Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-05

He names johnson as the best Of them all
because of his natural physical advantages.
He was the best-built fighter ever to step into
a ring and, although weighing around $50
pounds when in shape, could move with the
speed of lightweight. He could hit hard with
either hand and from any angle.
When Dempsey defeated Willard at Toledo,
he was the greatest fighting machine, except
ing Johnson ever saw, and believe johnson.
in his prime. to be the only man he couldn't
have knocked out on that day" says Mr.
Gunnis. Dempsey was fast and game. and
his weaving style of fighting made him the
greatest box-office attraction of them all JEFF
fries. my third choice. could stand more
punishment than any other heavyweight. His
25-round bout with Tom Sharkey at Coney
Island of the most vicious fights ever
witnessed. and his wonderful record in knock
ing out Corbett twice and FitZsimmons places
him high among the worlds greatest Bob
Fitzsimmons. my fourth choice, was the first
man to hold three titles, middleweight. light
heavyweight and heavyweight. His punches
were well delivered and he was awkwardly
clever He was the originator of the famous
Solar-pexuS punch
You can't leave Gene Tunney out of the
first FIVE" concluded Mr.. Gunnis.
He did everything he was called on to 90,
including beating Dempsey twice and is the
only retired undefeated champion. Surely he
ranks with the best
Joe HUMPHREYS places Peter Jackson as
- the best. with johnson second and then
Jeffries Fitzsimmons and Dempsey in the
order named.
Bryan Hayes has followed boxing from
childhood He was cnce a sparring partner
of Philadelphia Jack O'Brien. went to England
with him and fought professionally under an
assumed name He is now a professional and
intercollegiate referee and foot ball fan who
rarely misses a heavyweight title bout or
World Series. He has seen virtually every
heavyweight title match since early in the
century He saw Jeffries and johnson at
Reno Jeffres and Corbett at Coney Island.
Fitzsimmons and Sharkey, Dempsey and
Firpo, Dempsey and Carpenter, Dempsey ana
Tunney and SO forth.
Nj. Hayes gives first place to John L.
Sullivan because of his ferocity. He seemed
to me to fight like tiger like big Terry
McGovern.' says Mr.. Hayes He gives second
place to Johnson third to Jeffries, fourth to
Corbett and fifth to Dempsey.
Dempsey was good rough-house carefree
fighter and as we all know. the best drawing
card of the lot"
TOMMY REILLY, third man in the ring
during the first Tunney- Dempsey bouk
also gives first honors to John L. Il him
in an exhibition bout when was kid and
he knew what to do when it time to
finish a man. says Tommy.
Sullivan was anything but slow and cumber.
some. I saw him set up line of drinks On D
bar place one hand on the bar and jump over
the lot as prsttily as any gymnast you'd want
to see. Sullivan was not a wild swinger but
. straight hitter"
Mr.. Reilly bestows second place on johnson,
third on Jeffries, fourth on Tunney and nth
on Dempsey.
"Tunney was always handicapped by poor
hands and had to favor them" he remarked.
He was . better fighter than most people
give him credit for"
Chairman Clinnin explained he based his
choices on the fighters in their primes, ths
days when they won their championship
crowns He selects them in this order: Jeffries,
Dempsey, Sullivan. litzsimmons and Corbett.
I requested william Muldoon of New York,
to submit his opinions and received q courteous
note saying he could not comply with the
request at the time due to illness
So there you have the opinions Of men who
should know.
I'm wondering II boxing win soon produce
. heavyweight who viii prove himself capable
Of ranking among these immortals Of the ring,
(Oooyr1ght 1897 i