Jacks Dempsey ranking - arguments

Excellent post !

 

Head movement with a low guard isn't enough at the elite level, especially as a fight progresses and you tire head movement won't get the job done.

And he isn't that hard to tag coming in, look at primitive Firpo putting him out of the ropes and Tunney tagged him coming in all night

 

A prime Jack Dempsey belongs among the top 10 heavyweights of all time, on any serious list. That's my opinion, based on watching many of his fights, studying his record, opponents, etc. Others are entitled to their opinions, of course.

I met him once, long after his boxing days were over. I talked with him for a few minutes, shook hands with him, looked him in the eye, and instantly liked him! I had time to ask him one question: "Where did that famous killer instinct come from, Jack?" He answered with a smile: "Fear! I was afraid of most of those guys!" I enjoyed speaking with him, wish it could have been longer.

 

Tunney is on record as stating Dempsey was extremely hard to tag on the chin.

 

:****off

 

Was that beating Sam with a Banana.

 

Dempsey remains the hardest to place ... in many ways he might be the most overated ever ... I love him but I just don't know ... he ducked Wills, he was highly inactive and if his last two fights v.s. Tunney were 15 rounders he might have been stopped in both ... too hard top rate for me but he remains a legend ...

 

It is unusual, but Tunney was an unusual fighter. Dempsey didn't just lose the title to an Ex-light heavyweight, he lost it to Gene Tunney, and pretty much everyone thought Tunney looked better at heavyweight than light-heavyweight.

 

Monzon wasn't a top HW. And, yeah, I think Dempsey could have made a fight with whoever he wanted.

 

That's called being respectful to the guy you just beat the living crap out of. He hit Dempsey so often that he had to be guided out of the ring after a mere 10 rounds! What about that knockdown, landing flush on his chin?

 

No , Tunney stated it several times in print , in the 1st fight Tunney nailed Dempsey with a right hand in the 1st round ,it landed high on Dempsey's left cheek,the only time he really connected with Dempsey's jaw was with the left hook that put Dempsey down ,momentarily in the 8th round.Dempsey was guided out of the ring because his eyes were swollen shut nothing wrong with his jaw. A mere 10 rounds? I suggest you watch those 10 rds Dempsey took a hiding.

 

What actually transpired with Tunney, in the 18 months prior to Dempsey I???

Tunney battled a 10 rounder.. ND with Greb, inwhich Greb was only trying to survive in, then managed 3 ko wins, one against Tommy Gibbons... albeit, over the hill.

In this period, Dempsey must have been extremerly confident.. and no doubt witnessed several of Tunneys bouts. The inactivity of Jack, post Tommy Gibbons, has to be ridiculed when looking at his defeat by Tunney.

Tunney had a great record of activity prior to meeting Dempsey.. and inactivity as champion, as Dempsey did.

I guess the time was perfect for Tunney to assume the mantle of H/W champ...

The two bouts have created a huge element of interest.. The dynamite Dempsey being de-throwned by a smaller Tunney..
The long count..
The quality (effectively) L/HW record of Tunney...
..and the nature of the crowds, financial returns from the bouts.

I cant help but feel, Dempsey deserved both losses, and Tunney deserves little Champion honours, due to the lack of defences over the Championship period.

Sometime luck prevails... 'LUCK .... when preparation meets oportunity'..

IMO, Tunney is the greatest LH/W to claim the heavyweight title.. and as Champ, has a poor record. The p4p standing are difficult tp place Tunney in, regardless of beating a rusty Dempsey twice.... over 10 rounds..

Tuneys record is second to few, as was his boxing class of the day.. but as champion, his legitimacy has to be mediocre. Harsh to say... Dempsey was a shell of himself, prime for the pickings.. Heeney was less than brilliant.

I wonder how a young Sharkey may have went, assuming a match was made instead of Heeney.?? Just a shame Dempsey closed to road for a potential Tunney/Sharkey match up.