There have been a lot of things posted about Dempsey and the colour line I would like to ask a couple of question's 1. If we swap Dempsey and Wlad ,& Langford and with Tyson Would Tyson of got a shot at Wlad for me the answer is no the colour line would of been drawn. What is your view. 2. If you agree and you also think the colour would of been drawn how would history view Wlad and Tyson 3. If you don't think the colour line would of been drawn back in the day who would of won
The colour line was always part of careful match making as many boxers white and black have said. Wlad has generally looked to take on the best, Dempsey didn't always do this. You can blame their management if you wish. Tyson is also more likely to get a title shot due to the level of excitement and hence popularity he brought to the ring
1. as PP pointed out, wlad has avoided no one. so the idea that he would have drawn the colour line is really conjecture. we KNOW dempsey didn't fight the best out there (for whatever reason). as we can say is wlad won't fight his own brother 3.so wlad against tyson? tyson wins
I doubt that the people of Dempseys era would have liked having a Soviet heavyweight champion, and they would have likley championed any American contender likley to remove him even if they were black. Therfore the colour line would have been suspended.
The Soviet Union wasn't quite established at this time. It wasn't talked about as a factor until the Soviets got the A-Bomb in the 40s. How were the likes of Schmelling seen in the press and public eye prior to WW2 breaking out? Was he a popular champion or seen as a foreigner?
Soviet (Russian , Ukrainian ) champion don't think that would of been more of an issue than any of country at that time
I think (I could be wrong) that the color line was selectively drawn by managers and those surrounding the white fighter in question, even if the fighter wanted the fight. In those days, I can imagine the peer pressure to be on the bigot train was high. I think in the interest in sustaining the idea that whites were superior, they weren't to fight black guys who could potentially kick their ass... That being said, I don't know if Wlad is the type of guy who would tell everyone surrounding them, including press, to **** off and that he wants the fight. No way of telling that. Again, the peer pressure on him would be tremendous. In the case the color line was drawn and Wlad succumbed to the pressures around him, history would look favorably on both Tyson and him, much in the way it does Dempsey and Langford. Also like Langford, Tyson would be the lesser-known fighter with a bit more mystery surrounding him. If the fight happened, it could go either way, honestly, but I think Wlad's gunshyness would be his undoing. Wlad takes time with the jab, softening his opponent up and making damn sure that when he fires power punches, he's not risking too much. Tyson finds a way inside and bangs him up before that happens consistently. Tyson KO6 Klitschko
I see no way possible that Tyson could be kept from a title shot due to so many early KOs, if he kept on winning, regardless of whether it was Wlad or someone else. He was like another John L Sullivan. The colour line is overridden by money. Of course, fate may have intervened. Wlad was susceptible to the KO. What if he were upset by Fireman Jim Flynn and big Carl Morris, like he was agaisnt Brewster and Sanders. I dont know how keen those two guys would have been to get in the ring with Tyson. It would likely finish their cash cow. And Tyson himself did seem to lose focus after a while. Would he let himself go if he wasnt given the title shot. i doubt it, but who knows.