He was probably embarrased of word getting out he was too much of a chicken to fight a 39 year old Black man who got in the ring to fight him.
of course, because its a rule that you have to fight some one on no notice, and if u dont ur a chicken
Add in the fact that he was not getting paid, as it was for charity. I wonder what the take on this would have been ,had Dempsey gone through with the fight and beaten Jeanette to a pulp? Disgraceful beating up of a veteran? As the news article it self admitted Dempsey had everything to lose and nothing to gain. A NO WIN SITUATION.