Evening star., 1926-09-15

Jack wait for his opponent to come
to him, so skipped up and let one, a
left jab, fly. He slipped his head low
and got under the punch, sending two
short hooks to my body. 1 stepped
back and said, "Oh, come on, let
your punches CO.
MEAN it, Benny?" he asked, as
fiicked him a left and 1 crossed over
a right. Jack rolled with the punch.
taking the force out of it. He was
just boxing. But wanted a sample of
the real Dempsey.
We were stepping around pretty
fast, but 1 said, Listen Jack, no one
has a right to get you with a left Jab
like that, and they will as long as
you try this boxing. Fall into your
stuff"
Just then Jerry yelled Time Tell
Jack to cut loose bit, Jerry" l said.
and I guess he did.
The champion came forward with
that old Dempsey rush in the second
round. 1 had figured that 1 would
try to emulate Tunney ana see what
would happen. but seeing Jack come
at me that way made me fall pack
into my own style.
The way to meet Dempsey when
he comes in this way Is to go after
him and take a chance. i did and L
ran into a hornets nest. l moved IN
with a left feint and planted a hard
right on the champs nose. Jack him.
self say; 1 am no light hitter.
''Boy, oh, boy" he yelled. and be.
fore / knew it 1 had gotten three stiif
jolts to the wind and a sock from his
right that raised bump on my LETT
cheek bone. l can feel 1t getting
uppercut, but Jack was looking for
lust that and although 1 sent it in
with speed, he made 1t glance off his
law without landing full force. If 1t
had been a trifle slower it would have
missed altogether.
That punch on the nose was just
what the champ wanted to make him
cut loose, and, believe me, he had me
stepping faster than I've ever been
forced to step before. All this took
only about Is seconds, but it seemed
| longer than it takes to tell you about
it, 1t was a good thing / had plenty
of room to move around in. FOR
Dempsey wasn't able to get me on the
ropes. There were no ropes there.
/ started to box, but Jack simply
wouldn't have it. He was taking my
word and had forgotten all about it
| being his day of rest. l tried my
| best to box, but you can't keep
Dempsey off with any kind of punch
once he sets in with that great tidal
wave rush of his. DIR. Pierce called
time twice before Jack heard it. /
heard the first gong, but l heard it the
first time.
We were both breathing hard at the
finish, and DIR. Pierce said that Jack
! was breathing normal in SO seconds,
while 1 was normal 10 seconds later.
Now / want to say this. When
Dempsey is fresh. as he was this after
noon, you cannot box him. You can't
fight his style, your style or any style.
He forces you to fight and you do
nothing but try to battle him. Its
like finding yourself in q maelstorm.
You are handled as he wills, and all
to do the things you ordinarily can do.
You are handled as he wills and all
you try to do is to grab or swing or
shoot punches wildly at rapidly
moving target.
Even when he was landing lightly on
force. They fell a good deal like a
heavy log that is being propelled on
a wagon. Even his light blows would
throw me off balance if 1 didn't use
foot work. Oh. mamma! When he
let's go, they just numb you.
Dempsey is faster than he looks to
the observer. l found that out today.
I figured that it wouldn't make any
difference how hard I bit him, but I
went in thinking / was bit faster.
Well, I want to tell you that he had
me stepping at top speed.
After / have had a little tilt with