“Dempsey” avoided no fighter. The history is very clear that it’s managers, promoters along with the public’s interest that make fights. Add to it in Dempsey’s day the people who ran boxing who staunchly refused to allow Wills to have a title shot. Understand history as it then makes specific historical issues much more understandable.
Dempsey was always very gracious. No ATG hwt champion is “afraid” of any fighter in the ring. Especially a fighter as powerful as Dempsey.
Here is the trouble how many of Jacks skills will be taken away from him due to the glove changes? If I had to assume I would say Jack, But without seeing what he would be I cannot say with confidence.
Am I crossing wires here? But I believe Sam also came to him blind and fat just wanting a payday and Kearns said they wanted someone easier. Was this when JD was young?
With modern gloves and modern rules I don't rate Dempsey's chances at all. I'm even making the assumption he understands and effortlessly follows the new rules and is able to adapt to the gloves as best as he would be able, which is a big if given what happened to him when they introduced the neutral corner rule.
I have to say the Wilder we saw against Fury in#3 exhibited increased punch resistance. Would be interesting to see whether Dempsey could blow him away fast or whether Wilder gets through the storm and mounts a comeback.
Dempsey blitz ko/tko within 3 or 4 rounds. Jack is too fast, explosive and accurate compared to the awkward and inaccurate Wilder. Jack starts the first round by pummeling Wilder to the body with straight rights after slipping under his jab. Jack destroys his ribs and then he follows up with clean hooks and uppercuts to the head. Wilder goes down 3 or 4 times and the fight is over. I could also see the fight play out like Dempsey-Firpo. Remember that Wilder has little or no defence and prime Dempsey is the human equivalent of a fast-moving wrecking ball. Even if Wilder would knock him down he would swiftly recover and return the favor.
It would be interesting, but I think that younger and lighter version of Wilder would fare better against Dempsey. Wilder needs speed advantage and he wouldn't have it against Dempsey, so any loss in speed could be critical for him. It would be a wild brawl and Dempsey would have to stop him early. For all his faults, Wilder has decent stamina and he carries his power through late rounds well. Dempsey wasn't great late either.
Dempsey via ko.Wilder lacks even a rudimentary defence and when under pressure pulls back with his head in the air, arms down, you don't do that against Dempsey and survive.
This story has never been substantiated, for my money it's just another apocryphal Bert Sugar tale.Langford was blind in one eye after the 1917 Fulton fight.Dempsey did not win the title untilJuly1919,Why would he defend his title against a half blind aging Langford who was picking up his share of losses by the time Jack was prime? By the beginning of the 20's Langford was losing to debutee George Godfrey and Bill tate ,both Dempsey sparring partners,and several times to moderate 24-10-12 Lee Anderson. If Dempsey had taken the fight he would be being castigated on this forum on a daily basis for picking over the carcass of a once great fighter.
