Reading the fascinating Bat Masterson book Gunfighter in Gotham and in it Masterson details that not only did Fulton take a dive vs Dempsey but that it was a very hot topic of debate at the time .. did anyone else ever hear anything about this ?
see last column http://fultonhistory.com/highlighte...lton%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042303/1919-02-04/ed-1/seq-4.pdf in column 1 https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1919-02-02/ed-1/seq-2.pdf bottom of column 2 into column 3
Interesting and this sort of thing was prone to happen then when a hot contender was on the rise sometimes to add build up they would get a patsy. Fulton was a good fighter though I’m not sure why he would do this, he likely could of defeated Willard himself. This bout was filmed - shame no footage has been found. Would clear this matter up
Fulton himself contended that they had agreed to waltz the entire fight but that Dempsey double crossed him. He wanted an immediate rematch.
And then there is Maxine who claimed he threw the Flynn fight. She further alleged that when she threatened to reveal this, he gave her jaw a good rubbing. Those were desperate times and desperate people. Who knows what really went down.
If he did tank the Flynn fight that is hardly the same as carrying an opponent or stalling to a decision is it.? Don't start sticking your chest out just because Houdini's got the boot!lol
I'm just saying that deals were done in those days... and in much later days... and if you believe some (Foreman), in much, much later days. You had to play the game. That's all. I love Dempsey and have ready half a dozen bios on him, at the very least. But let's not treat all his results, good and bad, as being above suspicion.
This is uncovered ground these parts. Why does controversy dog Dempsey so often? There is a lot of smooth. Question. Was Masterson at the fight? Did you know this one was filmed! Did you also know Fulton's manager made a stink of Dempsey's hands? Fulton's manager, Mike Collins, examined Dempsey's hands in the ring prior to the fight and complained about the tire tape bandages he was wearing. Dempsey told his manager, Jack Kearns, "Go over and give Fulton all the tape he cares to wear, and tell him he'll need it."
