The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-13
ax rEx RIckARn


 tCopyright. 1924 in United states and Great Great Britain. Cuba Japan and South Americ. by North American Newspaper Alliance for The Age Herald. All rights reservsd.)
 When wes had checked up on the famous Toledo fight between Willard and Dempsey and while the country was still talking about the new cham pion, I found that had made about $50, 900 despite the small attendance.
 That is not much when you con- slider the immense amount of money | had at stake, or rather that I had the arena and had paid the fighters $127,o0O. The expense on top of that was enormous.
 We took in $452,oO When every thing had been paid my profits were very close to $50,000. This would show that I had at stake about $400,000. For an affair of that kind a promoter ex- poets to make more than 25 per cent. or it wouldn't be worth the risk. You will see, though, that my profits were in the neighborhood of twelve fper cent. st
 Said Jsss QaE & Jess willard Knew Very welf the stories going around about his hay ing quit. He never said a word though. The terrible beating he re- ceived and the unjust cries of quit ting that went around the sporting circles completely .. unnerved him. He stayed away from reporters and went into seclusion. He wanted only the company of his family.
 I know that Willard suffered much more humiliation than the public longed for, a chance to get back at Dempsey, not so much to regain the championship as to wipe out the sting of the former defeat. He never liked the fight game and candidly said I so. = s.
 After a long ;srest Willard quietly went into training with the idea oi humiliation that he had suffered. He advised with his friends. All of then were against his going through with such+ plan. Even that didn't stoI him. f
 Willard Wanted Revenge 13 He came east to see me. Late 1T 1g21,s | believe it was, he met me in New York. I knew then just how much Ito heart he had taken that de- feat, He wanted revenge. ]. I took the matter up with Dempsey and Kearns. There was considerable talk and dickering, but the, upshot was a. belief that the public would fnot be interested in a return contest This hurt Willard very much. l.; It was then that he returned west saying that he was through with the fight. business forever. He did essay another comeback last year. but al the time of his former determination he was sincere.
 Here Is what he wrote in letter to an intimate friend. It will give { clearer idea of his mental workings and ought to do away with that talk about his not being game: az Wanted Revenge Until few months ago I had 6 notion would be given a chance tt meet Dempsey in a return bout ant convince my supporters that I could repay Jack for the manner in whicf he treated me lin Toledo, but now Tn through for good.
 T really had sincere desire to re enter the ring, not for the purpose oi regaining the championship, for ] nor do I believe there Is a living fighter in today's crop of heavies wht could turn the trick, but for the pur pose of giving Dempsey severe pun ishment. making the champion talk, little of the Humiliation and drub ping I was forced to take that sun baked day in Toledo.
 | Dempsey Is Some Fighter" You know, I was in the ring ther, chuck full of confidence, and was get ting squared away, when with on' leap, before could realize that thu l fight was on, Dempsey crashed hi powerful fist against my. jaw and was flat on my back. I was down be 1 fore I ever started, and that wal something new in, the way of expert ence for me. was simply dumb founded, didn't know what had hap pened. I never saw anything like tha before.