Do you have Jack Johnson in your top 5 HWs of all time?

The best suggestion might be who did he fight for it?
Smith was billed as champion of this ,that ,and the other,truth is he was champion of nothing, and nowhere.

 

It's certainly unorthodox.

 

Very good way of putting it. Why shouldn't an almost 13 year run like that be worthy of top 5?

Sure, we never got to see him against prime Jeffries (certainly not his fault, but still) and prime Langford, but still very impressive.

We never got to see Lewis against prime Tyson or prime Holy and he suffered two KO losses in his physical prime, but he still makes many's top 5.

 

I've got him comfortably in my top 5, along with Louis, Ali, Wlad, Holmes, Lennox, Tyson, Foreman, Frazier, Dempsey, Holyfield, and Sullivan.

 

Just post your rank, I want to see it.

 

Yes.
Ali
Louis
Holmes
Jack Johnson
Lennox Lewis

 

Yea Jack really blew it there. I bet he could have gotten a purse of maybe 20 to 25 cents for those fights. He must have hated change. White America would have been lined up around the corner to see two blacks fight for the crown.

 

All black title fights drew just fine. See Joe Louis black opponents. Johnson viewed himself as an individual, he didn't care much what people thought.

The press has numerous titles for Johnson to face Langford, McVey, or Jeannette for $30,000.00 or more, hardly 25 cents. Besides, Jack fought Battling Jim Johnson for a title shot in 1913, who was black. He made $$$ for that fight and there were better opponents. The French wanted to see Johnson vs Langford, Jack refused.

 

As mentioned, he had a 13 year run at championship level, that's very impressive by anyone's standards. Plus his impact on society can't be ignored either even if it was mostly negative.

 

Yeah he must have been really pissed off, defending against Flynn for $31,500 ,a guy he had already comprehensively outclassed and stopped.

 

Johnson signed to defend against Jeannette twice the promoters were the McMahon brothers,whose off spring went on to become big in the wrestling world.
The NY Commission vetoed both attempts to stage the fight ,going so far as to threaten any promoter who staged it with having his licence withdrawn.They issued a statement giving their reasons, and so did the McMahon's. I've posted both here several times.as you well know.


Do you know what Langford's biggest purse was?
It wasn' t for any of his fights with either McVey, Jeannette,or Wills for the " colored title",it was for a relatively meaningless inter -racial match with Iron Hague in the Uk,$6000.



Johnson signed to fight Langford and McVey in Australia for Hugh D McIntosh ,he was to get $45,000 plus 4 round trip tickets plus a % of the film rights.When Johnson jumped bail McIntosh withdrew the offer.
I've posted McIntosh's statement as to why he backed out of the deal 3 times on this forum.
This is easily verifiable by anyone interested in the truth.
The last sentence obviously does not apply to you.lol

The three premier promoters of that era
" Two blacks don't draw flies " Tex Rickard .

" There is no money in an all black heavyweight title fight."
Jack Curley .

" Nobody wants to see two colored men fighting for the title"
Jim Coffroth.

ps I have asked you several times to produce a verified offer of $30,000 for Johnson to defend against either ,Jeannette,Langford,McVey,that Johnson refused.
You have yet to produce one.
Yet again I challenge you to do so!

 

A champion is obligated to face his top contenders, lack of money in the fight is not an excuse for not making the fight.

 

He wanted to maximize his earnings while he held the crown as all champions do. Joe Louis only defended his title against 2 black fighters during his reign. That was 20-30 years after Johnson. Johnson would have fought them as he did before he won the crown. If it doesn`t make dollars it doesnt make sense. Those guys were worthy challengers. In a perfect world or country I would hold that against Johnson but that wasnt the case.

 

If he wasn't satisfied with the offers he could always chose to relinquish his title

 

The Joe Louis situation is not analogous because he had no outstanding black contenders that he ducked. None of them were able to fight their way to a number one spot like Langford did.