Hehe.This is the full quote from the Ring Magazine Sept 200.The article is "Boxing Old-Timers - 'Magical or Mythical'" by Phil Berger
It seems that every era has sombody troting out that argument whether it is Jim Corbett talking about how he was more modern than Jem Mace, or Evander Holyfield making the same argument today. The irony is that Quarry specialised in leading chin first more than virtualy all the champions who presceeded him.
1. No I'm putting and end to your Dempsey masterbation session 2. No proof of a dive, heresay and fans excuses does not equal proof, do you also think Wlad was drugged against Brewster. Dempsey lost against Flyn in his prime, he offered no excuse. Your simply excuse making, theres heresay around every excuse, but thats all they are 3. "stylized slugging" = losing to bums like Flynn and nearly losing to another bum in Firpo 4. No you pay attention, your excuse for Dempsey when he steps up against top opposition and loses while being schooled is 'past prime', while ignoring the fact prior to this he avoided the best opposition of his day 5. 'Dempsey is the bestest bestest ever because he had a hard life and that means he beats technically superior, stronger fighters because he had it harder' STFU ****** 6. Your points add up to rating Dempsey wins on heart despite having inferior technique 7. You pick Dempsey based on the assumption he had a greater heart, while ignoring who had the greater technical and physical ability. Dempsey's heard certainly isnt proven given the ducking tactics. Its the same prediction method Gatti fans used who predicted a win over Mayweather. Heart doesn't stop you getting your ass whipped
This is the point I was making from a great contender, although Jerry could be cocky and I wouldn't pick him over Dempsey, the others he mention I would pick him to outbox and outcounter
Fulton was a china chin, Wills put him away in 3 and Wills wasnt that aggressive, Tyson puts him away in 5seconds, Holyfield probably takes his time and puts him away in 2miniutes ofthe first
Dempsey is hsyterically overated - the most overated fighter of all - in terms of greatness. But he is hideously underated head to head. The board shows again and again an inability to bridge the gap between the two, that is the very reason Demspey threads go so. I suggest everyone moves Demspey down three spots on their ATG lists, so even McVey's looks sane, and everybody who's been picking Hollfyield to beat Dempsey easily admits they are on the windup. But basically gents, until you all do one or the other, you'd be as well sending smoke signals to each other.
I actually think that Dempsey, in terms of ability for his time, probably easily qualifies for top 10. But since he was lazy and didn't take on the best he had to face (used the colour line) I can't put him there with good consciense. But if you transport the Dempsey from 1919 into a ring with Holyfield in 1991 I think Holyfield beats him simply because boxing evolved during those years. I won't say that Quarry would beat Dempsey, but I do think he had a point.
Isn't it just too sad that Wills didn't get the chance he deserved. He should get into my top 10, maybe my top 3 from the looks of it. If you have any film of him, please post it.