Most talented heavyweight before Joe Louis?

The lighter divisions were obviously more stacked than the heavyweights throughout history, but there have always been great talents even in weaker eras.
Who do you think was the greatest heavyweight talent before the Brown Bomber, and why?

 

It comes to Johnson, Jeffries and Dempsey, mainly, followed by Tunney, Sharkey and Schmeling.

 

Johnson,Dempsey and Tunney. Johnson's my number one on that list.

 

I would go Dempsey despite the fact that I feel Tunney's educated fight plan was 'smarter'. Dempsey knew what he was doing and its all readable on the boxing book that he wrote. I think Dempsey deliberately discarded some of the finer and cuter technical aspects of boxing in his quest to develop dynamite punching power and speed. He sometimes looks a little crude but he had a plan.

 

Harry Wills

 

Dempsey, the thinking man's boxer.

 

It kind of depends how you define talent.

Greatest natural talent would be Jeffries.

Most talented and complete fighter probably Sam Langford.

 

Peter Jackson is hella underrated.

 

Gene Tunney.

 

Johnson was so far ahead in terms of skills it's ridiculous mate.
Dempsey fetched excitement to the ring hardly ever seen before.
Tunney is right up there too.

 

I think like he could get carried away at times, like you say crude but he had a plan and we only have so much access to Dempsey at his best the rest after Willard is a guy in Hollywood making his money boxing sometimes… why bother training when you can just throw a couple big ones an go enjoy drinks by the pool?

 

Hi Guys.
Interesting question, so I would probably go with either Johnson or Tunney, but then Langford was a truly exceptional fighter, not going with Dempsey for this one, I feel that Jack and Gene could adjust to ongoing events, both fought defensive and attacking, maybe not as much in Johnson's case, whereas Dempsey was more of your walk forward, aggressive, puncher, for sure that takes an amount of skill, but I rate a boxer that can do both, above such, @janitor rates Jeffries as the most naturally talented, not wishing to cross verbal swords with one of the forums finest, and most revered posters, but not sure I see innate toughness, a rock solid chin, and limitless endurance as a talent, more of part of his DNA, something he was born with, rather than honed, if that makes sense.
stay safe @Melankomas , chat soon buddy.

 

Skill & talent are two different things, though. @janitor answered it right for mine.

 

Why Jeffries above Sullivan? Not that Jeffries wasn’t very talented himself of course, but he seemed far less versatile than John L.

 

There was far more to Jeffries than his toughness, durability and endurance though. Many praised him as the greatest and quickest heavyweight technician who ever lived by the time he first retired