Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-10-02

hurried trip from New York. passed
the simple message to Gene:
BE ready. Have Dempsey's &C
ceptance."
Even then it looked AS though the
present Summer would drag by with
Gene still waiting his chan"e. The
New York boxing commission. fol
lowing a long WraHG,e. refused TO
sanction Dempsey's fighting here I'M
til the challengc If Wills had first
heen taken up. And sn New York
hoy was denied his cha nee of sighting
for the title in his native state and II
was freely predicted that there would
he no heavyweight cha mpionship CON
test until next year.
How He Prepared.
And then the resourceful' Rickar,l
suddenly announced the startling shift
that carried the match from its pro
posed scene. the Yankee stadium. to
the huge arena set in the grounds of
the SeSQuic anI enniai, and where. he
for this supreme moment, and what
fore the greatest gathering that ever
assembled for 4 sports event. Gene
Tunney finally came into his own the
while over lSh.np0 persons sat through
a driving rain and with hardly a per
son leaving their seat and saw the
great Jack Dempsey punched into q
blind and helpless hulk.
How Gene Tlnney got himself ready
for this supreme momen and what
brought about the defeat of Dempsey
is best told In Genes own words.
IL aimed to knock Dempsey out
with the very first punch and worked
for one year and two months To per
feet that punch. | got over this
punch AZ planned only it landed hit
high. a little lower and l am sure
Jack would have gone nu'. Even
though il landed above the jaw II still
had Jack So badly da-ed that he was
almost out on his feet"
Only Yesterday, in q little talk with
the ex-chamrion. he coincided with
Genes very words.
Gene caught me in the very first
few seconds of the fight with 81 right
10 the side Of he head and hurt me
40 badly never really got over the
punch"
How He Discovered u.
"A careful study ~ pempsey's style
during his exhibition and training
bouts" explained Tunney. revealed
4 weakness in his ngnting armor
that could he pierced with the right
that | had perfected. As result of
his work in the movies Dempsey had
gotten into a >nack of hestating just
the fash ~ second SO as to pull
Your lead. His idea was TO make YOU
shoot your blow so he could pun his
face away from damage. then tear in
at you. That inStant's pause gave
me my opening for the punch with
which | aimed To win the fight.
"If ! missed. well would have been
in for an awful licking. | still think
I l.
winner no matter what happened
Still | couldn't afford 20 miss. and
worked and worked perfeCting that
right band punch. Another thing |
had 10 perfect was q defense against
nempSey's left hook That is his best
punch and one with which he is liza BILE
To ruin YOU"
It was a perfectly planned fight ON
Tunneys part amp he carried out the
fight as planned tn perfection. Gene
knew his STUFF and just how To apply
H. Rack in tho dressing room tho night
NJ the fight The cali came 80 leave for
The ring. Just after they had shaken
hands all around and started for the
door Gene halted suddenly and said
shows 9Th His Punch.
stop him is what YOU want me to
do, Glib. isn't n ." Gene asked his man
aRer, and then he shot right past
Gihson's cl'n hat Was only cou-
pie Of inches from the mark. 1t was
blow of terrific speed md power.
Yes" said Gibson. - raEiN. as he
staggered back. That will do the
trick"
"Watch me" said Gene In tone
surprisingly calm and even. Lets
20"
And ont they marchet< When they
returned. Gene Tunney was champion
~ the world.
The victory was shock I" the
sports world. Practically every box
ing writer IN the country had picked
r1empsey tn win and most Of them by
. Knockout in = few rounds. The ma
iority Of authorities on physical con
dttion and the lights of the ring. such
as Kenny Leonard and Tom Gibbons
and numerous others and their man
ayers and most every one that had an
opinion 10 express all insisted there
was nothing TO 1t hut Dempsey.
And after it was all over, did they
generously concede that Gene TunneN
had been greatly underestimate and
had wnn on the strength of his mas
terly hattie? Not to any great eX-
tent Many Of them began 10 throw
mud at the contest as means of ind
Ing alihis for their poor Judgment.
Dempsey had been drlie" fore
The fight. Dempsey had sold out.
Always VIII BE Question.
Jack Dempsey was as good as ever
according to most 81 the glowing re-
ports from his training camp AT At
lantic City. OF course. with only two
fights under his belt In five years. he
had lost something. That was the
truth as ! saw IL. also as | wrote, the
poorest Dempsey that had yet de
Tended his honorS. was stalking his
cha m pionship against the hest man he
had vet fought in defense of same.
Dempsey. there IL no gainsaying.
was not at his hest. But whether the
hest Dempsey that ever climbed
through the ropes could have licked
the Gene Tunney of September B.
that is something that is very much
open 70 question. For Tunney out
claseed Dempsey SO far that night
that Jack would have been compelled
70 be a whole lot better than he was
10 have even a lnok-in
Gene Tunney is one Of the most
moderated fighters in the game. 1t
10 true he is not crushing puncher.
he IL a furnishing one. But If science
plays an important part in the manly
art, then the new champion mus
rank among the greatest men the ring
has ever produced. Whether there
ever has been more thorough stu.
dent Of his business. that is sonnet
not easy to believe. That the game
has ever produced more perfectly
conditional athlete, again l am doubt
full since ! can conceive of few who
would make the sacrifices for the at