Who Was More Popular At Their Peak? (Dempsey or Louis)

I've read in places that Dempsey's popularity was as explosive as his left hook. I heard Babe ruth was jealous of him. But...Joe Louis was champ for much longer and was far more active. He even united black and white Americans. Which man was more popular in his prime?

 

Dempsey IMO. I have heard many times from various sources that Dempsey was the most famous person in the world at that time.

Although that is an obvious exaggeration (because it was from bias American sources), it definitely highlights his popularity.



However, nowadays, Louis is definitely more famous/popular. No doubt about it. I live in South Africa and almost every non-boxing fan knows Louis. The same can't be said for Dempsey.

 

From what I gather,Louis popularity eclipsed Dempsey's after Joe retired.

 

Dempsey became more popular with the fans after he lost the fights to Tunney in 1926-27.....Louis after WW II started in 1941 when he said"We Will Win...because we are on God's side"...

 

No question that Dempsey was more famous at his peak. That's not to say he was as well liked though, being derided as a draft dodger. Really, what first endeared him to the public after that evasion charge was "Honey, I forgot to duck," after Tunney dethroned him. However, he was the highest paid athlete of 1925 without even defending the title, or having defended it the previous year.

Dempsey's fights set attendance and gate records which remained in the Guinness Book for several decades. Jack's record $10,000,000 in career earnings, which combined exhibitions, refereeing and other boxing related participation, stood as an all time record for all boxers until Ali finally broke it in the mid 1970s. (That record amount of Dempsey's was NOT adjusted for inflation by the way. If it had been adjusted for inflation, I'm not sure Ali would have broken it.)

Luis Firpo became huge in Argentina on the strength of his challenge of Dempsey, despite sustaining a substantial beating in what was actually a pretty one sided massacre.

In my tattered 1933 Everlast Record Book (which I keep protected in a Ziploc bag), just about all product endorsements are accompanied by the autographs of Tunney or Dempsey. In retirement, Jack was commercially huge business.

Jack's title fights got banner headlines on page one of the New York Times, a far cry from mainstream coverage today. He got a cover on Time Magazine. There was little if anything Louis achieved in terms of media coverage which Dempsey didn't attain first.

 

But lets face it, Tyson and Ali are more popular than (Louis + Dempsey) x 150 000

 

They have the advantage of ready made modern media technology though. Dempsey was one of those whose ascension to the top immediately preceded the advent of radio, and helped usher it in. Furthermore, the post Johnson-Jeffries ban on the interstate transport of boxing films was in place throughout his career, which incredibly did not handicap his public recognition. (Imagine boxing being banned from television and closed circuit broadcasts when Ali and Tyson were competing.)

 

Dempsey drew bigger crowds than Louis.

 

Dempsey.

 

Dempsey

 

True

 

Dempsey roll FTW

 

dempsey

 

Dempsey..

 

Dempsey was more famous,whilst Joe Louis was more loved....