What did he die of? I know he was old. Did he die of old age? I guess I'm looking for details. I know Joe Louis collasped in his bathroom late at night after attending the Larry Holmes/Trevor Berbrick bout, and I read he was planning on attending a Diana Ross concert the next day. Sad, but interesting. I couldn't find any details on Dempsey, who died just two years later. Anyone know?
Jack Demps. was age 88 (1895-1983) and died from basic old age... Despite being a real tuff fighter in his youth, he became old and frail like we all will become if we live as long as he did.... Father time took him out.... MR.BILL
He was 87 actually (his birthday was in June) and his heart gave out whilst he was in his apartment in New York. I'd heard that in his later years he started to suffer from Pugilistica Dementia, although it doesn't appear to have been as bad as some other fighters. There was a great quote from his daughter in the Sports Century episode dedicated to him whereby Jack had a stroke and the doctors said to his wife that he would never walk again, she said 'really?' his wife got him a stationary bicycle 'He trained one last time, and that man walked till the day that he died'
His actual last words were, "there is no way for me to make this fight with Death, the Government won't let that happen. We did sign contracts, though."
what was Jacks toughts on Mike Tyson he must have seen his fights! I think Tyson was new Dempsey of 80's
My guess is he will say because he never defended the title against a black fighter...in truth dempsey was likely one of the least racist white guys from that time..he had black sparring partners that he considered friends. Years later bill tate was done and out....dempsey bought him a farm.
As for having pugilistc dementia...I imagine he was fadding some by the time of his death, but hell he was close to 90....from what I understand he was very lucid and sharp at least threw the 1970's.....