Evening star., 1926-10-02

Even after Rickard, following a
hurried trip from New York. passed
the simple message to Gene:
BE ready. Have Dempsey's ac'
ceptance."
Even then IL looked as though the
present Summer would drag by with
Gene still waiting his chance. The
New York boxing commission. fol-
lowing a long Wraneie, refused 10
sanction Dempsey's fighting here un-
I'll the challenge Of Wills had first
been taken up And so a New York
hoy was denied his chance of fighting
for the tAle in his native state and 1t
was freely predicted that there would
be no heavyweight championship con-
test until next year.
How He Prepared.
And then the resourceful Rickard
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 Sesquice ntennial. and where, be
for this supreme moment. and what
fore the greatest gathering that ever
assembled for a sports event. Gene
Tunney finally came into his own the
while over 1876. 900 persons sat through
a driving rain and with hardly per-
son eaving their seat and saw the
great Jack Dempsey punched into a
blind and helpless hulk.
How Gene Tunney 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 as planned only it landed bit
high. A little lower and I am sure
Jack would have gone out. Even
though 1t landed above the Jaw 1t still
had Jack SO badly dazed that he was
almost out on his feet
Only yesterday, in n little talk with
the eX-Champion. he coincided with
Genes very words.
Gene caught me in the very first
few seconds of thesfight with a right
to the side of the head and hurt me
so badly | never really got over the
punch"
How He Discovered 1t.
"A careful study of Dempsey style
during his exhibition and training
bouts explained Tunney. revealed
a weakness in his lighting armor
that could he pierced with the right
1 n Il
his work in the movies Dempsey had
gotten into a knack of hesitating just
the flash of second so as to pun
your lead. His idea was to make you
shoot your blow so he could pull 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. we'll | would have been
in for an awful licking. | still think
I would have ma naged to pun through
a winner no matter what happened.
Still couldn't afford to miss. and
worked and worked perfecting that
right hand punch. Another thing !
had to perfect was a defense against
Dempsey's left hook. That is his best
punch and one with which he is liable
to ruin YOU
1t was a perfectly planned fight on
Tunney'S part and he carried out the
fight as planned to perfection. Gene
knew his stuff and just how to apply
II. Back in the dressing room the night
of the fight the call came to leave for
the ifuG. just after they had shaken
hands all around and started for the
door Gene halted suddenly and said:
shows Glib His Punch.
'"Stop him is what YOU want me to
IL
aCer, and then he shot a right past
Gibson's chin. that WAS only Il cou-
rle of inches from the mark. 1t was a
blow Of terrific sD"a,i nrd power.
Yes" sad ';jt Iii. weakly, 8 he
staggered, hac',. THAT will do the
trick.
Watch me-" said Gene in a tone
surpr. singly calm and even. Let 8
go.
And out they marched. When they
returned. Gene Tunney was champion
OF the world.
The victory was n shock to the
sports ~yyorfd Practically every box
ing writer in the country had picked
Dempsey to win and most III them Dy
"A knockout in few rounds. The ma
tority of authorities on physical con
tttof1 and the lights of the ring. such
as Benny 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 It but Dempsey.
And after It was all over, did they
generously concede that Gene Tunney
had been greatly underestimated and
had won on thexstrength of his mas
terly ha6f2eT Not to any great ex-
ient. Many Of them began to throw
mud at the.nontest as a means OF md
INK alit4A for their poor Judgment.
Dempsey had been drusged before
the fight. Dempsey had sold out.
Always VIII Be Question.
Jack Dempsey wss as good as ever
acoordjuS 10 most Of the glowing re-
pore 6onf1ds training camp al 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 Vet de
Tended his honors. was stalking his
championship against the hest man he
had vet fought in defense of same.
Dempsey. there is no gainsaying,
was not at his best But whether the
best Dempsey that ever climbed
through the ropes could have licked
the Gene Tunney of September %,
that is something that Is very much
open to question. For Tunney out
ciassed Dempsey SO far that night
that Jack would have been compelled
to be a whole lot better than he was
10 have even Il look in.
Gene Tunney j. one of the most
underrated fighters in the game. III
Is true he is not a crushing puncher,
! he is a Furnishing one. But II science
plays an important part in the manly
art, then the new champion must
rank among the greatest men the ring
has ever produced. Whether there
ever has been more thorough stu
dent Of his business. that is something
not easy to believe. That the game
has ever produced q more perfectly
conditional athlete. again l am doubt
full since can conceive cf few who
would make the sacrifices. for the at