Dempsey, he set punches up better, had better technique from his feet, to his combinations, he was more evolved.
I think rushing Bob Fitzsimmons is one of the worst things you can do, this fight won’t play out like it did against Corbett. Dempsey’s style plays into Bob’s hands far more
I’m wondering the same thing. Woe betide anyone moving straight into Fitzsimmons’ range. Dempsey will gamble big here & either win big or lose bigger. I see a fight with Tyson being similar, risk & reward-wise, for Dempsey.
Its important to note that Fitzsimmons’ technique and overall style wasn’t rudimentary in his own era, let alone compared to others. Not exactly a viable example of evolution W.W. Naughton said, “Fitzsimmons is not a stylish boxer. [H]e has adopted a system of his own. It is ungainly, but judging from general results it is wonderfully effective. His tactics from start to finish suggest that he is not seeking to wear a man down by constant jabbing, but rather to create an opening for one decisive smash that will end the whole business. He courts rather than avoids a rally. I should say he was exceedingly tricky.” “His awkward position and seeming countrified way of getting about have probably made many an antagonist wonder where he got his reputation, until a fatal opening was left and there was no further awkwardness visible in the grinning Australian. “ “Nobody can imitate him. With his arms rigid and his head well back, he crouches low and watches for an opening. Bob requires less latitude in which to hit than any man living.” It’s always important to remember that in spite of having probably the most bizarre style in boxing history, that Fitzsimmons still had the brain of a boxer. He mentored Joe Gans who looks far more modern than Jack does imo, and Gans later on said that the Fitzsimmons that fought Jeffries could’ve beaten any man on the planet. I have a hard time seeing Jack winning here since he stylistically plays into the hands of opponent, unlike Corbett who’s outside style was bound to make him look even more awkward. Just my two cents
Fitzsimmons was from the era where they leant right back on their back foot and the combinations weren’t sophisticated, they couldn’t set opponents up for attacks as well, that lasted from the James J Corbett era, all the way through to Jess Willard and ended with Dempsey, even in his knockdown of Tunney, he moves his body in a way that sets Tunney up into a bad position so Dempsey can pounce, not saying there weren’t things like that pre Dempsey, but they certainly couldn’t do it as good as Dempsey, Dempsey had better balance, more sophisticated ways of setting up attacks etc than those guys and just less basic errors, and in fairness to those other guys, they had no one to learn from as people did a bit further on.
Not really, we have footage of Gans and string combinations together beautifully same thing with Willie Ritchie, Ad Wolgast and Jimmy Britt who were form the same era as Corbett and Fitzsimmons. Their setups were also brilliant. I feel like you put too much weight in the idea that putting too much weight on the backfoot causes balance issues when in reality, we see it being done well by a Gans as well in his fight against Nelson. He looks like a mini-Fitzsimmons, though much more sophisticated than Bob looks in his fight against Corbett. Gans also does the lean back that Fitzsimmons does, but he’s so much more intelligent about it because it’s just a better performance. Truth is; not much separates the best from Dempsey’s time and the best from Bob’s time. The observers, trainers and fighters who’ve seen the elite of both eras come to a similar conclusion.
I figured Fitzsimmons's main weakness at heavyweight would be his punch resistance. Though he had the punch of a heavyweight, his body was still that of a middleweight (or super middle, or light heavy, or junior middle). If Fitzsimmons doesn't have time to set up his punch, I imagine Dempsey would most likely get there first. Feel free to correct me.
Not impossible given Dempsey is probably the most powerful man of his own size that has ever lived. However, Fitzsimmons also had a chin of his own and had the ability to overcome adversity in spite of being rocked. He seemed to have very good recovery, alongside taking quite a bit of leather from some established punchers like Jeffries, Sharkey, Choynski (who made him do the chicken dance) and Ruhlin who had some overlooked power and outsized Bob far more than Dempsey did
Hi Buddy. You didn't say much, but what you said, was for me, accurate and illuminating, I would imagine Fitz would be wholly unprepared for a rampaging, snarling, ferocious, fighter like Dempsey, and only his redoubtable courage and recuperative powers would allow him to stay upright, but not for long, I envisage a 2/3 round battle, with Jack being stunned and wobbled on occasion, but tearing back to force a stoppage, Fitz going out in a blaze of glory. stay safe TBI, chat soon mate.
