What are some boxing myths that can be broken with FACTS?

Burt, respectfully, you over dramatize both Dempsey and the facts ... the bottom line is Dempsey did not fight the number one contender for his title over the course of almost his entire reign. In addition, the man was much bigger than he was, was much better than anyone Dempsey fought in the time period and likely ever and the man fought much better opposition than Dempset ever did. Dempsey's promoter and manager refused to make the fight despite huge public support because they deemed Wills as too much of a risk ... to deflect the facts by playing the Dempsey hater card is simply a device .. I also love Dempsey but these are the facts ...

 

he, respectfully, you under emphasize the fact that Jack Dempsey and Harry Wills SIGNED for a fight which was cancelled through no FAULT of Dempsey
and we all have seen photos of the signing. History tells us that there were "race riots' following the Jeffries-Johnson fight in Reno, and Tex Rickard,
Dempsey's promotor was against matching Dempsey and Wills ,thus Floyd
Fitzpatrick signed them for a bout out of New York. Why is this fact conveniently ignored ? This is what gets my ire up...I do not DENY that Wills
DESERVED a crack at the title.He sure did. But Dempsey and he were MATCHED ONE TIME,and that is a truism.
To make Jack Dempsey an ogre,for not eventually fighting Wills, when he
did sign for a bout,and overlooking the fact that virtually all champions,
avoided giving title shots[or non-title]shots to worthier opponents than the
opponents they fought,smacks of unfairness to the memory of a great warrior
who thrilled millions of fans the world over ! Not to demean my favorite Heavyweight of my time,Joe Louis, who did not give lucrative title shots to Lee Q Murray, Harry Bobo, Lem Franklin,and other black fighters,whilst giving title shots to the likes of jack Roper, Harry Thomas, Al McCoy etc,who were so
inferior to the avoided black fighters Louis did not fight. Or Ray Robinson, by far the best fighter I ever saw ringside, avoided the likes of Holman Williams, Charley Burley,Eddie Booker, Bert Lytell,Coco Kid,all who were better than
most of the guys Ray fought. Why pick on only a Jack Dempsey, while the woods are full of other famous fighters,who for WHATEVER reason, did not
always fight the more deserving opponents.? AS JFK said"life is not fair ".
Give Dempsey a break,I say. He was not saint, but who of us are ? cheers...

 

Yes, I again read it wrong. The best Heavyweight was Buster Mathis at that time, as he beat Frazier twice.

 

Right Henry. I saw Buster Mathis Beat Joe Frazier in the Olympics finals in Flushing, NY.

 

Interesting, Wills looked made to order for Jack although it would be a tough fight I could not understand why they never fought, I thought it was Rickard...Thanks for the info BB

 

Heavyweights who were better amateurs, or at least had better credentials.
Lee Carr (1963 Pan Am Games Champion)
Vic Brown (1963 National AAU Champion)

 

Thanks, Bukkake! You've de-hoodwinked me!

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http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/b-bach.htm

1920
-Berlenbach made the

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but was injured and did not participate in the games

1922
-Berlenbach won the

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at Boston, Ma

Ben Butler KO 3
Charles Maisl KO 2
Lou Ferguson KO 2
Sam Singleton KO 2
Joseph Pepperton KO 1
Harry Fay KO 1
Tom Calliland KO 1
George Rydel KO 1
Sid Smith KO 1
Matt Dunn KO 1
Earl Fitzgibbons KO 1
Charley Saint KO 1
Tom Kirby KO 1
Ben Fehny W 3
Charles Maisl W 3
Andy Zanboe W 3
Oct 13 Freddie Krebs New York, NY LK 2
-The previous bouts were boxing contests

1923
-Berlenbach won the

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at Boston, Ma


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[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_at_the_1920_Summer_Olympics[/ame]

Above article gives Medal summary

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GUILALAH:

Still, an AAU wrestling champ and a Light Heavyweight champ -- I would not want to mess with that dude in a one-on-one street fight.

 

Paul oomph Berlenbach, was probably our strongest lightheavyweight.

 

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Its easy for Dempsey to sign for a fight that he knew he wasnt going to have to fight. Floyd Fitzsimmons was a close personal friend of Dempsey's, had promoted him before, and was the largest and most successful promoter in the midwest. There is no reason to believe that he could not come up with the funds agreed upon. The problem with contract signed by Dempsey was that it had an unrealistic delivery timetable for those funds. This signing took place at time when the pressure to fight Wills was mounting. To me it looks pretty suspect that Dempsey signs to fight Wills at such a time with one of his close friends as promoter and then crawfishes on the deal when his friend cant come up with the first payment and somehow Wills ends up making $50,000 dollars on the deal. If you ask me the whole thing was backroom step aside deal and Floyd Fitzsimmons acted as the middle man on behalf of Dempsey and Kearns.

 

who said that? everyone knows that berlenbach was only a aau champion, never saw anywhere claim any different.

which doesn't change the fact he was a premier fight sport athlete, better than danny hodges' feat.

 

Myth: That Billy Conn boxed and "ran" the entire fight against Joe Louis.

Fact: From the films that exist, Conn engaged and slugged with Louis on many, many occasions during their fight, often INITIATING exchanges. He fought a good portion of the bout right there in the danger zone. It's when he stopped mixing his boxing and slugging and instead went for the KO that he was stopped.

 

Conjecture...

 

I have an article by Dawson, the NY-Times boxing writer of the day who said Tex Rickard told him he was told by the US Gov not to make a match between Dempsey and Wills due to all the prior trouble with Jack Johnson.

Makes sense and seems like the final smoking gun to me.

 

S, if this was fact, which I believe it is , it will not sway the Dempsey detractors of today. It is visceral with them. Facts be damned. Louis did not fight the best fighters of the day, Robinson did not fight all the best fighters of the day,and I am sure other great champions picked opponents that would get them the most revenue, with the LEAST risk. But Dempsey today has a BULLSEYE on his back,while others practiced the "what is best for my career "
strategy,the same way. WHY oh WHY ? Thanks for your input S...:good:good:good
P.S. Jim Dawson was a most highly respected sports writer of his time...

 

"Jeffries could run 100 yards in 11 seconds, and high jump 5 feet, 10 inches....."
Impressive..........
But, is that true guys ?