Jack Dempsey as champion. Did he face top ten ranked opponents? How many did he beat?

Using Matt D's ranking until 1923, and the Ring Magazine annual ratings post 1923, let examine

1920.

Champion Dempsey
2 Wills
3 Fulton
4 Greb
5 Gibbons
6 Carpentier

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8 Norfolk
9 Tunney
10 Weinert

1921.

Champion Dempsey
2 Wills
3 Fulton
4 Gibbons
5 Tunney

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8 Greb
9 Beckett

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1922.

Champion Dempsey
2 Wills
3 Greb
4 Gibbons
5 Miske
6 Tunney
7 F.Johnson
8 Brennan
9 Beckett
10 Carpentier

1923.

Champion Dempsey
2 Wills

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4 Tunney
5 Carpentier
6 Miske

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8 Greb
9 Renault
10 F.Johnson

1924.
Jack Dempsey, Champion
Harry Wills
Tommy Gibbons
Charley Weinert
Quintin Romero Rojas
Jack Renault
Luis Angel Firpo
George Godfrey
Jim Maloney
Erminio Spalla

1925.
Jack Dempsey, Champion
Harry Wills
Gene Tunney
Jack Renault
Bud Gorman
George Godfrey
Jack Sharkey
Young Bob Fitzsimmons
Paolino Uzcudun
Jim Maloney

1926.

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Jack Dempsey
Jack Sharkey
Jim Maloney
Paolino Uzcudun
Harry Wills
Jack Renault
Harry Persson
Knute Hansen
Johnny Risko

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1920. Dempsey defenses his title vs. a very ill Billy Miske. Miske was ranked 7th at that point in time

1920. Dempsey defenses his title against Billy Brennan, who was ranked in the top ten ( #10 ), but wasn't an easy pick either. Indeed Brennan gave Dempsey a very difficult fight.

1921. Dempsey's 3rd title defense was vs. Georges Carpentier. Carpentier was ranked 7th at the time.

1922. Dempsey inactive, no fights.

1923. Dempsey makes a 4th title defense, beating Tommy Gibbons on points. Gibbons was ranked 7th at the time

1923. Dempsey makes his 5th title defense vs. Fripo. Fripo was highly rated at #3 overall. It took Dempsey four years to fight a top 3 ranked opponent.

1924 and 1925. Dempsey not in the ring. Were there offers for him? If so, from whom and what amount?

1926. Dempsey faces his first #1 in Gene Tunney and loses badly at age 31


Summary: As champion Dempsey has four wins ( #7, #7, #7, and #3 ) over top ten opponents, however he never defeated a #1 or #2 as champion. Wills, and Greb were avoided. As champion Dempsey could have fought either man outside of the USA if necessary.

A win over Wills or Greb would have enhanced Dempsey's legacy, as either would be viewed as his best win. While I do think Dempsey was a better champion in terms of title defenses over Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson, his time off from the ring ( three years ) and failure to beat a #1 or #2 downgrades him a bit.

Dempsey did struggle vs Brennan, was down and out of the ring vs. Firpo ( technically a DQ is not out of the question as he was helped back into the ring ) and was badly out classed vs the best fighter he fought in Tunney.

However you could say some of his best work came before he became champion.

1918 notable wins and losses for Dempsey ( Pre title ), where Dempsey was 2-1-1 vs top ten competition. I do recall Dempsey had a chance to fight Jeannette as a sub as his opponent was out, but declined to do so once Jeannette was in the ring.

Champion Willard
2 Wills
3 Dempsey

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5 Gibbons
6 Greb

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( news win ) and

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9 Madden
10 Jeanette

 

Brennan could have been #9th or 10th in 1920, I think he would be outside the top ten, but not by much.

Levinsky wasn't a title defense, but could have been 9th or 10th in 1918.

 

I'm focusing on the championship run in this series.

If you tally them all up, 4 or 5 top tens in title defenses, and 3-4 others beaten in the top ten before he became champion. Not bad, but as champion Dempsey didn't do his legacy any favors.

 

I would say he needed Greb too, as Greb often beat the same guys.

If Dempsey fought and defeated Greb, it would likely rate as his 1st, 2nd or 3rd best win, agreed?

 

I'll raise you one, Greb defeated Tunney who really made Dempsey look bad. A win over Greb would have done a lot for Dempsey's legacy as Greb did better vs some common opponents. I think everyone here would agree with that.

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