Chapter Twenty-Two
The FightSaratoga, New York
August 15, 1926
The bell rang, and the fighters touched gloves in the center ring. Kelly was in the fight of his life. Dempsey was highly entertained by the major.
“Sir, it’s an honor to meet you,” Dempsey said. As the word you left his mouth, Kelly hit Dempsey square on the jaw with a huge overhand right.
Kelly and Costello had planned this moment for weeks. They knew that Dempsey would be overconfident at the start of the match and would have his guard down. Kelly had even practiced walking nonchalantly to the center of the ring and then throwing an overhand right punch in stride. It played out just as they had planned.
It was glorious.
After being struck flush on the jaw with such a powerful blow, a mere mortal would have instantly
