[1939 article] Jack Dempsey Trashes the Upcoming Louis-Galento Fight

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mrkoolkevin, Apr 19, 2019.


  1. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    W.W. Edgar, "Jack Dempsey Blasts Galento Bout as Worse Than No Fight at All," Detroit Free Press

    Not since that night, back in 1927, when he was the victim of the now famous fourteen count and lost the decision to Gene Tunney in Chicago, has Jack Dempsey knit his brows and scowled so darkly as he did Monday afternoon when asked what he thought of the forthcoming fight between Joe Louis and Two-Ton Tony Galento.

    “It’s just a downright shame,” the old Manassa Mauler answered. “It’s a shame because it isn’t fair to other young heavyweights to put Galento in with the champion when the beset he can be rated is 1,000 to 1.

    “there are a couple of good heavyweights who should be considered ahead of Galento. Ther’s one right here in Detroit—Roscoe Toles. Then there are fellows like Bob Pastor, Lou Nova, Tommy Farr, and we might even include Max Baer and Red Burman, though the latter two wouldn’t have much chance.

    I wouldn’t say that any of these fellows actually deserve a shot at Louis, mind you,” Dempsey went on, “but Galento should be made to fight them before he gets a chance at the title. The whole trouble is that Tony won’t fight these fellows. And I honestly don’t think he could lick any of them.”
    […] “Boxing, especially among the heavyweights, is in a sorry state when a fellow like Galento gets a chance at the title. It’s not much of a chance—but he might get lucky. Any time two fellows start throwing punches, they each have a chance. But in this case Tony’s chances are very remote.

    “And what has he done to get the bout with Louis?” Dempsey answered his own question in a hurry. “Just exactly nothing in a fighting way,” he said. “He’s going around the country getting his picture taken while he’s wearing a monocle and drinking beer. That’s all. Because the least said about his fights lately the better.”
    […] “Before the Joe Louis-John Henry Lewis fight, I said it was better than no fight at all. I’m chancing that this time and my honest opinion of the Louis-Galento fight is this—it’s worse than no fight at all."
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2021
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 19, 2019
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 19, 2019
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  2. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    I think Galento did well enough in the fight to prove Dempsey wrong on the "1000 to 1" claim.
    ... fought and beat Lou Nova too.

    Galento would do okay against Dempsey's challengers too.
     
    Unforgiven, Apr 19, 2019
    Unforgiven, Apr 19, 2019
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  3. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Wasn't Dempsey disappointed in Galentos lack of dedication, and KOd him in a sparring session? Or is it just a myth?
     
    roughdiamond, Apr 19, 2019
    roughdiamond, Apr 19, 2019
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  4. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    As far as I can tell from the more contemporaneous sources, Dempsey just roughed him up in the gym one day and split his lip or something—doesn’t seem like it was a real sparring session though.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2019
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 19, 2019
    mrkoolkevin, Apr 19, 2019
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  5. Eddie Ezzard

    Eddie Ezzard Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The irony of it all wasn't lost on me, either. Any heavyweight champion who gave shots to either Billy Miske or Georges Carpentier forfeits any right to be superior about another champion's level of competition.

    Speaking of Galento and Jack's challengers, Firpo v Galento might have been fun.
     
    Eddie Ezzard, Apr 19, 2019
    Eddie Ezzard, Apr 19, 2019
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  6. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    The irony of this article, is that Galento would eventually have forced Louis to meet him anyway.

    If Louis had refused him a title shot, then you would have had a situation where Galento beat Lou Nova to become the #1 contender, and then demanded a shot at Louis on that basis.

    Given Louis's level of activity at the time, a collision between him and Galento would have become inevitable!
     
    janitor, Apr 19, 2019
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  7. louis54

    louis54 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Why would dempsey think much of galento.....most posters here don't
     
    louis54, Apr 19, 2019
    louis54, Apr 19, 2019
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  8. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    He was, and they parted ways for this reason.

    Even so, if Galento was so bad, why did he want to manage him in the first place?
     
    janitor, Apr 20, 2019
    janitor, Apr 20, 2019
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  9. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Yes. At least Joe Louis's diminishing quality of opposition can be partly attributed to his high level of activity as champion. He was genuinely running low on viable opponents.
    In Dempsey's case, he doesn't have an excuse.
     
    Unforgiven, Apr 20, 2019
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  10. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    I'd love to see that brawl.
    The Marquess of Queensberry would be turning in his grave though.
     
    Unforgiven, Apr 20, 2019
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  11. BoxingFanOfIranianDescent

    BoxingFanOfIranianDescent Tony Galento was an African American boxer. banned Full Member

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    Million dollar gate bro... Money doesn't lie
     
    BoxingFanOfIranianDescent, Nov 14, 2021
    BoxingFanOfIranianDescent, Nov 14, 2021
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  12. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    In that case, this entire forum is in trouble. Here's a cumulative list of heavyweight title challengers that Classic posters not named "Tim Witherspoon" have faced:
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2021
    cross_trainer, Nov 14, 2021
    cross_trainer, Nov 14, 2021
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  13. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    While I agree that its pretty rich for Dempsey to criticise Louis's title reign, in truth, outside of Wills and Greb, there wasn't much better opposition for Dempsey to defend against.

    The problem with Dempsey is that he didn't fight Wills and Greb, not that he had a money fight with Carpentier that any champion would have taken.
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Nov 15, 2021
    BitPlayerVesti, Nov 15, 2021
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  14. SwarmingSlugger

    SwarmingSlugger Active Member Full Member

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    I believe Galento said Dempsey hit him harder than anyone after they sparred.
     
    SwarmingSlugger, Nov 15, 2021
    SwarmingSlugger, Nov 15, 2021
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