Herb Goldman: Tyson = Dempsey

There are some similarities with Tyson and Dempsey styles, but lots of differences too.
Both were exciting to watch at the opening bell, and drew huge audiences.

 

Dempsey was tougher emotionally, and of course he had Jack Kearns
for guidance...Jack Kearns knew how to make money, and SPEND IT...

 

Two of the most simply awesome fighters of all-time, no doubt.



(Apart from SNV, ofcourse.)

 

you would pick Dempsey to KO Tyson, wouldnt you burt?

 

Yes I would pick Dempsey to ko Tyson were they to have of course studied each other, because Dempsey was more VERSATILE... Kearns
knowing of Tysons early power would have his charge, circling Tyson
until necesarry to get in close quarters where Dempsey was at his rough and tough best.
I regard Joe Louis and Mike Tyson as Dempsey's most dangerous fantasy
opponents...Both had tremendous power and EXPLOSIVE handspeed....

 

I would make it prety much a 50/50 type fight personaly.

 

"When Tyson turned pro he even came into the ring with the sides of his head shaven in emulation of Jack Dempsey. There is no doubt about this. No socks, low shoes, black trunks. "


i used to wonder why Tyson did that. Thanks for shedding some light.

 

I agree with him. I've thought Dempsey was the template for D'amato's style since the very first time I saw film of JD.
I also think Herol Graham had a good look at Randy Turpin.

 

Perhaps Floyd Patterson is being unfairly left out of this discusion?

 

Interesting that you pick Louis and Tyson as Dempsey's most dangerous opponents, you're clearly a huge fan of Dempsey and i respect that, but i personally would pick 'movers with jabs' as Dempsey's problem opponents, guys like Ali and Holmes ..
Fights with guys like Marciano, Tyson and Frazier are fights were Dempsey could really get his teeth into and could come out on top, wereas i cant in a million years see Dempsey beating Ali or Holmes .... Maybe im being swayed by a mental image of Tunney thoroughly outboxing Demspey twice on the backfoot, yeah i know Dempsey had been inactive and was past his prime but Tunney did a number on him ..

I give Mike Tyson zero chance against Ali - Fighting Ali isnt just about stepping through the ropes, its also the psychological warfare that Ali would attack Tyson with starting 12 months before the fight. By fight night, Tyson would be a mental mess, tight, pissed off, angry and then Ali would be talking to him. With Tyson being such a flakey, fragile character he'd be easy meat from there ..

 

Dempsey + Patterson = Tyson

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Not sure about that.

Fred Fulton seems to have been a mover with agood jab and he lasted all of 23 seaconds.

 

I dont think Tyson was that similar to Dempsey.
Yes, there were similarities, but the differences were multiple and stark.

Dempsey fought very high up on his toes, even up to the 15th round. Tyson was far heavier-legged and his footwork was flatter and very unorthodox.
Dempsey was a pure infighting when it got close, Dempsey loved it there. Tyson always prefered to have some space to perform those moves Goldman talks about.

Dempsey had long arms and and used lateral foot movement when circling at range, and could even be seen going backwards when sizing up Willard. Tyson couldn't really fight on the backfoot and was build far stockier with short arms.

Dempsey stalked his opponents with his chin tucked down behind his left shoulder, and his left hand low. Tyson was more square-on and came forward behind a peek-a-boo defence.

Tyson and Patterson look much more similar, but Patterson lacked the sheer explosiveness out of the blocks at the opening bell. That pure violence, viciousness and danger while the ding of the first bell sting rang in the air is really what connects Tyson and Dempsey.