Is it weird that I don't see anything special in Jack Dempsey?

Yes, and get a brain scan while you're at it.

 

He was the best heavyweight of his particular era. He wouldn't do well as a heavyweight now but he should not be judged by those standards.

 

Are we sure he was the best of his era?

 

It's honest that's the best I can say for it.

 

In terms of popularity he was probably the most popular boxer ever. He had a couple of fights in which over 100,000 people attended, and he was making significantly more money than even Babe Ruth.

 

Get your eyes checked and get an MRI while your at it

 

Basically yes.

Whether he aligned with the better interpretations of his head to head ability, or the worst, it is impossible to see anything ordinary in him!

 

I wouldnt say he was ordinary but hes probably the most overrated fighter in history. At least the top three. Interesting that two of the most overrated fighters in history combined to make the first million dollar gate. Thats the power of hype.

 

That's rather unfair, because they weren't "ordinary" at the time. And the IBRO ranks Dempsey 4th All time and Tunney 11th. No necessarily where I would rank them but they are a collection of boxing historian's who at least research and watch film of who these fighters prior to rating them.

http://www.ibroresearch.com/?p=52

 

almost impossible to assess him based on the jerky old footage available.
Ive been watching him for years then I saw a recent video which had been remastered and I couldn't get over how almost cat like he moved. Like watching a different fighter. The vid wasn't perfect but you could see so much more grace and subtlety in his movements. The poor frame rate of early film would make sugar ray leonard look like ingemar johannsen

 

The first million dollar gate wasn't Dempsey Tunney.... It was Dempsey and some French poofter...

 

While watching footage of the first bout between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey a few years ago, I was stunned to how dominant Tunney was. This is despite the fact that I already knew that Tunney winning a lopsided decision in the bout.

- Chuck Johnston

 

I never said that was the first million dollar gate. That would be Carpentier.

 

Like any boxer you should judgement them in their primes, not near the end of their careers. That's like watching Ali - Spinks and saying Ali didn't look particularly fast. Well that's because at that point in time he wasn't.