Willard looks like he's swatting at flies on defense and very predictable on offense. Johnson does not look shot or slow as some might claim.
If Jess Willard walked on water, his critics would say that it just proved what an awful swimmer he was!
I am going to say that the attacks directed against Jess Willard, are the most unreasonable directed at any fighter on this forum (naming no names). There are people who are out to damage his reputation as much as possible, who cannot bring themselves to say anything positive about him. The worst part of it is, that it isnt even directed at him, it is done to discredit Dempsey.
Johnson has a roll of fat around his mid -riff and hanging on his hips,and he looks like the a*se of his trunks are padded out! Tell us how he was prime here and how cool it was.
I'm saying his reflexes and speed look as good as other films.:hi: A roll of fat on Johnson can be seen in some of his other fights, and fighters back then wore tight trunks. Willard had next to no defense. He wasn't fast or coordinated either, however, he was bigger so Johnson's usual hold and hit tactics did not apply here.
I give Dempsey lots of credit for the way he destroyed Willard, even the old inactive Willard. It was a brutal slaying of a giant, and a convincing way to win the world's heavyweight title. I also don't hold it against Jack Johnson for being KO'd by Willard. But Jess Willard really wasn't much good.
He was what he was. He was a lineal heavyweight champion, and one who won the title very convincingly, against a past prime dominant champion. He was not a one hit wonder either; he had a few wins over strong contenders. He had significant weaknesses as a fighter, but he was a tremendous athletic talent, and he was a superheavyweight who knew how to use his size advantage. At his best, he was an unenticing prospect for anybody. So why do people need to say that he was an oaf and a circus freak, just to minimise any credit that can be given to Jack Dempsey for beating him? Just show him the respect that you would normally show to such a fighter!
Maybe. But to be fair to those who would say such things, they generally attack A LOT of the fighters of that era (heavyweights especially) - not just Jess Willard. Seamus, for example, is pretty rough on Jeffries, Burns, Johnson and Dempsey as well.
Even he has a special place in his heart for Willard. He can afford to give credit to Burns, Dempsey, and even Jeffries, because that would leave his bigger is better argument intact. As soon as he gives credit to Willard, he tacitly admits that bigger isnt necessarily better, or even close to equal!