Did Jack Dempsey drop Two Ton Tony Galento in sparring?

Try eye witness accounts from people who were there. You get your own beliefs and frankly I don't care what you do or don't believe.

You don't get your own facts.

If you want to continue this conversation please provide some credable eyewitness accounts from people more reputable than Lou Stillman, whose gym it happened in (and Ray Arcel) that contradict what they said they saw.

I would like to see them.

And not the hearsay third hand newspaper reports that lazy sportswrites fill column inches with on a slow day either. I worked in a daily for too many years to put any faith in those...

 

If you could please provide the sources for your first hand accounts of Dempsey KOing Galento then that too would be appreciated, other than Mike Casey's article which was taken from who knows what source.

http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers...IBAJ&pg=1825,6892318&dq=dempsey+galento&hl=en

http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers...IBAJ&pg=4260,2282041&dq=dempsey+galento&hl=en

"At one stage Jack Dempsey thought Tony ''Two Ton'' Galento had the making of a champion. Dempsey at one time try to persuade Galento to his Montana ranch to toughen him up. Tony gibbed. ''It'II do you the world of good'' argued Dempsey. You will be right away from night clubs and booze'' What's that said Galento, ''No booze?'' Dat's just stoopid, Jack, Booze makes a guy strong''

Due to Dempsey having so much faith in Galento, Ray Arcel agreed to train him. ''I told Jack it was a waste of time and money but he was convinced that Galento could be shaped into a world beaten and since we were good friends I agreed said Arcel.

Right from the start it didnt work, Galento was just bone lazy. Half the time he didnt even bother to turn up at the gym, and when he did he only loafed around. I soon got tired of this and told Dempsey so. ''Take the guy somewere else, Jack I said ''He's driving us all crazy around here''

On afternoon, Dempsey strolled quietly into Stillman's gym on eight avenue and after passing the time of day with several old pals, walked up on to the balcony while Galento was going through the motions of working out. He was fatter than ever, hopelessly out of condition and quite obviously doing nothing about it.

Anyway he didn't see Dempsey and continued waddling lazily around the ring, clowning wisecracking and grinning as he fooled with his sparring parthers. After watching a couple of rounds Dempsey came down to ringside. He was wearing a beautifully - cut light grey suit, tan and white shoes, and white silk shirt and when Tony caught a sight of him, he waved a glove at the ex champ.

''Hiya'' Jack he grinned. ''You look like a million bucks dis afternnon'' Dempsey gave him a mean look, ''never mind how I look, you big bum he said, lets see you do some work''

Galento must have thought he was joking, said Arcel, because he made no atempt to speed up his work and carried on ambling around until Dempsey blew up. ''Have you a pair of Gloves Ray? said Dempsey. Then taking off his coat, he stripped right down to his white silk, monogrammed underpants and vaulted into the ring.

''Now Tony'' he said ''it's you and me. I'II show you how we used to do it'' He began huming a little tune - and old Dempsey mannerism- and then, as Galento backed away, he flashed into action. Jack was turned forty, but his body was as lean and tanned as ever, and for three memorable minutes we saw the old Dempsey, the muderous, tearaway Manassa Mauler of the 1920's.

He ripped punchers into Galento's podgy torso from all angles, split his lips with a terrific left and sent the blood spurting from his nose. ''Lay Off Jack'' Galento gasped as he staggered backwards vainly trying to cover up. But Dempsey showed him no mercy, he chased after him until I called time said Arcel.

Still breathing easily Dempsey ducked under the ropes and began to dress, while Galento stood shaking his head in a semi daze and trying to wipe the blood from his face with the back of his gloves.

When dressed, Dempsey gave him one contemptuous look. ''That's how we used to fight Galento he said. ''Now am through with you, you can find yourself another manager'' and another trainer said Arcel.

You were right Ray, it was a waste of time trying to make a champ out of that chump said Dempsey."



In fact the only time I've ever heard the variant where Dempsey KO's Galento has been the Mike Casey article where he doesn't directly quote him.

 

Dempsey was 39, not 40-something.
The newspapers say 41 but they are from 1934 and he was born 1895.

It's entirely possibly that he could have knocked out an out-of-shape second-rater in the gym, since he was only 2 years removed from knocking second-raters out every night on his national tour.

But, as you rightly point out, all contemporary reports don't suggest a KO or a KD.

I understand that Galento took a good punch in all his fights, but he may well have been knocked down or out in the gym at sometimes by someone. These things happen.

 

That escalated quickly.

 

I recently came across an old newspaper article in which Galento claimed to have gotten the best of Dempsey in the gym. He suggested that Dempsey had soured on him because he had shown Dempsey up in the gym.

 

I seriously doubt it. Galento hasn't impressed me too much in fights other than through his gameness and toughness. Dempsey on the other hand was fast and deadly, he had footwork and knew how to punch.

 

It's amazing how much one story can tell you about two people.

 

Sometimes hyperbole is needed to balance the narrative.

Dempsey was a great fighter, no doubt. But he was also an entertainment creation the likes of which hadn't been seen before.

 

Damn this was a spiteful post...

 

Arcel said basically Dempsey beat him up but made no mention of a kd....Dempsey at this stage could still probably crucify most fighters for a couple rounds especially ones that didn't move...

 

Until now with the creation of the era of shws.

 

I missed this post. This version seems like an embellishment of the contemporaneous stories, which had Dempsey roughing Galento up and splitting his lip, but leaving on good terms.

 

He and his contemporary Babe Ruth were the first sports superstars. Sure, their exploits were enhanced by writers (although Ruth's exploits off the field Were downplayed) but if they weren't head and shoulders above the other boxers and ballplayers they couldn't have been elevated into the deities they became. Where there was smoke, there was fire.

 

Agreed but Ruth was a far greater baseball player than Dempsey was a boxer. And Dempsey was great.