New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-09-20
JACK REPORTED
IN fine FETTLE
Sports Writer Finds Dempsey
Very Aggressive

| ~ WIN ola Oul"dIu appearances,
peace prevailed in Jack Dempsey's
training camp today-peace for
everyone with the exception OF the
former worlds heavyweight cham
pion himself who was bubbling
over with nervous energy in strik-
ing contrast to his harried mental
upset Of year ago, Just before
fighting his losing battle with Gene
Tunney in Philadelphia.
The Jack Dempsey Of today is a
changed individual Not only is the
old CLEAN back in Jacks eye. but
much Of his playfulness has return
ed, reminding his admirers, and even
neutral observers, that there Is as
much difference between the Demp-
sey OF today and the Dempsey of
II months ago as there is between
day and night
The present day Dempsey. no
longer worried with lawsuits. and
the menacing threats of his former
manager. Jack Kearns, is more like
the Dempsey OF the Firpo days
four years ago. The critics say he
has improved 80 per cent over his
mental and physical condition
when he fought Tunney in the rain
at Philadelphia, and that he is rs
per cent better fighter than when
he knocked out Jack Sharkey two
months ago.
His body is lean. his eyes are
bright and clear: there does not
seem to be an ounce of superfluous
flesh on his frame; even the slight
rolls Of fat that were so noticeable
during his training for Sharkey at
Saratoga have disappeared under
his long siege Of training at this
racing plant.
i Dempsey has been in training
! here under the watchful eye of the
old fox Of fistiana. Leo P. Flynn,
who has brought him right up to
the edge for fighting. so that Demp
sey will enter the ring Thursday in
top condition.
His weight today was within a
few ounces of the 1877 pound mark,
indicating that he possibly would
weigh around 1875 pounds at weigh
ing-in time Thursday afternoon.
Dempsey, in his training, particu-
larly in the last few days, gave
evidence that he is so close to be-
ing the Manassa Mauler of old,
that his friends can hardly distin-
suish the difference. His legs look
ed good, he moved around the ring
speedily, with the same old wcav-
ing crouch and inside the ropes he
was the old glowering, charging,
vicious Dempsey OF the primitive
fighting instinct. His left hooks,
often called the greatest in heavy
weight history, found their mark
as accurately as ever.
The talked about efforts to trans
form Dempsey.s ring style-it
there ever were any such efforts
have reemingly gone for naught.
The Dempsey who fights Tunney
this week will be the same agrees
9ive, tearing slugger that nailed
I Willard at Toledo, Miske at Ben
ton Harbor, and later Carpenter
and Firpo in the east.
His punch-timing has been &C
curate. He still is using with a
devastation to which his sparmates
attest that short right which trav-
els few inches, yet sinks with
crushing force to the body.
In contrast to year ago Demp-
sey had the almost daily compan-
ionship of his wife. Estelle Taylor,
although she lives in a northside
Chicago hotel 80 miles from the
training camp. She never had seen
/ him in the ring before, until she
came to the track here, soon after
his training began, and she came
often to lunch with him and cheer
him on.
The former worlds heavyweight
champion, in his training campaign,
furnished one of the greatest sur
prises ever turned on the boxing
world when he decided that secret
workouts at night under the flare
of noodlights were his best plan.
He wanted his eyes TO become ac-
customed to the glare of lights, and
moreover, wanted the strict privacy
| so he could practice blows without
any comments from spectators,
either uttered or printed.
Is Dempsey succeeded because ne
boxed for a week at a time with
the public excluded and the gates
even closed to newspaper CORE
spondents. His reason for excluding
the public, and later the CORE
spondents was because he objected
to widespread comment about him
unnecessarily Furnishing sparring
partners, and when he permitted
his sparmates to whale away at him
without a return because he was
practicing defense.
Another surprise when he wrote
his open letter" to Tunney, asking
the champion to explain the con-
tract signed with Max (Boo Boo)
Hoff of Philadelphia and other
things which he regarded as Pc
culiar Just before that battle In the
Sesqui- Centennial stadium. When
Tunney had replied to this "evident
trash" Promoter Tex Richard is
reported to have stepped in and
choked off the battle OF the foun-
tain pens.
! With the training gloves slowed
away, Dempsey planned to take
! short hikes ova~the roads today
and tomorrow and to indulge in
light sessions with the punching
bags to keep his muscles loosened
up for the next IS hours. He was
host yesterday to ESQ schoolboys
from the suburbs of Harvey, shak-
ing hands with each.
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