Fighters who Sam Langford could not possibly beat.

Yes he did ,but he was referring to the time when he was managed by John the Barber, who matched him against Langford when Dempsey was a skinny kid,it was only sensible to decline that fight and get another manager which he did.

 

I would say a prime Sonny Liston or prime Ali. Or maybe the modern jumbo sized modern guys like Lennox Lewis and the Klitschko brothers.

 

Yes! I win.

 

I think the physics of this match would be extremely hard on Langford. He is giving up over a foot in height vs a good outfighter, and would have to reach way up there to land on the chin. Sam’s uppercut and jab would be out the window. The hook arching way upward might work if he can get close enough.

 

Sounds like another day in the office for old Tham.

 

Good quotes, and I have read them, years ago. Thanks for refreshing my memory!

BUT I don't think Dempsey is saying that he could never beat Sam prime vs prime. He was looking back, and describing how he felt as an inexperienced fighter, i.e, frightened to face a seasoned warrior like Sam.

My quote (post #41) where Dempsey says of Langford "Even at my best I don't know whether I could lick him." is the fairest indication of Dempsey's dispassionate analysis; rather than him describing how he felt at the prospect of fighting Sam when he was young and nowhere near ready to.

Clearly, Dempsey has great admiration and respect for Langford's fighting ability. Even awe for it.

But he is not saying that at his very best he thinks he couldn't beat Langford. Dempsey would have taken the fight when he was experienced enough, if Langford stood between him and the title. He may hold Langford in the highest regard, but under those circumstances, he would go in there and do his utmost to win.

Foreman claimed he was afraid at the prospect of facing both Frazier and Norton...and we know how those fights turned out.

I think that Dempsey would win, but that Sam would be in with a chance. If they fought 10 times, maybe Sam would win 2 or 3 of them.

 

SAM LANGFORD WAS A GREAT FIGHTER.

But could lose the first fight to most ATGs. What if there was no rematches? That means he could not beat them. You have to create two-three fights before you can envision Sammy beating Ali or Lewis etc...

Would Langford beat Ali? How many fights would have to happen for Langford to beat Ali?

Lanford fought in an era before combination punching was an integral part of boxing.

Harry Willis beat Langford 8 out of 10 times.

A 187 pound young Jack Johnson dropped and outboxed a 158 pound Langford (you see? contary to legend size could be a factor to beating Langford).

 

I thought Jack Johnson threw some good combinations in his fights when he actually decided to try. Hell I am in firm belief that jack johnson did not try in most of his bouts....he was THAT GOOD. I firmly feel he was so much better than guys like langford, burns, ketchel, fitz, jeanette, mcvea, martin, Wills, sharkey, corbett, even jeffries. The only fighter back then that could compete with him is jack dempsey, what a fight that would have been.

 

I NEVER SAID THERE WAS NO COMBINATION PUNCHING IN LANGFORD'S DAY.

I said it was not an integral part of the game for most fighters at that time. The people you list as having combination punching in that period are all HOF. Not everybody used to throw combinations like most fighters (normally) do today.

 

I must've been high as hell when I posted that, because I distinctly remember this thread being about Harry Greb.

 

Based on the title of this thread, my list doesn't have any names on it. Sam could possibly beat any of them if he fought them multiple times each...in my opinion.