From Dink Carroll, Playing the Field, The Gazette, Sept. 23, 1955, p.24: "Here are his conclusions: James J. Corbett would have won the decision by a wide margin. Bob Fitzsimmons would have scored a technical knockout. James J. Jeffries would have flattened Marciano. Rocky would have stopped Marvin Hart. Rocky would have beaten Tommy Burns. Jack Johnson would have knocked Rocky out. Jess Willard would have out-pointed the present champion. Dempsey does not say how he would have done against Marciano but Jack is not a boastful type." (Meant to post this a while ago but I guess I forgot.)
I've read all of Dempseys autobiographies and the major biographies and yes he never boasts about himself. If anything he dr downplays himself and when asked how he would fair against other fighters 9 out of 10 times he always picks against himself. Very very modest man. Always a class act regardless of how people feel about him.
Think Dempsey’s eyes deceive him. The idea that any pre 1930s guy could compete with the HW champions after is laughable...literally when you watch the videos you laugh at the odd style lack of jabs overt clinching and lunging head first punches. Took James Jeffries 12 rounds on average to KO an opponent. He’s not flattening anyone. These men may have been physically fit to compete anytime but the styles are all primitive and wrong it’s like a different sport. Johnson and Jeffries were great and all but with their styles they would get outclassed by amateurs.
You seem to be going to great lengths, to prove that fighters have always thought that subsequent eras sucked. OK I get the message!
No, his mean KO was 6.4 rounds, and the median was 4 rounds. And consider he KOed 8 of his 22 opponents in 3 rounds or less, I'd say he flattened enough of his opponents.
The both had plenty of trouble with lightheavies. I'll give them that. But Marciano was likely a much refined, more damaging version of Sharkey who gave Jeffries all he could handle.
Literally every heavyweight struggles with light heavyweight or someone from the lower weight classes Corbett was beaten by a middleweight Hart was beaten by a middleweight Johnson was knocked down by a middleweight Dempsey was taken 15 rounds for the first and only time in his life, and then beaten x2 by light heavyweights Sharkey was beaten by light heavyweights Louis was outboxed for 13 rounds by a light heavy Jersey Joe Walcott was beaten x2 by a light heavy Patterson was beaten by a light heavy Ali's first cut came from a light heavyweight Larry Holmes was beaten by a light heavyweight x2 (last fight was suspect) Mike Tyson was beaten by a cruiserweight Evander Holyfield was beaten by a light heavyweight Etc etc etc You know what's different about Marciano though? The 2 he fought are generally considered to be the greatest light heavyweights of all time.
But one things Jeffries was a straight puncher..In a 1905? newspaper article Joe Gans said it wasn't Jeffries huge bulk and strength as why he was champion. But Jeffries he said was "One of the most accurate punchers in the business" He said Sharkeys disadvantage was he was a "Hooker" But Jeffries a "Straight puncher" In the Jeffries Sharkey fight Jeffries applied "Straight right drives" To Sharkeys ribs and ended up breaking a couple ribs i believed. Gans said if "Sharkey had been taught to straight punch early in his career he might have won the title" The article was about how straight punches are superior to hooks
[ You know what's different about Marciano though? The 2 he fought are generally considered to be the greatest light heavyweights of all time.[/QUOTE] Marcianos victory over Ezzard Charles. To me is a ranks him higher then being undefeated. Ezzards an All Time Great. For a guy whose not near a good boxer as Ezzard. to beat Ezzard up like that. Ezzard went from a winning fighter before he fought Rocky . Then a losing fighter afterward. Marciano could fight. Regardless people say . Dude could fight
