Dempsey was hurt by Carpentier

I can cast a spell to bring him back to life. I've been practicing my sorcery!

 

George Carpentier was world light heavyweight champion, European heavyweight champion and top challenger as recognised by the IBU and were threatening to strip Dempsey of their recognition of him as champion if he didn't fight the French man, how much credence was held in America then of an IBU world champion, probably not much if Langford and Old Godfrey's reigns are anything to go by but it is the World championship after all.

 

If Carpentier had anything, he had a good punch for his size.

People say "he didn't hit like a modern heavyweight" ..... yeah, duh, that's probably why he landed his best shots on Dempsey in rapid succession and couldn't put him over or even halt his advance for more than a brief moment.
Dempsey crushed him.

 

I see what you did there.....clever.....

 

Who's disagreeing with that? Why not simply spell that out like above rather then start with the dribble .. it's beneath you .. that said , while I think he was a bit better than you do , all he had really had was a fast good right hand for a 175 pounder, he caught Dempsey early, Dempsey stumbled a bit, immediately grouped and flattened him ... the fight is more remembered for the drama of the era and the first million dollar gate than Carpentier as any all time great heavyweight ..

 

Most saw it as did matchmaker John McGarvey... "There is nothing to it but Dempsey... I can't see a chance for Carpentier. Even when I give him credit for everything that he is said to possess in the boxing line, I can't see where he has any license to be in the same ring with Dempsey."

Lew Tender didn't see Carp lasting beyond the 3rd.

Benny Leonard thought it would last 7 at most.

John McGraw summed it up nicely... "Carpentier has about one chance in a hundre; in fact, I don't give him that chance."

 

Yeah I understand what you are saying from that side of it Carpentier was out of his league but he still had earned where he was by hook or by crook as it is well known Carpentier would get a lot of dodgy favoured decisions, all in all he was still European number 1 at heavy and world Light Heavy champion. The big money draw was an after thought, as it turned out to be a bit of a marketing genius for them with a cash cow reward. I think Dempsey and co were afraid if the IBU put on a title fight in France with someone like Harry Wills that could damage their popular boxer, maybe not but they might of feared it would, so easier to get Carpentier out of the way. A lot of champions did the same to keep the IBU happy.

Just to add many challengers aren't given a chance by pundits or the likes James Buster Douglas, Jack Dempsey himself, Andy Ruiz Jr, kostya Tszyu to name a few.

Either way Carpentier still had a decent bang on him, he had a good ko record with a good few against boxers at least 20 pounds heavier than him.

 

I really don't think that getting buzzed by a lightheavyweight, is evidence that a superheavyweight is going to put you to sleep.

No lightheavyweights, don't hit as hard as superheavyweights, but they are generally somewhat faster, and catch you with punches that you don't see coming.

Speed has a telling quality all of its own.