The best ever. People who liked white boxers and were around when he fought said he was the best, who am I to argue?!
There's no such thing as "the greatest". Jack Dempsey was a devastating fighter in his prime, there's no doubt about that. A great fighter.
Head to head he was an absolute wrecking machine. In terms of legacy his resume has certain holes, which have brought it under scrutiny in recent years. The number of great heavyweights since his titme, has inevitably moved him down the rankings, but head to head he would have been a threat to anybody.
Iron Mike's Idol, you have to be a ferocious and vicious man for iron mike to look up to you. Devastating punching power, iron chin, speed/agility too came up fighting in hobo camps and saloons for food and $. Durable mean sonnuva ***** lol [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arekKXBuA-0&list=FLNFhMqWSF4cvTaN03XdKYVQ&index=41&feature=plpp_video[/ame]
Obviously the best of his era. Fast and devastating puncher. I'd rate him in my top 20 list of heavyweights,but not in the elite ten. He and Jack Johnson were far and away the best heavyweights until Joe Louis came along.
Given that there is no prime film of his #1 contender from the era and given that he never fought that #1 contender and given that his #1 contender arguably had the better overall resume, this is a brave statement to say the least.
Sure, sure, putting a jab in "his face" sure didn't help the 1923 prime Tommy Gibbons who was a truly great boxer...Dempsey won a unanimous decision from a master boxer,outboxing Gibbons for 15 rounds in Shelby, Montana's 105% degree sun...Not for nothing was Dempsey considered a great fighter in his day by virtually everyone, Harry wills not withstanding..
Gibbons was the true master boxer's left over though, in Harry Greb. Greb alongside Wills would have been a much much stiffer challenge and stiffer jab too I'm sure Miske another man Greb dominated supposedly beat Prime Dempsey before he got sick Tunney was certainly by far the best boxer Dempsey ever faced, it's a pity it took 7 years to face a top contender when Greb and Wills would have been great first defences
Top 5 HW in my book. Please stop with the Wills crap already. No. 1 wasn't Jacks fault they didn't fight No.2 even the respected and impartial great Ray Arcel said Wills had no chance with Jack and he saw them both.
