Why didnt Wills fight Greb,Tunney,Gibbons,Godfrey?

I dont think Ive ever written that Greb called out Wills. He may have but (and this is without me checking notes) it was probably more in the line of "Ill fight Wills, Gibbons, Firpo, Brennan, and anyone else in order to face Dempsey." As far as I know he never actively lobbied for a match with Wills and I have more than one direct quote in interviews stating that hes the best heavyweight in the world regardless of color. He basically felt that there were two men in the world who would without a doubt beat Dempsey, Wills and himself. He was smart enough to know that Wills would never get his shot and if the public wanted a white a contender then Greb felt like he was logically it and I have to agree. Until 1925 Greb proved himself without a doubt to be the best man to face Dempsey by virtue of all the top light heavies and heavies he beat and usually very easily.

 

"Why shouldn't he fight Gibbons or Greb?"

You seem to be implying that these fights were not made because Wills did not want them to be made. Can you produce any evidence that either of these men sought a fight with Wills? Without evidence that Gibbons or Greb really were lobbying for a fight with Wills and/or that there was a great public clamour for such a bout, this is just sort of off the wall. Frankly, off the result, Norfolk should never have been allowed into the ring with Wills. He was because it was one of the few good paydays open to either of them.

Other than Miske, who was the best heavyweight Gibbons defeated?

 

"Wills wouldn't fight him"

Give evidence of this. When was Wills offered a contract to fight Greb? How much of a purse was he offered? Who was talking up this fight? Who was the promoter?

"Miske was a big scalp."

Okay, but he had been beaten by Greb and Norfolk twice each.

And one other question--How many black heavyweights did Tunney, Greb, and Gibbons defeat? Were there any?

One of the most impressive names on Tunney's list would be Jack Renault, but Tunney did not defeat him. The referee stopped the fight and declared it a no contest because the two men were not fighting.

 

You are assuming that Wills would have gotten a shot at Tunney and if he defeated Tunney he would have gotten a shot at Dempsey, and that in fact the Tunney fight was actually on the table. I don't think any of that is true or even plausible. Wills had waited seven years. He knew time was running out and so it was. He wanted Dempsey.

"Mullins gambled that public pressure, etc"

Well, Wills had already fought two eliminations without result. Other than public pressure, what weapon did Wills have. If Wills had fought and beaten Tunney in 1926, Dempsey would probably have defended against SHARKEY in 1927 with the promise that Wills might get a shot at the winner.