Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-21
! BY ALAN j. GOULD
Associated press Sports Editorl

NEW YORK, July 20, Q1--In WtlaC
promises to be the most spectacular
non-championship fight in the history
of the ring, Jack Dempsey will bat
tie Jack Sharkey tomorrow hight to
decide which is to meet Gene. Tunney
for the heavyweight championship Of
the world in september
They viii fight it out at the Yankee
Stadium in 15-round match that has
attracted as much, if not more wide
spread interest than any title battle
on record,e chiefly because of tn
attempted comeback of the most color
full ring man of modern times, Demp-
sey.
At least $4,000 spectators, and pos
sibly 10000 including many notables
will witness DempSey's effort to defy
the inroads of time and outpuch this
confident and youthful rival.
They will pay approximately $l,000,-
600 for the privilege Tex RicKard es-
timated today, but with choice ring
side tickets in the hands of spectators
bringing as high as $500 apiece. The
outlay for onlookerS seemed likely to
be near $1,25O 900. ~
Radio microphones at the ringside
Will lA1C WO1O kJACVuAC Va UAlC 44SAAO
over a nationwide hookup to from
100000 to 2O,00O,0OO other persons.
Sharkey ruled a decided favorite to-
night among the experts who have
analysed and weighed the chances of
the two rivals. On the other hand,
Dempsey, claimed the support of pop
ular opinion in an apparently over
whelming measure, as well us the
backing. OF many close observers.
Few. if any, previous big ring bat
ties have developed as sharp a contrast
of opinion. Where tonight Sharkey was
backed strongly by a majority Of news
paper critics and in wagerS at odds
ranging from to to as high as 2
to 1.
Dempsey remained the firm choice of
the fans in the street.
The experts, or rather the apparent
majority favoring Sflarkey, base their
predictions of a victory for the rug
ged Boston sailor, chiefly on his youth
speed and superior boxing craft. He is
25 to Dempsey's 80. He has been fight
ing frequently and rising rapidly on
the heavyweight scale. in the past year
and a half with decisive triumphS
over Harry Wills, Mike NcTigue and
Jimmy Maloney to his credit. Dempsey
has fought only once in four years
and then, last September, a losing
battle.
Dempsey, according to the expert
minority supporting him will win be-
cause he has regained his old knock
out punch, shaken off the legal wor-
ries that heset him a. year ago and
whipped himself into as good fighting
trim is it is possible for an, athlete to
acquire after a long lay-off from act
ual competition. Whatever speed has
passed with his youth, they argue, will
be offset by his Wallop.
DempSey'S punching powers, his
handlers asserted on arrival tonight,
will not be affected by soreness which
developed in his left arm several days
ago and gave impetus to sensational
reports of the ex-champion's condition.
These reports have been prime fac
tor in the trend of opinion, as re-
flected in the betting toward Sharkey
but the idea of any serious injury to
Dempsey's arm has been discounted
by the energy and effectiveness Of his
last work outs.
If Dempsey is to win, most observ-
erS agree, it will be quickly and be-
cause he is able to land with telling
enough effect to break through
Sharkey's defense in the first few
rounds IF the fight goes beyond five
or six rounds it is generally expected
Sharkey,s assets in speed, stamina and
boxing skill will be in his favor with
victory on. points probably in his
grasp in the event it goes the limit. D
Both fighters were in seclusion to-
night, their conditioning completed
and their handlers confident they had