Joe Frazier vs Jack Dempsey ?

I think the boxing scene was massive before/when Dempsey came along.
His success may have made it even more popular, in the sense that more people became involved with ambitions of becoming rich, but the dozens of professional gyms and fight venues in every town were part of the landscape before that. They must have been.
Look at all the fights guys like Benny Leonard and Harry Greb and Battling Levinsky were getting prior to 1920. The scene was teaming with legions of solid professionals when Dempsey arrived.

It could well have been Jack Johnson, and the scramble for a "white hope" to defeat him, that brought boxing to that point.
But it could have been before that too, going back to the 1890s or before.
I mean, it wasn't just America. Boxing was immensely popular in Europe too, prior to WW1.
These were harder, rougher times - martial times. Boys and men were expected to fight with their fists now and then.

I tend to think Dempsey and Tex Rickard brought glamour to boxing, and boosted it's commercial potential in 'the Jazz age'.
But there were legions of men fighting professional for years before that.

 

You are darn right LX...Common sense would dictate that when there were fights for example in NY, EVERY night except Sunday, when there were 5 times the amount of pro boxers plying there rough trade, then there HAD to be enough gyms to accomodate those fighters, who had to FIGHT TO EAT, as there was no food stamps, nor welfare checks...So yes there were much more boxing gyms than today, before Dempsey and up to the time of television, which was the start of the downfall of small boxing clubs in the USA...:hi:

 

There is no chance that a prime Dempsey would lose to prime Frazier. Anything Joe could do Dempsey could do better plus Jack could use his right as well as his left whereas Joe was 85 percent from his left side. Dempsey by 6th round ko.

 

To say there's no chance is preposterous. Dempsey never fought anyone as good on the inside as Frazier.

I'd give Dempsey a good chance to hurt and jump on Frazier early, but once Frazier gets in the zone, Dempsey is the one in survival mode.

 

Fraziers inside attack would be nullified by Dempsey two handed assault. Dempseys hook was thrown much shorter than Joes and add to this that Dempsey could box well when he had to stepping back and altering his attack. Joe could really fight just one way.

 

Frazier whips his ass. Dempsey looked like **** against much lesser fighters. Dempsey is overrated. Frazier has some short punches himself. He puts Dempsey through a meat grinder over 10 or 12 rounds and shits him out. Not that Dempsey wouldn't have some success along the way.

Like I said, if Dempsey can make good contact early before Frazier gets going, everyone goes home early.

 

Dempsey was rated the greatest for decades by trainers like Arcel and many others. Those that saw him live from ringside. Noone ever rated Frazier as such. Dempsey too quick, too good and with two great hands overwelmes Fraziers one and a half handed attack.

 

This is irrelevant, cause I can bring up the fact that Dempsey lived in a boxing era dominated by white people, but it has nothing to do with a fantasy match against Frazier.

Frazier's defense would make up for the reach deficit, and he'll follow Dempsey all around the ring, sending big shots to the body and head. Frazier by TKO.

 

The idea is Dempsey had all time great skills that were observed and noted by those who understood all time great skills. Noone from that type elite level ever ranked Frazier that highly. If you watch Dempsey he could just do so much more in the ring than Frazier. Frazier just too one demensional. I think Jack gets in close under Joes attack not throwing around to the sides as Frazier would but instead planting those real short shots to the belly, heart and liver. Jack would step back and box if he had to but don't think he would need to do so. The pick is the all time great two handed fighter beating the less than all time great by stoppage in 6 rounds.

 

Frazier > Dempsey

 

you're not really describing Frazier as "less than all time great" surely?

 

Not top 10 material certainly.

 

Frazier vs Dempsey....You might as well put Michael phelps in there with him..Frazier destroys him inside of 3 rounds...If not sooner

 

I think Dempsey was slightly more up to the task than Michael Phelps...

I think he loses, but he doesn't need that disrespect. If anyone is winning within three rounds, it's Dempsey.