Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 157, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1919 — WILLARD ROCKED TO SLEEP [ARTICLE]

WILLARD ROCKED TO SLEEP

BY DEMPSEY IN THIRD ROUND AFTER TERRIFIC BEATING —CROWD DAZED. Scarcely had the forty thousand spectators in the Toledo arena adjusted themselves comfortably in their seats Friday afternoon to witness the twoA ring Goliaths —Willard and Dempsey—maul each other over the ring than the bout was over. Just fifty seconds after the opening gong Willard found himself on the floor of the arena groping blindly about in an effort to steady himself that he might arise to his feet before the referee had counted the last of the ten fatal seconds. He succeeded only to go down before the furious attack of the challenger six more times before the round had ended, the gong saving him as the referee’s finger swept down for the ninth time. Dempsey, not hearing the gong, had already started through the ropes on his way to his dressing room believing that the light was over. He was called back and was most surprised to learn that there was still work ahead of tan. Dazed, bruised, helplessly battered, bleeding and trembling Willard came from his corner for the start of the second round, the strange, uncanny look in has eyes proclaiming to the vast crowd that the crown was soon to change hands. He was a pitiful object with his right eye closed and the right side of his face battered to a pulp by the slashing blows of the youthful challenger, and his left eye peering over a lump of flesh in a grotesque fashion. It seemed incredible that . the champion could weather another round of thumping with Dempsey, who sat in his corner scraping his feet on the resined canvas with sinister impatience. Pushed on by a veritable barrage of hammering Willard managed to weather the storm until the end of the third round, taking a beating as no champion ever took before in such a short space of time. The bell sounded for the fourth round. The eyes of the vast . assemblage turned toward the corner of the helpless Willard. The bruised tips of the champion moved. He .was mumbling some words. An instant later and he was no longer champion of the world. Walter Monoghan, Willard’s chief second, bent his head closer to the bleeding mouth of the giant to hear what he had to say. Then Monoghan turned; and tossed a - towel Into the ring. This towel was slightly spotted with blood. The rag rose no higher than the ring ropes and fell limply, but it represented the formal transfer of the heavyweight championship crown. It was surrender. Another instant passed until the crowd realized what had occurred and the forty thousand went raving crazy for the moment. After it was all over Willard walked unsteadily to meet his conqueror. He congratulated after the time-honored custom of beaten ring men. And Dempsey, showing his white teeth in a wide gnn where before 'his face had been wrinkled with sullen scowls, responded with a sort of condolence. Then Willard lifted his ponderous hulk down from the ring and went away into fistic oblivion, stilr smiling that strangely simple smile, as they were raising the new champion high above the ring for all to see.

The fight by rounds: Round One.—Willard walked out slowly and tried to keep Dempsey in the sun. They clinched. Willard was short with two lefts to the £ a^ e - Dempsey put two rights to the body and connected with another left to the same place. Willard started his right hand and Jack walked away from him. Jack swung aleftto the body and a left to the headDempsey knocked Willard down with ateftto the ohin. Jess was groggy to the last and took the count. He got up, only to be knocked down Cain. Dempsey floored him twice more Each time Willard got up smiling but groggy. Jess went down for the sixth time. He got up in a vollev of punches to the face. Wil ard was being counted out when the bell rang. Dempsey left the ring when hf thought he had won a knockout. Dempsey came back into the ring. „ , Round Two. —Dempsey walked over to Willard’s corner and started punching with .both hands and had Jess groggy. Jess right eye is closed from a cut under it. Dempsey was boxing more slowly, trying to finish it with one punch. Jack missed with a left and Jessi put.four -or five pokes through to Jacks head, but they did no harm. Willard’s right eye dosed after two more lefts to the race. j£k keeps Jess JgdnM the ropes •continually. Dempsey stopped .two more right uppercuts to the face, • 'but they did not jar him. Jack swung a terrific right to the face, .JTdid not jot Jew. ft pompsoy’s round by a large margin. Round Three.—Willard came up groggy. Dempsey swung a left to *tata»d .nd that shook the 'big fraow. j. He

hitting Willard with everything he had and Jess was taking it without flinching. Willard landed occasionally, but could not follow up the Utah Cyclone. Uppercuts to the mouth started blood pouring from Willard’s lips. Willard’s face and body are covered with his own Wood. His judgment of distance was bad at this time. Every time Jack hit Jess in the face it was awful. Willard landed a hard uppercut to the jaw that shook up Dempsey. Jack rushed into a clinch. Dempsey opened Up again fnd rained blows t& the champion’s face. It was a ggry spectacle. Jess staggered as he went to his corner and was assisted to his chair. It was another Dempsey round. , . ■ Round Four. —Willard quit tn his corner and refused to come up for the /fourth round, ceding the championship. Dempsey is the net? champion.