Evening star., 1953-02-25

"Any time guy knock you stiff with punch" he
explained you've got fighter No other kind counts much
with me- jack OF course was this type OF fighter himself
ONE OF DEMPsEYs DINNER companions posed this
"Jack since you lost the heavyweight title 1885,
would you rank the championS?"
"well," Dempsey replied, "rd say Jack sharkey :"
"Over Tunney?" interrupted the other AFTER ALL Tun
ney took your title"
"An right" Jack said "put Tunney first But sharkey
was very underraed fighter. On good night he could
beat anybody think he might have beaten Tunney but
rate them Tunney and sharkey in that order"
It comes surprise call because there fellow
named Joe Louis who distinguished himself. But in
oohque fashion, Dempsey played down Louis although he
said:
T don't know if could have beaten Louis or not He
might have knocked me out If I'd fought him think I'd
have boxed him. because he was counter r-puncher."
SOME 80 YEARS AGO Dempsey won the world cham
pionShp from 36year-old 250pound Jess Willard, also
counerpnncher Reminded this phenomenon at Toledo
where Dempsey 10 pounds and several inches in
height the old mauer said:
willard different from Louis. He counter
puncher, but Jess such big guy. He'd stand
straight and stick out that left hand If tried to
him WELL Jack Kearns and figured the only to
was to swarm all over Willard 1t turned out to be the
right way"
"hs high rating of sharkey" one said could sharkey
have beaten Louis when each at his peak?"
II think So" Dempsey answered "sharkey could do
lot of things box, punch and take punch You can't
TELL of They did meet and out,
but Sharkey was the hill by that time.
Getting back to rating the champions, can't help
mucn Like Sad Marc1ano is stranger to But we're
forgetting fellow who might have swept the entire field
and he wasn't ever the champion Remember Firpo?"
LUIS ANGEL FIRPO of Argentina, Wild Bull of the
PampaS is the Sugger who knocked Dempsey out ring
nearly 80 years Jack fell the sports writer's table
and was pushed back into the fighting pit
Gould you have returned without the help of those
sports writers?" he asked.
Never" Dempsey replied. "In fact, don't
Der getting back in the ring Make mistake Firpo could
hit. He could beat Louis, knock Willard
Baer."
Jack has his theory about televon and its effect
boxing TV is running the game" he said. Because it's
Wednesday Friday they put fight Half them
Take that Gavan-Davey fight. Chuck Davey well,
is illusion the word? Thirty years ago a promoter
matched Gavilan and Davey would
business"
DEMPSEY is THE FIRST to admit that he lost few
more fights than the record book shows. did
remarking the recent death of Willie Meehan.
II guess fought Willie five six times" said "Nce
Willie little tubby but he game and he beat
me every time, except the last. knew outpointed
that time but while the referee totang his scorecard
Meean came out OF his and grabbed
hand.
1.-The ref thought and without looking held up
Willes hand. So Meehan claimed the victory
"Those the days." Dempsey sighed 1--WE fought in
four-rounders In San Francso That's where lot of the
good ones, including myself got beat But how we
learned to fight You can't learn between and o'clock
at night televiSion screen"