Did we potentially miss out on a great Luther Mccarthy-Jack Dempsey trilogy?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by SuzieQ49, Mar 20, 2009.


  1. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    Luther Mccarthy came roaring out of the gate at a young age, defeating many of the top white contenders before he even turned 21...before he tragically he died in his fight with arthur pelkey. Had Luther Mccarthy's health been fine and kept fighting at the pace he did, you think he would have been the one to dethrone jack johnson, and potentially set up an epic trilogy with jack dempsey around 1919 both figthers at there peaks?

    Mccarthy was 6'4 220lb over 80" reach, and ive heard he was one of the more athletic big men of the era.
     
    SuzieQ49, Mar 20, 2009
    SuzieQ49, Mar 20, 2009
    #1
  2. OLD FOGEY

    OLD FOGEY Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes.
     
    OLD FOGEY, Mar 20, 2009
    OLD FOGEY, Mar 20, 2009
    #2
  3. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Maybe. there's no telling how good McCarty may have become, though it's possible he could have been good enough to give prime Dempsey a run for his money.
     
    Maxmomer, Mar 20, 2009
    Maxmomer, Mar 20, 2009
    #3
  4. Dempsey1238

    Dempsey1238 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    If McCarty show any skills to be good or great.

    Dempsey would have fought him like he did Wills and Greb, oh wait.
     
    Dempsey1238, Mar 20, 2009
    Dempsey1238, Mar 20, 2009
    #4
  5. BIG DEE

    BIG DEE Active Member Full Member

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    BIG DEE HERE= Yes without question.
     
    BIG DEE, Mar 20, 2009
    BIG DEE, Mar 20, 2009
    #5
  6. Boilermaker

    Boilermaker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    To be honest, i would be very surprised if he beat Johnson. It is all theoretical but if he was as good as some people think, Johnson v McCarthy would have been built as a massive fight, and johnson would have come in in tip top condition and, imo, he would have wiped the floor with McCarthy, like he did with everyone else he got serious with.

    Even if McCarthy did find a way to beat Johnson, by the time Dempsey came along, McCarthy, like Willard would have lost motivation, been overconfident and probably come in out of shape. If he did so against Dempsey, he would be mauled the same way that Willard was (as would have any heavy alive). And this probably would have taken away the demand for a trilogy.

    I think that a bigger missed trilogy from the era was a Burns-Langford, Hart-Johnson, Johnson-Willard, or perhaps the biggest of them all - Dempsey-Johnson.
     
    Boilermaker, Mar 21, 2009
    Boilermaker, Mar 21, 2009
    #6