The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-09-20
Former King Of Heavies
Still Possesses Terrific
Punching Power:
IN FIGHTING CONDITION
More Classy Sparring Part
nerS Than Gene.
BY JAMES J. JEFFRIEs

Copyright. 1927, United Press Features
LINCOLN FIELDS, Crete, ILL.,,
Sept. 20.--In an atmosphere that
reminds me very much of the train
ing camps of old, Jack Dempsey is
putting on the final touches for his
bout with Champion Gene Tunney
Thursday night.
The former champions camp lit
orally reeks with speed and pep. A
feeling of confidence permeates the
air. Everybody around the camp,
including the flock of jockeys. which
inhabit the nearby race track, Is
willing to bet his bottom dollar
Dempsey willsknock out the cham
pion.
To my mind an atmosphere of this
kind is a great asset. 1t gives a
fighter the sort Of mental feeling
he should have before entering the
ring.
7 spent two days in very close
touch with Jack in everything done
pertaining to training and he is in
splendid condition today, taking
everything into consideration.
In Fighting Condition
BY that I mean to say he no
longer is a kid. and it is much
harder for him to get into shape
than man few years younger.
Nevertheless, he looks to me like
he has been sincere in his training
and has been rewarded by putting
himself once more in fighting con-
dition.
Dempsey's sparring partners seem
to have little more class than the
boys in the Tunney camp. With
the exception of Dave Shade, I
never have heard of any of them.
But they are big, strong boys, who
give the former champ just the kind
of workouts he needs. One of the
boys, tall, slim chap, uses Tun-
ney's style of fighting. He is sue
cessful in jabbing Jack with a left
and then is able to side-step. This
proves that Dempsey will have to
find better defense for Tunney's
left, If he expects to keep away
from it.
Speed Is Better
Dempsey's speed is better than I
expected, but his timing and dis
lance is not, by any means, what it
should be to be successful with a
boxer Of Tunney's type. He may
overcome this. Oftentimes distance
and timing return to a fighter over
night.
Dempsey's legs are okeh. Make no
mistake about that I watched them
particularly, having heard that they
were about to field under him.
think one reason for the impression
having got out that Dempsey's legs
are weak is his nervous disposition.
He is the type of a fighter that
sometimes makes one think his legs
may be weak.
Jack made a very strong impress
sion on me from a hitting stand
point. He showed me he could
fight from any angle. And what a
vicious puncher this Dempsey is!
He can hit just as hard and Just as
fast as he ever could.
Work Is Okeh
Jack also impressed me by the
manner in which he tore into his
training. He seemed to fairly eat
it up, proving to me he still loves
his fight. I don't think there ever
was a fighter who gloried in fight
ing any more than Dempsey does.
I took particular notice of Demp-
sey's right-croSs and left hook. He
is swinging both in lightning-like
fashion. This seems to have the
necessary snap.
Dempsey is not Understanding
Tunney. He fully realizes Tunney is
a good fighter and a hard man to
catch. His experiences in Philadel-
phia taught him that.
Another thing, where Tunney re-
fers to the coming match as box
ing bout, Dempsey calls it fight,
and he expects it to be just that.
gathered this from his coYvarca flor,