Dempsey and the fall of good teaching.....

I think Ali's technique is vastly superior to Dempsey's

 

Its possible but overall there has been a strong upwards trend in teqnique. When I watch Jack Johnsone I really see very little conventional technique at all, even as recently as Max Baer I think you can see stuff like charging in with a loaded up punch

 

Well, it's true.
Whenever something booms in popularity, you'll find a ton of low-quality dross being passed of as the goods, just to meet consumer demand.
And there's a "gold rush" effect to "be the next Dempsey" (or Louis, or Ali, ..... or Bruce Lee !)
On the other hand, it also creates the interest, inspiration and the numbers to produce some quality stuff too, with the right people involved and a more educated strategy.

So, there's a positive and a negative effect.

 

Ironicaly it isn't.

Take away both of their athletic atributes and Dempsey is by far the superior fighter!

 

I think this is the reason for the dearth in quality in the heavyweight division. Trainers who don't demand discipline and don't demand more quality. And most of the big guys can earn more money for less personal risk in other sports.

There are and have been good quality fighters with good technique in every era, this latest era included. It just isn't as prevalent as it was is other eras. In the 40's and 50's, the talent ppol was so deep in the lower weights that it seemed like everyone could really fight. That wasn't the case, but there were more fighters and thus more quality fighters coming through.

There have always been standouts in every era. To claim that fighters can't punch correctly and do it wrong is a disservice to those fighters who can, and there are plenty.

 

I think the bigger point is 'boxing exploding when people saw how much money Dempsey was making'. That is why we have a golden era around the 40s where the sport is loaded with talent.

Good boxing teachers didnt' disapear post-Dempsey, in fact if anything there was more. It was just as Dempsey is saying there were plenty of managers who didnt have boxing knowledge, there was still great trainers, and great gyms full with competition

 

Janitardatsch

 

Oh so does Dempsey have a better jab than Ali then? Does he punch straighter? Does Dempsey have a Plan B? No, No and No. He does somethings better, ie turning his punches over and sitting on them, but Ali was more of the thinking 'land any punch rather than miss the punch of the century'

Ali fought well past his legs being shot Dempsey did not

 

I agree J...Dempsey with his style of bobbing and weaving, chin tucked in his shoulders,Closing the distance to get in close,where he exploded, was every bit as skilled as Ali, in his own way.
And Harry Greb was skilled in his own way.
And Henry Armstrong was skilled in his own way.
Each according to their own physical attributes...

 

Dempsey's preoccupation especially seemed to be proper powerpunching technique.

In his book, he teaches fascinating --and extremely effective-- basics such as "the powerline", how to aim with the knuckles, "the falling step" with the jab, that instantly improved my performance at the gym. No one had ever taught me any similar "secrets".

And I suspect I'm not alone.

 

Jack Dempsey's style fit with the,,,,,,,,,, times.
A slam-bang style.

Everybody wanted to the see the guy fight.

 

It didn't do him much good.