Argument that Willard has a chance of winning? Also, modern scoring + would be able to recover. + would last longer. + Willard has real power. Might drop Dempsey a few times. Or out completely. Not Entirely out of the question.
I don't see it. Dempsey too active for Jess. Dempsey would not be as arm weary as he was with all the stoppages. Dempsey was younger and in better shape.
Dempsey too quick. Willard too slow. Dempsey an ATG. Willard something less. Dempsey by KO in 1-3 rounds.
Dempsey ducking Wills tells you everything you need to know. Take away his plaster of Paris and made up rules and he never ever dethrones Willard.
I've always thought that Willard sucked. Dempsey was the real deal, however. The rules change means that Willard gets to drink from a straw sitting in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Instead of a 4 round beating he gets pounded for 8. I suppose that Willard might have had a chance if he'd been able to smother Dempsey and wrestle him a la Wlad. Tire the smaller man out, sap his power and grind him down late. Somewhat far fetched, but possible, I suppose.
To get to stand over an opponent and hit him as he gets up you first have to knock him down.Willard had the same opportunities Dempsey had.
:deal Dempsey imho, would always simply be too fast for Jess, even if he got recovery time. Willard had a good chin, but not much defense or footwork otherwise. Not a great combination for taking on Dempsey and having a face left afterwards.
Willard was a tough, hard man, but he did not train hard for the Dempsey fight, was too old, and too slow. Different rules would have allowed it to go maybe 6 - 8 rounds. Same result. Jess's chin was too open for the left hook.
To be honest, I don’t think that Willard was really in the fight after that first left hook, which fractured his occipital bone. You watch him after that, and you are seeing a fighter who is not able to react, or defend himself effectively. Also, if we have the standing 8 count rule, then perhaps we have the three knockdown rule as well? If this is the case, the fight might be over more quickly. If the fight happened today, I could see it being waved off after the first knockdown. How long would Willard be allowed to fight with a visible depressed fracture? Change the rules, and he might last significantly longer, but it is just putting off the inevitable. As others have said, he should have trained.
I agree with janitor. If we're going to re-imagine the fight happening under "modern standards", the referee might well call it off much quicker.
