In 1926: living at the edge of time - Monoskop

46 ARRAYS
Brecht's narrative ends with a broad conclusion: "A man should always
do what he wants to do. In my opinion, you know, caution is the mother
of the k.o." (120).
But while the spectacle of boxing makes all these strenuous psychological,
sociological, and even philosophical reflections seem quite flat, it
fosters the emergence of a refreshingly crisp journalistic style. This new
discourse pretends to follow the quick moves and heavy blows of the
fighters, and it revels in lengthy passages describing the colorful boxing
world. It abounds in technical terms, and at the same time uses slang
words which have never before appeared in print. Here is a passage from
the coverage of a European welterweight-title fight in Milan by a special
correspondent for the Berliner Tageblatt:
The Velodrome was completely packed, as it always is when the event
is organized by Carpegna. One has to give him the credit for the rise of
boxing in Italy, for he brilliantly manages to handle the crowd and to
put together an exciting program . . . As early as the second round,
[Bosisio] took the lead by fending off his opponent's attacks and left
hooks to the chin, racking up a huge advantage by the sixth round. In
the next two rounds Romerio was repeatedly in serious danger; he
spent time getting acquainted with the canvas, since he couldn't avoid
three or four direct hits. From the tenth round on, the consequences of
Bosisio's overtraining were apparent. He became tired, hit sloppily, and
avoided surprise attacks only with great effort. His victory by decision
was due entirely to his performance in the early rounds. (July 25)
If international media coverage may serve as an indicator, one of the
highlights of the year is the contest for the world heavyweight championship
between Jack Dempsey and his challenger Gene Tunney on September
23. Never before has such a large crowd come together to watch
a boxing match; in fact, it is one of the most massive public gatherings
ever assembled at a sports event. The bout takes place at the U.S. Sesquicentennial
Exposition in Philadelphia, but the reasons for this choice
have more to do with the internal politics and public image of boxing
than with the schedule of events at this somewhat lackluster public fair.
[see Americans in Paris] Given the unheard-of financial scope with which
promoter Tex Rickard is planning the fight, New York appears to be the
logical choice. But the New York State Athletic Commission considers