The best Dempsey beat versus the best Wills beat

Are we talking the Sam of Langford KO14 Wills?

Jeanette Vs Willard is an interesting battle of jabs. Jeanette, who looked a prototype Jones, and Willard, who looked awful but who was massive compared to Jeanette and had a ramrod jab.

 

Harry Wills and his opponents were black and slick. That speaks for Wills.

 

such a naughty thread.

 

I'd put Gene Tunney in the list.

 

1 - Sharkey points but he loses by ko in the rematch

2 - Gibbons points

3 - Jeanette gets robbed on the cards but outclasses the huge giant with jabs and lateral movement.

4- tough one to pick. my gut says norfolk though but I have no justification.

5 - Fulton by ko.

So out of 6 fights the two lists finish 3-3 :good

 

Norfolk used to handel Brennan in exhibitions.

Brennan could of course find something new, but Norfolk should be favoured.

 

1 - Jack Sharkey V Sam Langford

Jack Wins

2 - Tommy Gibbons V Sam McVea

Tommy gibbons

3 - Jess Willard V Joe Jeannette

Joe

4 - Bill Brennan v Kid Norfolk

Bill Brennan

5 - Fred Fulton V Luis Firpo

Fred

 

Fair enough. :good

Dempsey arguably beat better, hungrier, or better-prepared versions of each.

Especially in the case of Firpo, I think that is undoubtedly true.

(Two months after the Wills fight, Firpo was similarly shut out by Weinert, who he'd dispatched in less than 2 rounds a month before he faced Dempsey. After the Dempsey fight, it seems Firpo's already-lax attitude to training went further down with his new found riches and mega-celebrity lifestyle. He was 8 - 10 pounds heavier in the Wills and Weinert fights than the Willard and Dempsey fights the previous year.)

 

Judging from available film only, I'd stick my neck out and say Jess Willard looks well capable of beating Joe Jeanette.

Of course, the films may not do Jeanette justice, and the version Wills beat might have been Ali-esque for all I know ....