Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-09-24
Tunney Wins Title
In Great Battle
Continued From Page one)

Continued From Page One)
and the disappointment in his show
ing was reminiscent OF the defeat
of James J. Jeffries by Jack Johnson
in the first heavyweight battle 1ex
Rickard ever promoted, in 1910. Demp-
sey, like Jeffries, went into the rims
big favorite only to exhibit little |
championship fighting qualities.
Chiefly because of Dempsey's Ieth-
argy and Tunney's intermittent eau
tiousness the bout had few thrills, I
few spectacular moments of the sort
that have uncuated most of Dempsey's S
battles since he dethroned Willard
on July 4, 1919 There were no
knockdowns, nor the semblance of
any, except for one or two occasions
when the fighters each slipped on the
soaked and slippery surface Of the
ring.
Tunney was in command from the
start. Before the bell had ended the
first round, with the crowG amazeu
at Dempsey's slowness, the challenger
had begun to seize his opportunities.
AS the champion swung wildly, the
former marine worked in his left
iabs and crossed with solid rights
that shook Dempsey up. From then
on, with monotonous regularity, Tun
ney beat off Dempsey's rushes with
1olting blows to, the head and body
The challenger gave ground more
OFTEN than Dempsey, but it was for
strategic purposes not because he
was suffering much punishment. Tun-
ney's right eye was cut in one ex-
change, in the seventh round, and
blood flowed from the reopening of
cuts on his lips, but these did noN
bother him to any extent. He took
Dempseys stiffest punches withou,
flinching and ducked or blocked most
of the others.
Tex Richards weather luck finally
failed for the first time since he
began promoting boxing's biggest
spectacles, but the soaked tens sot
thousands, including many women.
refused to leave their seats. Many
had come prepared, out the big ma
jority took their drenching smilingly
and stuck to the finish to cheer the
advent of new reign in pugilism.
The rain started lightly at first,
shortly after Dempsey and Tunney
entered the ring. During an unusually
long delay caused by the taping of
their hands, it increased in. intensity,
BY the time the final bell sounded
the two gladiators were spattered
by solid sheets of water. Tunney's
gloves soaked and crimson with
Dempsey's blood, literally splasheo
their way to victory.
Dempsey began to tire quickly after
nd
stepped out for the tenth the cham
pion was bloody spectacle with his
right eye cut and bleeding and his
left eye closed. The fight. with its
record breaking crowd of 123,O00'I
spectators, was staged in a downpour
of rain AS the fighters entered the
ring big drops of rain sp1ashed onto
the canvas. Before the bout was
half finished 7the- rain began to fail
heavily, soaking the. spectators.
When Tunney was announced as the
winner, the defeated and battered
Dempsey rushed over and threw both
arms around the new champ, shaking
his gloved first warmly. cts the
same old story, the best man won"
Dempsey said, as he crawled out OIL
the ring.
Dempsey did not appear to be Sc
per cent of the ripping, tearing |
fighter he was when he defeated Luis
Angel Firpo in the Polo Grounds !
three years ago. That first punch,
a savage right to the peak of the
chin, apparently took all the fight
out of him. He revealed flashes OF
his old-time form, however, in spots, |
hut his blows were Wild and lacked
the usual sharpness of delivery.
Dempsey made two or three game
attempts to whip over a finishing
punch, but Tunney, although stunned
several times, managed to keep his
feet, although he may have been ir. !
distress two or three times. (
Gene Tunney won the heavyweight |
championship Of the world in pour
ing rain here tonight when he de. I
feated Jack Dempsey in a fight tnat
went the ten-round limit Both judges
were unanimous in declaring the
blonde exmarine the winner. TuEney !
came within an ace of knocking |
Dempsey sout in the first round wnen
he planted "a hard right to the jaw
just before the bell rang.
Tom Reilley, of Philadelphia. was
announced as the referee. The two
judges were Frank Brown, of Pitts.
burgh, and Mike Bernstein, of Wilkes"
barre.
The champions knees sagged and
he went to his corner in distress
Tunney, fighting cautiously, outboxeo
Dempsey retiring before the cnam~
pion's crowding attack, whipped |
vicious punches to the body at close
range and nailed the champion with
short snappy left and right hooks
RECORD CROWD
at long. range.
Jack Dempsey, champion, and Gene
Tunney, challenger, fought for the
worlds heavyweight boxing title to-
night before a record crowd of 132CC0
spectators. Dempsey, defending his
title Aor the first time in the three
years, entered the ring a heavy IA
vorite over the marine. g
Tunney started for the ringsidc at I
$50 o'clock.. He was the first to
enter the ring. He wore a blue
bathrobe trimmed in red, the gift of
oci1, ho oh Ion