Easily? Getting dropped two or three times, once completely out of the ring, is easy? Whereas Wills wobbled Firpo with a jab, dropped him, and completely controlled the entire fight for the easy, dominant win.
Indeed, it's the only source I've come across. He didn't sound like he was bigging himself up but I do need to research further.
His fight with Dempsey should have happened in 1919 or 1920 when he was 29 .. who would have won is a question for the ages but he was bigger , stronger and fought and defeated far greater opposition ... in addition, he ws not the one who ducked the fight ...
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...JUfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QNQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1731,4619732 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZTR19220708.2.65.5 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/60967658?searchTerm=mcvey langford &searchLimits= http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/60961684?searchTerm=harry wills &searchLimits=l-title=97 http://www.boxing.com/the_trouble_with_harry.html
So ray arcel's opinion is dismissed he is a Pom Pom waving Dempsey guy. Jack Johnson has an agenda against wills. The author is biased who wrote the article. You sound so objective. Dempsey would have still been the favorite, as picked by experts of the time not merely gamblers. I stand by my opinion of the footage it decreases my belief that Wills would have fared well against Dempsey.
Excellent links provided Mcvey thanks. Hope you saw the link I provided on larry gains the other day on the mickey walker thread.
No I didn't but I will look for it. I met Gains briefly at the fights , he was a lovely, gracious man.
Firpo does look **** to be honest. He seems a level below the likes of Tyson Furey! Dempsey must have been asleep to get tagged by that telegraphed right hand. An old Jack Johnson embarrassed Firpo in sparring for this fight. Firpo was notoriously stingy ,wouldn't have a manager and trained himself, he weighed 8 lbs more for this fight than he had for Dempsey, he looks like a bar room brawler.
Let's all agree Firpo is ****. It's been stated enough times. We can all see he's ****. On one hand, Dempsey's performance against Firpo was shabby. Dempsey went in there to brawl with a crude brawler, that's actually what he said he'd do pre-fight. He knew he had much better skills and straight punches, but he intended to be a bit gung-ho to get his reputation back after the Gibbons fight. I think he got more than he bargained for. On the other hand, Firpo lasted what, 4 minutes? (And Dempsey out of the ring looks more of a push than a punch on film. Or a punch followed by a big push.) Overall, let's say Dempsey did bad against such a **** fighter. Not impressed with Wills though. As you say, Firpo was even fatter against Wills. And the knockdown was a blatant foul, hitting on the break. Yes, Wills dominated the fight and was never in trouble, according to all reports. But 12 rounds against the shitty fat Firpo, and couldn't knock him down legitimately. I don't know what to make of it. Maybe Firpo was good. Or Dempsey and Wills were a bit **** too. I'm seriously considering the latter.