Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-05
JACK MAY REGAIN
TITLE IN RING ONLY
Prehn Is Against MuIdoon'S
Proposal That Ex-Champ
Be Handed Crown.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
~ HICAGO, January 5.-The Ma
tional Boxing Association viii
not recognize Jack Dempsey o.
~ any one else as heavyweight
champion until he wins thu
title in the ring.
Concerning the proposal Of William
Muldoon, veteran New York boxing
commissioner, that Dempsey be recog'
nized Immediately as the champion
Paul Prehn, president of the N. B. A.
said:
The National Boxing Association /:
not in favor of naming champions ir
the heavyweight or any other class unit
they win recognition as such in the
ring. What would be the purpose and
what would the craftsmanship amount
to if commissions named champions
without their coming through to win
the titles?
while believe Dempsey is an out
standing heavyweight prospect. 1 see no
reason for naming him the heavyweight
title holder now. Let him show the
world he earns it and that he is the
best man in the heavyweight division
today"
NEW YORK. January P).-
Whether Jack Dempsey fights again, he
is the heavyweight champion of the
world now. so far as William Muldoon,
veteran New York boxing commissioner,
Is concerned.
The once famous solid man." now 80
and snowy-haired, but still a muscular
mountain, is one of the sponsors of
the Muldoon-Tunney Trophy to be
awarded the successor of the retired
title holder. He was Gene Tunney's firm
friend and adviser during the difficult
days when the big Marine strove first
to win and then to hold the heavy
weight crown. Several times he stepped
into Dempsey's controversies with the
athletics commission to aid in dis
ciplining the old Manassa mauler, then
king of the boxing realm
But now Muldoon sponsors Dempsey.
Yesterday he named Jack one of the
greatest athletes in the history of the
ring, deplored the improper training
and poor handling that had been his
lot, scored the famous long count"
at Chicago, and offered his conviction
that Dempsey. at "a, still has one of
his greatest fights left in his system.
Dempsey he said, needs no long,
vigorous training grind to prepare him
for the ring again. He needs only to
build up a great reserve of nervous
energy by careful training. His legs
WCAAb bcSSA Okl XIII al Vic Will
Tunney at Chicago because he had
trained too long and too hard. He was
prepared then as though for finish
match of the old days, rather than a
10-round bout.
'The former champion, at "a, is not
too old for the ring. He has never
disSipated to any great extent, has al
ways trained lightly and kept in con-
ditipn as gentleman should, and is
not overweight. He needs no long con-
ditioning, but he does need proper
handling.
Never has Dempsey been properly
handled in his big matches. The day
he won the championship from Jess
Willard, in 1919. at Toledo, Jack was
wretchedly handled, and ever since then
has shown nervousness and excitement
in his corner. Naturally he has been
unable to do his best under those con-
ditions."
ROME, January S l49.-Gene Tun-
ney has definitely and decidedly re-
tired" he said, and any stories circu-
lated TO create contrary idea are en-
tirely without foundation.