How good was Dempsey's title reign?
 

Lets look at who he fought and discuss the ramifications of not making a Greb or Wills fight.

Willard-In many people eyes the worst of the heavyweighthttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adT...lass_10x10.gif champions

Billy Miske-Had one win over a top heavyweight (Bill Brennen) and was 3-2-3 in his last 8 fights and had Brights disease which would kill him less than 4 years later. Had Losthttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adT...lass_10x10.gif to Greb.

Bill Brennen-Hadn't beaten a top fighter in some time and had lost to Greb.

Georges Carpentier-Light heavyweight championhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adT...lass_10x10.gif who ducked Greb and hadn't beaten a top heavyweight in years.

Jimmy Darcy-Dempsey's sparring partner who had a career 52-72-42 (16) record.

Tommy Gibbons-Excellent light heavy who had already lost to Greb.

Luis Firpo-Tough, but crude and unskilled.

Gene Tunney-One of the greatest light heavies ever.

8 title fights in 7 years. Blatently ducked both Harry Greb and Harry Wills. Dempsey was good was his reign as champion, really?

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

If there's one thing this forum's been lacking recently it's a discussion about Dempsey's title reign and resume in general.

Jimmy Darcy wasn't a title defence, just another 4-round exhibition.

Yeah, I don't think anyone says Dempsey had a great set of title defences. Well, financially he did.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

He basically fought the guys that Wills refused to fight, but Greb had already beaten.

Combined with the fact that Greb had troubled Dempsey in public sparring sessions, and Dempsey at least did try to make a fight with Wills in 1922 but was blocked by the NY Commission, a case could be made that not fighting Greb actually hurts Dempsey's image/legacy more than not fighting Wills.


Well you named five HOFers there, so that still is pretty good, even if it could've been better.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

It's the inactivity that hurts his reign the most.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

What kind of overall grade would you give for his title reign? HOFers or not, his reign is marred by inactivity and leftovers for the most part. I can't see rating it any higher than a C at best.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

His refusal to fight Greb or Wills isn't far behind that in my opinion.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

He FAILED to fight Wills and Greb.
He didn't refuse to.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

I will concede his failure to fight Wills. He refused to fight Greb, instead fighting guys Greb had already beaten.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

His manager may have refused.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

Either way the fight didn't happen my friend, and this along with the failure to fight Wills is a black mark on his career. These things are often overlooked with Dempsey because he was such an icon of the sport and of the 20's.....and rightfully so. But if any other fighter who didn't have that kind of popularity did it, it would be held against them.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

Yeah, like I said he FAILED to fight them.

You're right, his failure to fight Wills and Greb is very often overlooked, hardly ever mentioned, and very few people tend to hold it against him. That's why this thread is such an important and much-needed discussion on this board !



:good

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

I know you're Unforgiven, but you will have to forgive me, Im very tired. :nut

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

I wouldn't dismiss any of Dempsey's opponents as "leftovers," even if some of them came off second-best to the ATG Greb. For example, both Gibbons and Miske (regardless of any effects of his illness) would continue to be legit top contenders for another couple years after losing to Dempsey. Gibbons was actually rated the #2 HW contender at one point, behind only Wills. (I think it's also worth noting that while Gibbons had lost his most recent fight with Greb, he was generally credited with beating him decisively in two of their previous fights.) And Firpo, regardless of his limitations, had just won a tourney to earn the shot at Dempsey.


I would say B+. He didn't fight either of the two guys needed to get an A, but he still fought pretty darn good comp around at that time.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

Sometimes I feel this way. Sometimes I feel that it was the more disturbing of the two ducks.

I think of the great champions - guys who were great and held the title a while - it was the worst outside of Johnson.

Re: How good was Dempseys totle reign?Lets look at who he fought. Willard-In many pe
 

I don't think there was an awful lot of demand or clamour for a Dempsey-Greb fight, rightly or wrongly.

Greb was chasing the middleweight and light-heavyweight champions at the same time too, and making fights with some one or other on a super-busy schedule.
Ironically, perhaps he would have got more support for a shot at Dempsey had he been less active and done more talking or sulking or something.