Could Tunney have defeated a Prime Dempsey?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by la-califa, Jun 23, 2008.


  1. markedwardscott

    markedwardscott Active Member Full Member

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  2. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    The joke is that Tunney did not win every second of both Dempsey bouts other than Rd 7 of the second. Dempsey took great punishment but he was pretty tough through out the second bout and took a few rounds of the first ... Tunney was a terrific fighter but I like the 1919 - 1920 Dempsey by decision ...
     
  3. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    Louis dempsey marciano all stop gene tunney. you cannot possible defeat those 3 by fighting with your hands at your waist and leaning back with mediocre inside fighting ability. you just can't. Tunney matches up much better vs george foreman than those 3.
     
  4. Stonehands89

    Stonehands89 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The first Greb bout testified to Gene's toughness. However, in terms of artillery, Dempsey was more dangerous than Greb. Greb was a swarm of bees, but Dempsey had AK-47s attached to his shoulders.

    I am in the untenable position of believing that Dempsey would do better against Tunney than Dempsey himself believed.
     
  5. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    So I'm not the only one who noticed the parallels between Dempsey's championship career and the first part of Rocky III.
     
  6. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I'm sorry, how many KO's did Greb have in his career? I'm also pretty sure he was a middleweight.
     
  7. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I agree, I get kind of tired of people saying Dempsey lost every minute of both fights outside of KD. They were both tough fights for Gene, though Dempsey was thoroughly out boxed both times.
     
  8. pugilist_boyd

    pugilist_boyd BUSTED UP PUG Full Member

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    prime dempsey clips the legs of the backpeddler and bashes him inside of 6
     
  9. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I would go with Jack, his legs were stiff in the Tunneys fights, he was rusty and past his prime but still managed the long count
     
  10. guilalah

    guilalah Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I mostly agree. The last punch of the sequence seemed to land flush on the cheek, and Jack's footwork seemed to be going opposite to the punch. The other punches (than the first two and the last) seemed to just graze.

    Prime vs Prime, I favor Dempsey slightly. I sure wouldn't say Tunney couldn't win, though.
     
  11. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    A bit of both I think.a prime Dempsey catches Tunney I feel but his style would allways give Jack trouble.
     
  12. Muchmoore

    Muchmoore Guest

    :good

    I'd pick 1919 Dempsey over Tunney, but like you said Tunney's style always gives Dempsey problems. The difference is prime Dempsey could catch up to anyone, the Dempsey that fought Tunney was slow and stiff but still managed to nearly put him away in the rematch.
     
  13. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Tunney said he noticed the difference in Jack ,immediately he climbed into the ring for the return,Dempsey was all springs and wires a pacing Tiger ,unlike the first fight where he appeared disinterested,the ring action with Gene and Sharkey had benefited him,to the extent he was as good as he could be given his years of good living and high life.
     
  14. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The difference is power and size. Dempsey was much more powerful, much bigger and much stronger than Greb.
     
  15. pugilist_boyd

    pugilist_boyd BUSTED UP PUG Full Member

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    prime dempsey catches him before round 6 and there is only more punishment if tunney rises