Of the Black heavyweights of the 1920's could any defeat Dempsey?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Arminius, Jan 23, 2009.


  1. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

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    Touche, but stop putting so many lines between paragraphs :D
     
  2. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    The words "see" and "Wills" don't belong in the same sentence, period.
     
  3. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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  4. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    That would be because of his great resume. Because he stayed on top for ages. Fighters like that are't often easy meat for anybody.
     
  5. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    This sounds nice when you say it, but the reality is that a lightheavyweight in Gibbons had no trouble at all in tying Dempsey up. The magic clinchdestroying abilities of Dempsey that you often speak about is just a myth. If there was anything you could do against being clinched, then certainly one of Ali's, Lewis' or Wlad's opponents would've known it. But there isn't. Gibbons clinched him just like Holyfield did Tyson, and again, i emphasize that he was just a lightheavyweight and not bulked up either.

    On a sidenote, Gibbons constantly fought with his hands down asif glove blocking or having a high guard was a foul. Yet he went all 15.


    Look for yourself: [yt]6npcgZUQW4k[/yt]
     
  6. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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  7. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Hey you,watch those spaces between paragraphs!Et Tu Brute! :lol:
     
  8. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I do not think Wills is better than Tunney is, but that is beside the point. We must consider styles here. Dempsey was at his best vs bigger and slower opponents...Willard, Fulton, and Fripo. Will was not fast, did not have an iron chin, and does not strike me from news reads as a defensive fighter.

    Sure Wills could have beaten Dempsey, but I would have picked Dempsey
     
  9. klompton

    klompton Boxing Addict banned

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    Dempsey may have been better vs bigger slower guys like Willard, Fulton, and firpo but Wills was better than all of those guys. Considerably better.

    P.S. I dont know if you consider Wills to still be in his prime at this point but there is footage of Wills-Bartley Madden. In that fight Wills battered the iron chinned Madden mercilessly leaving his face a swollen, grotesque mask but could not put him down.
     
  10. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    By the time Dempsey was prime Langford, Jeannette and McVey were pretty far past at, and I think Dempsey would have beaten them all handily. If Dempsey and Wills had bet in 1920, say around the time Dempsey fought Miske for the title, I'd pick Dempsey by a KO in round 10. Wills avoids an early KO by boxing smartly and using spoiling tactics to attempt to smother Dempsey's punches, but Wills is slowed by accumulative damage to the body and is caught with a combination and dropped in the 10th, then dropped three more times before staying down. The cards would be fairly close at the time of the knock-out. I'd also pick Dempsey over Godfrey and Kid Norfolk without hesitation.
     
  11. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I honestly am beggining to wonder if it was not the white Greb that would have been the most likely to beat Demspey.

    But again, we're into the realms of speculation.
     
  12. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    In a way, it's good that he ducked Greb too, that exonorates him of any charge of racism!
     
  13. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think Greb would have beaten him in 1924 and six months and onwards, he gets stopped at any point before then over 15 rounds.
     
  14. pugilist_boyd

    pugilist_boyd BUSTED UP PUG Full Member

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    wills gets ko,d before the 8th and in the 20,s hes about the best black cont
     
  15. asero

    asero Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    demsey's normal fighting weight is just 190 lbs and he is knocking out 230 pounders.. i see himself as underrated by most