New Britain herald., 1927-07-21

New York, July 21 LF-More than S0,000 persons from all over i the United States will gather in the Yankee Stadium tonight to watch Jack Dempsey stake his hitting power against Jack Sharkey's youth, speed and ring cleverness in the IS round bout that is to produce the challenger for Gene Tunney's heavy weight title.
 Betting odds today were quoted variously, to 5, 13 to 10 and to 1, with Sharkey the favorite. With several brokerage concerns reporting shortage of Dempsey money it appeared likely that sharkey would enter the ring one of the highest | favorites that ever took part in a fight of such importance.
 Dempsey will assay the come back role as the greatest sentime mental favorite in ring history. That partial l ly explained why the former cham pion goes into battle on the extreme iS Sllol CliO Ol lllC "dS HG heart of the crowd will be with the Manassa Mauler, as the nation knew him at the height of his ring career Dempseys return to the ring after his miserable showing against | Tunney at Philadelphia last year is the magnet that is to draw the third | largest crowd in ring history, the Tunney- Dempsey and the Demp- sey- Carpenter bouts alone eclpsing it. In both of those a championship was involved.
 The former champion has con- pleted one of the most strenuous training campaigns boxer has ever undergone. Five months ago he be- gan work in the Ojai Hills of Cali fornia, and after satisfying himself that he had regained the physical power so noticeably absent when he lost to Tunney, he came east to complete the process of preparation. Much has been chronicled about the affairs of the Dempsey camp at champion and his manager. Leo P. Flynn, came to New York last night they brought with them an air of conviction.
 | Still. it is the question of Demp- seys condition that adds to the un- certainty regarding the outcome. The Dempsey of Toledo, most ob- servers are convinced, would dispose of Sharkey of today without much difficulty. But Dempsey today Is much older. somewhat slower and there is grave doubt as to whether he can hit so hard now.
 While Dempsey's triumph or his downfall will provide the soul-sear- ing drama of the night, Sharkey's performance will decide once and for all the mooted question of his class. The Bostonian's packers are cocksure of him. Those who lean toward Dempsey discount Sharkeys victories over Mike McTigue, Harry Wills and Jimmy Maloney. If Sharkey beats Dempsey he will have established clearly his claim to pugilistic greatness, if it has not all ready been established.
 Win or lose, Dempsey will get s250,0O0 on percentage arrange ment with Promoter Tex Rickard. Sharkey is signed to a contract which gives him 22 1-2 per cent of the gate receipts. and the largest purse of his career. The admissions are expected to total S1,250,000.
 Any number of business, social and sporting notable have engaged ringside seats. Among them are Commander Rickard E. Byrd, Archie and Kermit Roosevelt, Clarence H. Mackay. Rex Beach. Irving Berlin, Babe Ruth. David Belasco, William A. Brady, Charles M. Schwab, Gene Tunney. Benny Leonard and Peter J. Brady.
 The crowd that watches the fight CTS will constitute only a small minority of those who follow the