did Jack Dempsey vs Jack Johnson really happen?

The article is considered a fake. The alleged fight took place in a small town in Canada, and Dempsey won via mid round TKO. I think I have the article scanned in on my other server which is not up and running. Being that Johnson would have been in his late 30's or early 40's, the win would not be among Dempsey five greatest. Certainly below Willard, Sharkey, Miske, Carpentier, and Fulton.

However, the event would have been significant, and fight itself would in some forms quiet the Dempsey detractors.

Is there a chance the fight happened? Sure. Keep in mind, back in 1915, some American's did not believe Willard vs. Johnson happened because it was held in Cuba.

As for Johnson's chances vs. Dempsey, counter punchers who like to clinch and play it safe seldom beat fast & relentless two fisted attackers who can punch.

 

:think...Fair deal.

 

I was outbid on Ebay for a copy of the article describing this fight, think it was taken from the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper, I tried to contact them via their website to see if they could send me a copy but got no reply :-(

 

I would not give Johnson a chance with 1919 Dempsey. Johnson's last world class hurrah, was the first 20 rds against Willard in 1915 ,he was allready 37 then, a 41 year old Lil Arthur would not be able to stave off a rampant Dempsey.

 

I'm not sure what shape Johnson was as a 41yo but Johnson's spoiling style could perhaps have given the problems Miske (fight 1) and Meehan managed to

 

If Johnson had won an exclusively viewed fight with the reigning world champion Dempsey then he certainly would have bragged about it.

Dempsey might have won and not really bothered to boast abut it though, I suppose.

It's still unlikely though.

 

I think if this fight had taken place, Johnson would have claimed he won it irrespective, and bragged about it.

 

lolol

yea, I have read three books about Johnson, nothing about a bout with Dempsey, other than there were talks.

GPater said it the best...if it happened, it would have been the best kept secret in boxing lolol

 

A quote:

"Lew Eskin, former Boxing Illustrated Editor, wrote an article about it in Dec 1985 Fightbeat magazine. He asked Dempsey about it who was evasive. The only thing Jack would say is he boxed a series of exhibitions during that time. He asked Dempsey if he could publish the story in B.Ill. but Dempsey said, "Not Now" which Eskin took to mean not in his lifetime. The bout with Jack Johnson was allegedly an under the table affair for rich gamblers."

 

There are links on this site that proved the story was 100 percent fake. It was printed in two papers but the second one left out the first paragraph of the story which stated that this was just dream fight.

 

if ti had happened, we'd have known about it.

 

I never heard about this. You learn something new everyday. This thread is not conclusive proof though.

 

This thread isnt conclusive proof but the thread which links the two articles is conclusive proof that it didnt happen. Surer than if Klompton himself said it didnt happen!

 

Thanks will follow the links