Jack Johnson rips Jack Dempsey

Stevie, not entirely true. Many years ago on a radio program,a host asked Jack Dempsey ,';how good a fighter is Joe Louis "? Dempsey I recall replied, " well I'm glad that I didn't have to face him ". A terrific compliment from a terrific and modest gentleman Jack Dempsey...

 

To be fair Burt, he did say that about most decent black fighters

 

Again, I love Dempsey, the legend, but when did his magical transformation from heavy-handed minertown pimp to modest gentleman occur?

No offence meant here, Burt. And I don't think people can't change. But aren't we being a bit disingenuous if we characterize Dempsey as a saint?

 

Jack Johnson, the original reverse-racist and naysayer

 

Are you surprised Fleischer held him in such high esteem?

 

S, you are starting by your false premise that Jack Dempsey was a son-of-a-***** when he was a fighter. Therefore how does a leopard change his spots.? No offense to me, but thank your lucky stars, the S.O.B. Dempsey wasn't around to hear your false aspersion. I think you would have reconsidered your ludicerous remark. First off, did I or any fair thinking person on ESB ever characterize Jack Dempsey as a SAINT.? I,and other thoughtful posters never used such a phrase about Jack Dempsey,nor any other fighter, maybe excluding Billy Miske...What is the paranoia that is permeating much of ESB now.? Tough and lonely life for young Dempsey, and you label him a "heavy handed mining pimp ". He would send home whatever dough he had left over to his large family in Manassa ,Colorado.
It was a tough and dangerous situation for a youngster, traveling as a hobo UNDER the cars of trains holding on for dear life. So why does your distaste for Dempsey,compel you to call him a "pimp" ? And yes S, when Jack Dempsey retired he was BELOVED as a gentleman by the vast public, including my dad , never demeaned a n opponent, became a successful business man, took care of his old opponent John Lester Johnson, helped
his old sparring partners,when they were in need, and yes S,he was a gentleman to the day he died. Get over your revulsion to one of boxings greatest and TOUGHEST GENTLEMEN EVER...Even you can change your thinking...
Dempsey came from a tough age that would have swallowed up YOU or ME.
He had to leave home as a youngster at a tender age ,in his teens going from mining town to mining town challenging older ,bigger men for fights to make money for grub and a place to sleep.

 

lots of people who knew or met Dempsey in his years at his restaurant remember him as a gentleman. thousands would attest to that. i met him when i was young. he was famed for his hospitality. very polite. very gentle. unassuming and modest. had time for anyone. and hes certainly not the only heavyweight champ to be like that.
a gentleman, yes. no one said saint.

 

He was a modest gentleman even when he was a heavy handed mine town bruiser.

Some people are complex.

 

No Tac, I have been reading the Ring Mags since the 1940s and Nat Fleischer and several other writers picked Jack Johnson as the best all-time HW champion. He very well might have been due to his amazing defense,picking off punches in mid-air. So noT, i am NOT surprised...

 

how many people reliable sources actually knew dempsey back in those dark days before he was a contender ? how many of them come out and said he was 'heavyhand pimp' ?
sounds like more of the dempsey legend myth. who knows. might just be more colorfull tales about dempsey. or it could be true.

 

To be fair to Dempsey I don't remember seeing any film of Johnson against a boxer the likes of Tunney, A mover and a jabber with a punch. And a good sized HW as well (at least for the times). Maybe he did meet such a fighter but the available film of Johnson doesn't indicate that he did. Ketchel, Burns, Flynn, Willard, Jeffries and Moran didn't come close to Tunney's style of stick and move, jab and throw combinations. It would be interesting to see how Johnson would deal with such an opponent, especially one who knew the value of a hard consistent jab. Maybe he would be able to deal with Tunney's hit and move. He was a great defensive fighter but I'm not ready to buy into all of his critcisms of Dempsey. Some but not all.

 

B- Multiple people testified at his slacker trial that HE WAS A PIMP. His first wife was A PROSTITUTE.

Goddamn Idolaters, the lot of you.