Evening star., 1926-09-24
TUNNEY WINS TITLE
POUNDING DEMPSEY
FULL TEN ROUNDS
Goodness and Determination
Of Challenger Give Him
Championship Decision.
RETURN BOUT SOUGHT;
RICHARD MAY BACK.IT
Many Women, Including Anne
Morgan, Mrs. Longworth and
Mrs. MacNider, Present.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, September a.
The scepter of the worlds heavy
weight championship kingdom that
Jack Dempsey had held since 1919
wa. welded today by Gene Tunney,
idol Of the Marines and Of New York s
Greenwich Village.
Through a steady downpour Of rain
that drenched the grestest fight spec
tacle of all time, Tunney, who shoul.
dered a buck private's musket in the
conflict of the ages, fought his way
to the peak of pugilistic heights. In
a match that completely reversed
general expectations. stunning in its
one-sidedness, Tunney pounded and
flayed the title holder into semi.help.
lessness. Dempsey was so badly bat
tered that only fighting instinct kept
him on his feet to the final bell.
Tunney won all the way. He was
the conqueror, to all intents and pur.
poses, after beating Dempsey to the
ropes in the first round and stagger-
ing him with succession of smash
ing rights to the head. From then
to the finish the challenger dominated
the fight. outfighting, outboxing and
outgeneraling the title holder with a
masterful exhibition.
Decision Greeted by Cheers.
Tunney failed to bring his foe down,
but he battered the heavily favored
champion into almost complete sub
mission with such decisiveness that
the official announcement of the de-
cision crowning new king was lost
in the uproar that broke loose with
the tap of the last gong.
The heavyweight title passed on a
judges decision for the first time in
nearly 40 years of glove fighting.
Every other champion from the days
of John L. Sullivan's reign has passed
from the throne by way of knock.
out.
Dempsey was a mere shadow of the
fighting machine that has been ranked
among the greatest in boxing annals.
Against such a cool and calculating
opponent as Tunney it would have
taken Dempsey at his best to keep
his crown. But such fighting equip
ment as he could summon for his last
stand was inadequate to combat Tun.
ney, whose speed, tactics and power
full right-hand execution exceeded
even the fondest hopes Of his fol-
lowers.
Face Badly Battered.
Dripping wet and bleeding from a
half dozen cuts about his face, his
left eye closed tightly and a lump the
size of an egg over his right eye,
Dempsey was a sorry, even if game,
figure in defeat. Three years of idle
ness had taken their toll. Expert
ence and courage alone were unable
to withstand Tunney's flaming ambi-
ton, youth and ability.
The greatest fight crowd of all
time-the largest that ever paid to
witness any sporting event anywhere
sat through the downpour to see the
passing Of the old champion and hail
the crowning Of the new. Some 132,-
600 persons filled the vast reaches Of
the mammoth Sesquicentennial Sta
dunn and nearly $2,0o0,000 was paid
to see a spectacle that was sensa-
tional in it's climax even II not as
thrilling as had been expected.
A cross-section of universal fandom
saw a man Of iron nerves take the
place of the tiger man." Before the
battle Tunney held the hopes of a
vast majority OF the crowd, but not
its confidence. When his triumphal
march became a certainty there was
a spontaneous outburst Of enthusiasm
that left no doubt Of the challenger s
popularity.
Rickard May Promote Bout.
Tex Rickard said today he might
promote a return title match between
Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey.
Jack has asked for the match and
it may be put on next Spring" the
promoter declared.
Rickard said Harry Wills would
never be given a chance at the title
under the New York promoters aus
pices because Of the scurrilous tao
tics of the faction" supporting the
negro challenger
Harry Person, Swedish champion,
and Monte Mum Of Lincoln, Nebr.,
each of whom registered knockout VIC
tories in preliminary bouts last night.
were mentioned as potential title con-
tenders by Rickard.
Tunney is already under contract to
defend his title exclusively for Rick.
ard, who, following his usual custom,
obtained such an agreement with the
challenger before the fight.
The new champion declared he was
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