DEMPSEY BEATS FIRPO

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 67, 17 September 1923, Page 2

DEMPSEY BEATS FIRPO

A MASTODONIC FIGHT

BOTH FIGHTERS BATTERED WITH ' HEAVY BLOWS.

(DNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTKALIAN-NEIV ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) NEW YORK, 14th September. _ A pair of mastodonic animals let loose m a barred arena could not have given the crowd a more unexpected spectacle than did Jack'Dempsey and Luis Firpo in the fight for the heavyweight championship of the world which was,fought at Baseball Park. The two men literally battered each.other with pile-driver-like blows, that seemed beyond human endurance to withstand. ,It was without precedent in ring history to see so much tremendous hitting from the very start. Firpo was floored so many times that it was extremely difficult to keep count. He thudded to the padded floor like a fallen tower, only to rise again, sometimes with surprising speed, at other times slowly taking the count to "nine." THE FIRST ROUND., "When the fight started, Dempsey missed with his right, and Firpo dug his right to the body. Dempsey-* floored Firpo with a right to the chin, but Firpo was up immediately. Firpo went to the floor again under a hard right, but did not take the count. ' Dempsey again bowled him over, and when he' got up chased him about the ring. Firpo was again sent to the floor, and 'Dempsey hooked his left to the chin and then drove both fists to the body, and' Firpo fell to • the floor, bleeding, and groggy. He staggered to his feet, and Dempsey landed left and right hooks to the chin, knocking his opponent flat on his back, lhe referee began to count, but Firpo rose before he reached ten, and'showed what a machine could 'do, even when impeded. He lashed his -fearful right, which, though slow-moving, caught Dempsey and sent his ■ bulk sailing through the air like a boulder released from a catapult. It was such' an assault that the champion was hurled through the ropes. Dempsey, clambering through" 1 thp ropes, came back groggy amidst frenzied shrieks from the feminine part of the gallery, but he showed he had withstood any real harm. Then for the space of a minute it seemed not that two trained pugilist!* were exhibiting their skill, but that two maniacs ,had been unleashed against each other. Every precept of fighting, strategy, and poise seemed forgotten. The referee himself seemed dazed, and made no attempt to separate them. Any such attempt 1 would have been useless. The -fighters separated for a moment,, and then began to exchange blows from a distance of a few inches. Each thud resounded like a cannon-ball landing. Lefts and lights from Dempsey in a simultaneous two : fist assault fell like hail upon the South American, who intermittently returned the favour with crunching rights, As the bell rang, the Argentinian had Dempsey against the rope 3 and was pounding him at will. END OF, THE CONFLICT. , Both men returned 1 to the.' fray,' in' itfhidh"more' action'"had been crowded into one round than seemed possible. Both were-weary men, over whom their seconds had worked desperately between •the rounds, - bufc--both- -were- unturned as ever. They showed determination to indulge' in unmitigated slaughter, and proceeded to pound each other with unabated viciousness.. Both landed with every lead. The Argentinian landed a tremendous right that paused the champion to quiver atid lurch into a clinch, ■ from which he pushed himself vigorously,* and landed'a short right to the heart. The Argentinian dropped straight from his feet to the floor. , It- seemed that' he had succumbed, but he rose, staggering. His knees sagged; he was literally "out" on his feet. The champion then showed the first . evidences of boxing tactics. He pulled himself together, although sadly battered and benumbed, and, carefully measuring his dpponent, landed \a right and a left, which seemed to land .simultaneously on the jaw, and Firpo went over backwards while the count of ten tolled over him. He was unconscious for one minute, and then sprang to his feet,' thinking to resume the fight, but it was too late. The champion stood smiling, and the Argentinian, '"shaking his head, with a twisted smile, went forward and shook the victor's hand. .