Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1920 — BRENNAN STILL GAME [ARTICLE]

BRENNAN STILL GAME

Fighter Knocked Out by Dempsey Wants Another Fight. < 5 Says He Was Surprised When Referee Motioned Him to Hie Corner in ( the Twelfth Round. New York, Dec. 16.—8i1l Brennan, who was knocked out in the twelfth round by Jack Dempsey, the heavyweight champion, in Madison Square garden, said he Intended to ask for anpther match. “1 am not satisfied that Dempsey is my superior,” be declared. The challenger, while saying that be had vindicated himself, asserted he was “surprised”, when the referee motioned him to his corner, believing that he had beaten the count in the twelfth. “Brennan was tougher than I expected,” Dempsey said. “He stood up longer than I thought he would. His blows didn’t hurt me at any time, but I found him a hard man to hit properly.” Dempsey’s manager said the champion was not in the best of condition. having trained too hard. Dempsey expects to leave for the Pacific coast to remain until late in February, when he will come back to New York to train for his match with Jess Willard on St. Patrick’s day. For 11 rounds Brennan held his ground against the champion. At times he even outfought Dempsey, wading in grimly under showers of blows, risking everything on the one chance smash that would mean fame and fortune to him. For the greater part of the U rounds he hati the crowd, society women, clubmen, business men, rounders, gamblers and the riff-raff that follow the fighting game, upon their feet cheering for him. Once or twice there were fleeting moments when it looked as if the heavyweight title, richest ►prize in all flstlana, might Change hands.

Most of the people had gone to the fight, paying probably close to $150,000 and perhaps more, into the box office, expecting to see a brief finny of brown fists and the quick collapse of the Chicago man. Not over three rounds was the general prediction. Eleven rounds came and passed quickly, and Brennan was still upright in the ring, swaying his huge fists desperately in the direction of the lithe Dempsey. One minute and fifty-seven seconds of the twelfth round had gone and Brennan was out there plodding. Dempsey crouched to a low stoop, his bead almost to Brennan’s knee. He came up with a quick Jerk and his right hand shot out, sinking into Brennan’s white stomach. Then Dempsey’s left followed the right into Brennan’s stomach so fast the two blows were almost one punch. The big Chicago man crumpled, not at the kneea as is usual, but in the middle of his body, as if the smashes had broken him in two. Dempsey, bloody, furious, swung again, this time With his right. It landed on the back of the already crumpling Brennan’s head and was the finishing touch.