[JCWeb]

August 26, 1916 -- St Nicholas Arena, New York City -- Jack Dempsey heads East for his first big bout as a co-feature at St. Nicholas Arena against once-beaten Fred Fulton, another highly regarded up-and-coming young heavyweight. Fulton, who has compiled an impressive 16-1 (11) mark so far, enters the bout just one spot ahead of Dempsey in the HW rankings and represents the Manassa Mauler's sternest test thus far. The betting public makes Dempsey a 2-to-1 favorite.

Round one, Fulton tries to launch a hook from the outside, but Dempsey evades the blow and swoops in underneath, scoring with a quick hook to the head. Dempsey forces Fulton against the ropes, but there is alot of clutching and clawing but not much in the way of blows being landed. Fulton wraps up the round one action with a short uppercut and he holds a slight edge over Dempsey in terms of punches landed.

Second round sees Dempsey rushing Fulton on the inside, and he connects with a hook to the head of Fulton. Fulton lands with a tremendous left of his own, and he uses his jab to keep Dempsey at bay. Another hard hook lands for Dempsey, staggering Fulton, but Fred gets in the last licks as Dempsey is cut above the right eye.

Dempsey, undeterred, looks for the knockout blow from the outset of round three. Fulton tries to target Dempsey's cut eye. Dempsey finds his mark with a sharp combination, followed up with a hook and a strong cross. Dempsey pins Fulton against the ropes, and as the bell sounds Fulton is dripping blood from a cut forehead. Huge round for Dempsey.

Round four, and Dempsey is once again the aggressor, pressing the action as he scores a hard shot to the head, setting up a cross that drops Fulton to the canvas. Fred arises at the count of 5 and immediately covers up. With almost two minutes left, Dempsey's killer instinct kicks in, and he lands a cross and a wicked combination to put Fulton down for a second time. Fulton is back up and although another KD will finish him, Dempsey swings and misses so Fulton lasts the round -- barely.

Fulton's corner revives him, works on patching up the cut, sending him back into the fray for round 5. Dempsey lands a three-punch combo and tries to follow up on his success in the previous round. The cut on Fulton's forehead is reopened. After a Dempsey hook and a big left, Fulton is able to land another blow, reopening the cut above Dempsey's eye. As the bell sounds for the halfway point of the bout, the unofficial card has Dempsey well ahead, 50-44.

Round six, Fulton changes tactics and tries to be more aggressive. Dempsey is worried about the cut over the eye, but Dempsey counters Fulton with a couple of strong uppercuts. Dempsey follows with a jab but then is on the receiving end of a Dempsey uppercut. A straight right by Dempsey slashes open the cut on Fulton's forehead, and this time the bleeding is so severe the bout is not allowed to continue.

Dempsey by TKO 6 (on cut). Dempsey now has won 17 straight, all by KO, and his 742 pp total places him 12th in the latest HW rankings. A huge win for Dempsey.