Firpo vs. Willard

L. A. Firpo ("Argentine Ape") knocked out Jess Willard (" Huge Anachronism of the Ring") in eight rounds in Jersey City.

Firpo received $110,000 as his share of the "gate"; Willard received $185,000.

After the fight various comments were made:

Willard: "I injured my left hand three days ago and have had two doctors attending me ever since. . . . My hand pained me frightfully whenever I hit Firpo with it. I could not use it effectively. I do not wish to appear as if I am alibi-ing, but I feel sure I could have defeated Firpo had my hand been all right."

Firpo: "Willard gave me hell. I expected a tough fight, but I didn't think he would last as long as he did. . . . Now I want a chance at Dempsey."

Dempsey: "Of course, I am anxious to meet Firpo or Harry Wills, and it is up to my manager, Jack Kearns, to sign up one of them for a match for me on Labor Day."

Jack Johnson: "There are three persons in the world who can knock out Jack Dempsey. They are Firpo. Harry Wills and Jack Johnson."

It was generally conceded that Firpo won because he can punch hard, and that Willard lost because he is too old.

It is not generally conceded that Firpo is good enough to fight Champion Dempsey--with any expectation of winning.

Nevertheless Promotor Rickard said: " Firpo, in my mind, is the outstanding challenger for Dempsey's title right now. He impresses me as another Jim Jeffries--a better man than Jeffries was at a corresponding period in his ring career, for Firpo is stronger than Jeff and hits harder."

Jimmy de Forrest, Firpo's trainer, holds no such illusion. Said be: "Dempsey is entirely too fast for Firpo. I judge that he (Firpo) needs about four months' intensive training before he should even contemplate meeting Jack. Otherwise he will be entering a slaughter house!" (De Forrest trained Dempsey for the Willard fight in Toledo, July 4, 1919. Sporting writers invariably speak respectfully of Jimmy de Forrest)

Promoter Rickard also said: " I'm ready to match either Dempsey or Wills with Firpo now. It doesn't matter to me which one it is. I want to stage the next fight about Labor Day. I'd like to match Wills with Firpo if Wills will fight him. I tried to arrange that match before, though, and Wills wouldn't fight him."

Some of the people who attended the Firpo-Willard fight: two Governors, Silzer (N. J.) and Smith (Vt.); three former Governors, Cox (Ohio), Davis (Ohio), Edwards (N. J.); A. H. Smith (President N. Y. Central Railroad), Charles H. Sabin (President Guaranty Trust Co., Manhattan), John Ringling (circus man), Mr. and Mrs. Flo Ziegfeld, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, Barney Oldfield, Ralph De Palma, Jim Corbett, George M. Cohan, Benny Leonard, Lew Tendler, Senator Walter E. Edge (N. J.), Princess Bibesco, Mike de Pike.

In Argentina the news of Firpo's victory was received with frenzied jubilation. After the result was announced on the sidewalks of Buenos Aires (one minute after the knockout), great crowds marched through the streets " shouting and singing loudly and making impromptu torches of twisted newspapers."

Firpo pronounces his name "Fear-po" and not " Fur-po "--as it comes most naturally to the North American tongue.