I genuinely think it might be. I'm thinking of the past champions and the time they took off from boxing and none seem remotely as bad as what Jack did with Hollywood. Sullivan was effectively a retired alcoholic. Corbett declared his title vacant (later changing his mind) Fitz awaited an outstanding challenger to emerge Johnson was a fugitive Willard awaited for an outstanding challenger to emerge Dempsey ran from Wills to Hollywood Louis had the war Ali had his licence revoked And then there aren't any significant absences (unless you're in the minorty that consider old foreman world champ from 94-97 in which case his might be the worst). Thoughts? I'm not going on about greatness, h2h ability nor resume just the instances when the champ took time off and whether any of these instances were as bad as Jack's.
I think it was part being sued by Harry Wills Willard's was as bad but not as long. Patterson and Johnson freezing out the top contenders wasn't much better. Bowe/Holyfield/Moorer/Foreman freezing out Lewis was pretty bad
In what possible way is that the case? I'm interested in people thoughts as to his ring absence in comparison with others.
I know he's the beloved Cinderella Man, and I really admire JJ Braddock, but his two year freeze of the title was beneath contempt. He froze out and basically screwed the most deserving guy in the world,...Max Schmeling a shot at the title that he so richly deserved after upsetting Joe Louis.
You do ocasionaly find newspaper aricles that talk about Dempsey being "retired", but I have never been able to flesh out the details.
I'll chime in with a yes! Sullivan was actually on the record as being retired. Corbett gives Dempsey a run for his money. Willard was bad but could use the First World War as a cover. On a tangent, its funny how often a return match with Willard was mentioned in old newspapers but nothing came of it. It seems the writers considered Willard over confident and undertrained for the initial match.
I think Dempsey might have come back sooner but he was feuding when Kearns and knew that if he fought Kearns would get a payday. So he waited until their contract expired.
I think Mayweather's is the worst. Dempsey can at least say he "ran" from a HOFer like Wills. Mayweather ran from Margarito and Paul Williams.
Yeah Braddock i forgot about him. Atleast Jack ran from a fight everyone thought he would win, Braddock straight up ducked Schmelling because he knew he'd lose.
That's right, IMO too. Braddock and his people just weighed the balance..not only was Schmeling just plain awesome in knocking out Louis, but if the fight were to be held in Nazi Germany,..you know what kind of virulent, hyper-partisan situation that would be...I'm sure that Braddock and his manager Joe Gould, who was Jewish and probably didn't want to experience the **** that he would probably have to endure over there in the lion's den (and i don't blame him there) and the propaganda coup that would result..that they decided that if braddock had to lose to anyone, better for all kinds of reasons that it should be Louis. Having said all that, it's still a damned shame that Schmeling didn't get the crack at the heavyweight title that he so richly deserved. yes, I believe that Max would have beaten Braddock...and probably by a stoppage.
I agree schmelling would have been champion again had he got that shot before Louis. Braddock had to fight one of them and I genuinely believe he felt Louis the lesser of two evils.
