The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-23

Leonard has no.
ton that James j. Braddock might
whip him! On this same subject
Mr. Gibson isn't so sure.
OF course, you know all about
Messrs. Gibson and Leonard. At
one time they represented a great
prize fight team. My. Gibson man
aged Mr.. Leonard into the light
weight championship Of the world
and very gaudy fortune. They
practically started out together
Some years later Mr.. Gibson took
over the management of Mr.. Gene
Tunney and under his guidance the
cX-marine became the heavyweight
champion of the world
Tunney Helped Himself
II wouldn't be correct to say Mr..
Mr. Gibson managed Mr.. Tunney in
to the title because the Greenwich
VILLAGE IriSher, once he established
himself as a fair sort of fighter, did
most of the managing himself But
in his own way Mr.. Gibson con-
tributcd Importantly to the ultimate
result. He Unanswered the build
up and took charge of the back
stage operations-not all of which
were POLITICALLY beautiful.
With the passing of time Mr., Glib
son went into retirement; Mr.. Leon
ard became a puffy, middle-aged leg
end and Mr.. Tunney moved to a
farm in Connecticut Quite nat
Urally the three of them retain a
verv lively interest in the business
OF beak- busting. Any time there is
a prize fight of any Importance you
will see them at the ringSide.
Hasn't Faced Real Fighter
And this is probably as good
time as any to mention that MI
Tunncy is not completely sold on
Joe Louis. either. 1t is his notion
that the Detroit Negro has yet to
be tested against formidable op0o-
stion He looks as if he has
everything" admits Mr.. Tunney,
but I want to see him against a
real fighter, a fighter who can hit
and isn't afraid of him. He hash t
faced that kind of fighter yet
Mr.. Gibson is more enthusiastic
about the Negro than the retired
heavyweight champion. but he won't
go so far as to call him a super
man, Coming from another person
in the same circumstances you nat
urally would make the usual reSer-
Va.ionS, but when Mr. Gibson tells
you Tunney would have cut Louis
to pieces it is wise to listen to him.
Most veteran managers feel that
their priZe fighters were the top.
Friendship and sentiment color
their words But Mr.. Gibson and
Mr.. Tunney were not exactly pals in
their closing years, so when NJ.
Gibson says the eX-marine would
have cut Louis to pieces he is talk
ing as a detached. Unconditional
critic He may be wrong, but that's
what he thinks.
Might Have Whipped Jack
People are going around saying
Louis would have belted out any
heavyweight we have seen in the
last twenty years. says Mr.. Glib
SON Il don't believe it. He might
have whipped Jack Dempsey, but
l wouldn't want to bet on it. This
would have been a rough brawl and
the man who got in the first telling
blow would probably have won.
But l feel pretty sure Louis
would have wound up second best
against Tunney, who was a great
boxer and a great ring general.
Tunney would have kept Lewis off
balance with that left hand of his
and did YOU ever see a better one?-
and what good would Louis punch
ing ability have done if he was al
ways off balance? Yes, sir, I think
Louis would have been as easy for
Tunney as Dempsey was, and eX-
cept for that seventh round in the
Chicago fight, Dempsey hasn't hit
Tunney yet"
Boxer Will S,op Him
Their" may be something in what
Mr.. Gibson says. After all, every