Better Chance Against Tyson Fury: Jack DEMPSEY or Joe LOUIS?

Which rules are we going by? Dempsey was notorious for stacking his gloves but I still think he beats Fury either way. Joe Louis beats Fury without question. Give both of them modern training and roids as well as fight replays in 4K and Louis specifically would be nearly unbeatable in todays era.

 

Dempsey. He had a Bob and weave style that would make him a moving target that Fury would have to punch down and leave himself open for counters. Louis stood up straight and was a great counter puncher but Fury would know how to use his reach against him in a fight that goes the distance. Both Louis and Dempsey would find Fury’s body and chin, and I think each of them beat Fury, but Dempsey wins by a wider margin

 

Louis would still be small even on roids, he ws only 6'2 and only had a 76 inch reach, Dempsey was only 6'1 with a 73 inch reach, Mike Tyson only had a 71 inch reach but developed a style perfect for beating taller fighters and he was always fighting taller fighters, Fury is far better and bigger than the tallest fighters Dempsey and Louis beat.

 

Perhaps, though I feel his footwork makes this significantly harder, and his lack of much defensive movements especially with his head.... Dempsey on the other hand was mobile as anyone, and with his constant timed movements making himself harder to hit, and being a great inside fighter, might be a more surefire choice.... Fury would be fighting downwards and isn't as solid with his footwork or footspeed so that helps Dempsey too.. IMO both beat Fury, not without a competitive fight so there's that.....

 

Give em those 6 oz gloves and no neutral corner and Fury gets mauled by Kid Blackie inside 6

 

Louis. Funny, Lil Joe wasn’t so little when you really got to compare him to other fighters, particularly in retirement and relative to the new breed of bigger HWs as at the time.

I just watched Liston’s first round destruction of Wayne Bethea. Prefight both Baer bros and Louis entered the ring to wish luck - the monster of the day, Sonny Liston, was conspicuous for his not so conspicuous size advantage relative to the old guard.

Anyway, along with Da Preem, Buddy Baer was Louis’ biggest opponent overall - standing about 6’6 1/2”, biggest at least at the quality level that matters. Fury actually stands about 6’7” himself - NOT 6’9” as per the Bally Hoo.

Of course I’d afford Fury greater athleticism than Buddy but bear in mind that the perfection of Louis’ own executions could make Joe’s opposition look somewhat more cumbersome than they actually were. Just as Ali’s own signature speed and fluidity could make some his opposition look chumpy when they actually weren’t.

It sucks, but Fury could fairly option to tie Joe up, lay on him, maul etc. - very tough to overcome but still possible. Otherwise, in an “open” contest, I could see Joe boxing relatively safe but incrementally stepping up the offence - creating and reactively punching to the increasing openings.

As to JD, I think possible but much less likely. Particularly when the opponent knows to be wary of the sabre toothed tiger that JD could be in the first four rounds or so. JD could pace himself as he did vs Gibbons but be that much less effective in terms of fight ending punches - which he really needs to land early on Tyson Fury.

Also, if JD could put Fury down hard early - and JD’s chances of doing same may be well higher than his actually winning the fight overall - he’d need the old school rules, ala vs Willard, to stay on top and finish the job. Otherwise, mod. rules, I see Fury arising and being able to desperately tie up and smother Jack to avert any further damage.

And finally, without being a suck, I gotta say another excellent thread premise - we seem to be in a “boom” period for same - same great ideas and subjects for discussion.

Of course I’m not 100% sure on all this, no one can be - I’ve voted for Joe if it isn’t obvious already.

A tag team of Louis and Dempsey vs Fury would’ve been nice too. Imagine that? Fook me. Fury would be the framed “villain” of course, in true WWF story telling style.

 

He had the skills but not the reach, his jab would be ineffective because of the gap in reach, 76 inches to 85 is massive.

 

Given that Fury is actually a high quality fighter, I have a difficult time betting on guys who are so drastically smaller than him. It's like dropping a middleweight in against a cruiser.

 

Cunningham dropped and hurt Fury. Haye was a favourite when they were signed to fight. McDermott was robbed of a points win over him.

It isn't beyond either man to beat him.

But I think Louis is more favoured to do the job.

 

I agree with you that they would likely not even knock down Dempsey.
Although do not torch your credibility by rounding a weight well down-or at all.

Might as well say Hagler was 150 lbs.
Also if Fury was the same body fat as Dempsey, the difference swould be at most 60 lbs.
Most of it due to being so much taller.

 

Both kos fury not too much difficulty

 

Okay Dempsey 190, Fury 270, make any difference? Jack Dempsey got decked plenty of times by men who wouldnt even be modern cruiserweights, the idea he wouldn’t hit the floor being punched by a 6ft 9 270 giant is just insanity, Jack Dempsey was HW champ a CENTURY ago.. a CENTURY. I like Dempsey. I named my dog Dempsey! But can we stop with the complete BS please? Nostalgia is one thing, some of the comments on this thread go beyond that

 

Tyson?