Wilder vs Dempsey

It’s difficult for those lacking in the knowledge of history to comprehend situations as they were 100 years ago or more.

All hwt champions took their title on the roars to make $. Past champions prior to Dempsey did the same appearing in plays and or vaudeville. Dempsey initially did the same and then transitioned into vaudeville replacement moving pictures. Dempsey was doing what all before him did to make a living.

 

Dempsey did not create the color line. The color line was ingraining into American culture at that time. Dempsey was the first American hwt champion to actively and seriously try to fight his leading black contender. He failed due to the powers that controlled boxing at that time.

 

Remind me which heavyweight champions skipped three years of their prime in order to work on Broadway?

Being complacent in something unethical and cowardly is the same as guilt.

 

All American hwt champions prior to Dempsey took their title on the road. Primarily Vaudeville but in earlier times stage plays. Along with this exhibitions that the public paid to attend. The “NEW” Vaudeville was motion pictures which Dempsey, being the hwt champion at the time of this media’s rapid growth, became an instant star.

Suggest you stop being so ignorant of history. Placing today’s mindset upon fighters who fought 100 years ago is a huge error. These fighters fought in a vastly different time with vastly different public expectations.

 

Here is Jim Corbett’s record. Note all the exhibitions and tours appearing in plays:

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/corbett.htm

 

Bob Fitzsimmons record. Note the vast number of exhibitions and appearances/tours in plays.

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/fitz.htm

 

Jim Jeffries record. Note the vast number of exhibitions and appearance in plays.

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jeffries.htm

 

Sullivan:
1889-1892 - 0 title defenses

Corbett
1892-1897 - 1 title defense

Fitzsimmons
1897-1899 - 0 title defenses

Johnson
1910-1912 - 0 title defenses

Willard
1915-1919 - 1 title defense.

So there is plenty of historical precedent during Dempsey’s reign of past hwt champions doing other things as champion besides having official title bouts. All toured doing exhibitions, performing in plays and in Dempsey’s case Vaudevilles replacement; motion pictures. Of course motion pictures in those days was much more all encompassing (as typical for a new entertainment medium) requiring long stints on location in California and appearances to promote the film etc.

 

Great list of the records of men too afraid to risk the title against black men. What heroes!

 

Different times! If Wilder were around back then, he’d only fight white guys during the annual off week of his traveling minstrel show.

 

Without an understanding of history any knowledge you have regarding boxing is shortchanged. One must be able to understand the times to be able to understand a fighters career.

 

Do you really believe that Fitzsimmons was scared of black fighters?

 

This would be relevant except that we are talking head to head which requires total objectivity.... At the end of the day, Dempsey objectively avoided certain fighters, a certain group of fighters that went on to dominate the division for the rest of the century, a certain group of fighters that Corbett actually wrote a long article speculating their future domination of the division, a certain group of fighters one of which, the last one Dempsey entered the ring against, broke his ribs and gave him a proper drubbing.

 

What exactly do you think would have happened to Dempsey if he had agreed to fight a black fighter?