How great was Jack Dempsey?

[billeau2]

Dempsey on tape shows some real talents... He fought a kind of opponent... Tough, resilent, capable. There were no rankings back then, No alphabet belts... There was the champ and he was the heavyweight champ of the world. His competition was top of the food chain. How do they compare? They were good and bad in different ways.

Dempsey changed boxing forever and one day the Dempsey Tunney fights will present an opportunity for people to watch a clash of two eras. Tunney had skills gained through the mentorship of men like Corbett whom, fought in the preclassical style. Dempsey was the first modern fighter to place importance on punching. His tome on punching still is one of the very best books on the subject. Dempsey changed the fighting distance, the movements inside, etc... At least Dempsey represented these changes, obviously he did not invent them.

That is how great Dempsey was.

[billeau2]

- - So, U more than dumbo, U dumbo grave robber too.

What grade they teach U that?

How did your formal grammer school education help you operate the stil in your bathtub? Ginsburg wants to know!

[Dr Z]

There is something I reffer to the best heavyweight alive, which Dempsey was for a 2-3 years period. But he never proved it vs. Wills and Greb, got it handed to him by Tunney at age 31 and 32. And was outboxed in other fights not mentioned. Ducking Langford and saying nope when Jeanette showed up as sub for him to fight does not look good for the optics.

[Mr Mitts]

Who are the main Dempsey detractors around here? I need them for my list of ass feathers.

[solidman]

I rate Dempsey, but his title reign was a joke.

[Willie Pep 229]

I rate Dempsey, but his title reign was a joke.

Jack Dempsey's title reign was the most important thing to happen to prize fighting.

Every boxer with a million dollar gate should give 0.1% to a Dempsey Foundation for retired fighters.

This is prize fighting not professional boxing. It's about the money.

Had there been no Dempsey to kickoff the Golden Age of Sport in 1919, boxing may have gone the way of shoot (real) wrestling; Diminished to the bottom of sport and paydays.

All of your prognovations, about who is better than whom, has nothing to do with boxing history. A waste of time.

Talk some history.

[billeau2]

There is something I reffer to the best heavyweight alive, which Dempsey was for a 2-3 years period. But he never proved it vs. Wills and Greb, got it handed to him by Tunney at age 31 and 32. And was outboxed in other fights not mentioned. Ducking Langford and saying nope when Jeanette showed up as sub for him to fight does not look good for the optics.

Fer chrissake! Greb was not a heavyweight. Most experts feel that Wills would not have beat Dempsey. The Tunney fights were both tough, nobody got anything "handed" to them. Losing to Tunney a fellow ATG in two contests that could have gone either way... I would like other members with more historical knowledge to comment on timelines regarding Langford and jeanette... It sounds a lot like the usual BS you peddle... apologies if Dempsey ducked these two... somehow I doubt it.

And finally? MOST heavyweight champions fought in divisions with less competition than other weight divisions. There are few heavy weights that fought against fellow great fighters than the other way around... Dempsey was typical this way.

[Willie Pep 229]

Fer chrissake! Greb was not a heavyweight. Most experts feel that Wills would not have beat Dempsey. The Tunney fights were both tough, nobody got anything "handed" to them. Losing to Tunney a fellow ATG in two contests that could have gone either way... I would like other members with more historical knowledge to comment on timelines regarding Langford and jeanette... It sounds a lot like the usual BS you peddle... apologies if Dempsey ducked these two... somehow I doubt it.

And finally? MOST heavyweight champions fought in divisions with less competition than other weight divisions. There are few heavy weights that fought against fellow great fighters than the other way around... Dempsey was typical this way.

I think Dempsey-Wills in 1922 was a pick 'um. I would pick Dempsey, but still see it as a pick 'um.

Would have been a 'fight of the century' with multiple KDs and not gone pass four.

By 1926 Both had slipped but Wills more. Dempsey by a KO in the middle rounds.

[solidman]

I love Dempsey. I love his story. But i just think he let himself down as champion taking 2 years off and then taking 3 years off. Unacceptable.

[Dr Z]

Fer chrissake! Greb was not a heavyweight. Most experts feel that Wills would not have beat Dempsey. The Tunney fights were both tough, nobody got anything "handed" to them. Losing to Tunney a fellow ATG in two contests that could have gone either way... I would like other members with more historical knowledge to comment on timelines regarding Langford and jeanette... It sounds a lot like the usual BS you peddle... apologies if Dempsey ducked these two... somehow I doubt it.

And finally? MOST heavyweight champions fought in divisions with less competition than other weight divisions. There are few heavy weights that fought against fellow great fighters than the other way around... Dempsey was typical this way.

Neither were many of Jack' s title defense. Dempsey was a light heavy to cursuier at his best weight of 182- 190

He missed two big matches ( Wills and Greb ) and was not an active champ.

The Tunney matches could have gone either way? Tunney won at least 16 of 20 rounds!

Yeah the usual truth does not apply with some Dempsey fans. Get a clue Bill.


Dempsey manager said, Sam, we were not looking for someone as good as you . Something like that. Jeannete was sub, in the ring and ready to go. Dempsey wanted of part of the old man.