How Would A Prime Johnson Vs Dempsey Fight Have Rolled?

I go back & forth on it but one thing I always say - I’m very interested to see how Johnson handles Dempsey’s early high-octane assault & combinations. This isn’t Tommy Burns.

 

Johnson isn’t active enough to hold Dempsey off of him.

 

Hmmmmm I have no idea tbh. Johnson's endurance, and durability is legendary (for his era at least) but at least part of Johnson's endurance stemmed from his lack of output. I think either he doesn't step it up, finds himself overwhelmed by Dempsey, focuses solely on defense and loses on points, or increases his work rate trying to match Dempsey which is a losing strategy causing him to fatigue (along with Dempsey's body work of course) and eventually lead to a stoppage.

 

Dempsey rolls Jack on his back in 3 or less.

 

Dempsey outworks Johnson

 

@Fergy Sorry I meant to put this as a reply to you.

 

I agree mate but you voted for Johnson in the poll?

 

Bloody hell! So I did - finger slipped.

Have amended it. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

If Jack Johnson was up for the fight, rather than playing to the often white crowd, talking to his opponent etc then i say we have a helluva fight on our hands.

 

Oh, I've actually never considered this but I do wonder if the reactionary thing to do is look at Dempsey's ferocious work rate and Johnson's relatively meagre output and think Dempsey rolls over JJ...but I'm now wondering. JJ had an incredible, intuitive grasp of range, and whilst I'm sure someone with vastly more knowledge will correct me, he was one of the earliest proponents of a 'modern' defence. A stiff jab, a cross, intended to keep his opponent off balance rather than knock them out. He was also an early adopter of 'jab and grab', and I think possessed more power than many think, mainly because of his accurate punch placement, hurtful rather than heavy. I wonder if JJ could keep Dempsey off and time his uppercut and 'offensive defense', ultimately bursting him up if never fully dissuading Dempsey from the fray? A fascinating fight and perhaps the ultimate 'boxer v brawler' contest, although that moniker perhaps does Dempsey a small disservice. On the grounds that Dempsey, I don't think, fought anyone as skilled as JJ until he was beaten by another boxer with a more modern style and an 'offensive defense' in Tunney, I'm gonna go against the grain and suggest JJ smothers, mauls and bursts Demspey up, taking over in the late rounds and wins a close points victory. I'm actually thinking Ali v Frazier so I'll give Dempsey one from a trilogy with two classics and a purists masterclass....

 

Dempsey was fast, ferocious and powerful. Johnson was a pure endurance fighter who could last all day long and had a pretty good punch himself.
Conclusion: Dempsey could win this but he’d need a knockout and preferably sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t be to his benefit to go 20+ rounds with Jack Johnson.