioned heavy weight I have ever seen. l am sup posed to be fast in the ring, but not a bit faster than the remarkable Dempsey I saw wind up his boxing session with a wild burst of speed.
 When 1 am only couple of days away from an important bout, such as was my recent battle with Lew Tender, am inclined to be irritable and that was the way l thought to find the big champion. Instead found the most genial, confident box CT I have ever met on the eve of a big battle.
 When Dempsey was training for the bout with Willard and also the one with Carpenter, l understand from friends who saw him work out that just before the match he was as cranky as he could be. Not even his closest friends could approach him Up here he wants every one around him. He talks on any subject that may be broached with keen interest. He could only do this providing he wasn't worried about the outcome of his Night with Firpo. Outside of the arduCqIs training the toughest thing about a championship fight is the mental strain. You worry about a million .snd one things. There is the worry whether or not you will get a square dSal from the judges and referee.
 You worry. whether or not you will meet with an accident, that may cost you your titIN You hate to think of the title slipping from your grasp, and all the big money and glory that go with it lost to you forever. Firpo has a knockout pNlnch. No one de- nies that. If he haSn't a good chance it is not likely that eighty thousand people would be paying million and a quarter to see the fight. That Is why l expected to see Dempsey mighty peevish before the fight. I thought the old mental strain would get him. But Dempsey is as cheerful as could be. He chatted with me and asked me what was going to be the out come of the postponement of my bout with Dundee.
 By the way, Benny" he said just as 1 left him, T understand that you were down to Atlantic City a couple days ago looking Firpo over. What do you think of him?"
 I told him l thought he was big slow strong fellow with punch That was all. He seemed pleased as though I confirmed what he thought of him.
 lsaw the mail man deliver bunch of letters to Jack. many of them mash notes, and he read them with the interest that showed that he hasn't the least worry on his mind as to fight in the Polo Grounds against Luis Firpo.
 Now, if it had been me and I was just about to meet a formidable op- ponent I wouldn't have the patience to look at any paper or letter of any kind.
 I am cling all of this because 1t goes to show that if Dempsey were not serenely confident of taking the Argentinian's measure he would be so irritable that nobody could talk to him.
 AnOIneT IHlHSf WHeIl llt WOuuu his training Tuesday night, that is he put away the boxing gloves until he climbs through the ropes in New York city, he was so unconcerned that he waited until a few admirers took a few pictures of him. He might have stood for newspaper photog- raphers taking his pictures s mat ter of business, but his patience In waiting all heated and perspiring while several amateurs snapped him further proves that his mental boise is perfect.
 Now. regarding his boxing and ap- pearance. He may not be able to punch as well as he did at Toledo; in fact. he confessed to me that he didn't think he had the same power behind his blows he had then, but his accu- racy and speed 1 think are even greater That's what several old timers who saw him 10th here and at Toledo, tell me.
 You remember Stanley Ketchell,