If Jack Dempsey had never been born

I'd say in the long term what happens if he never writes his book?

 

Funny, I think Wills gets a Willard fight and wins easy. But I think somebody, Miske, Gibbons, Greb beats him and then we're into a Tunney/Sharkey era(triology even?)

 

Is it likely that Willard would defend against Wills, if Dempsey didnt?

 

No. That Jack was photographed signing to fight Harry, with Wills getting paid his consequent $50,000 guarantee, is amazing enough. That's as close to challenging for the title as any black contender was going to get between Willard and Braddock.

 

I see a similar scenario. Willard may have had one or two succesful defences until he lost it to any decent contender. Gene Tunney would have become champion and things would have reverted. Harry Wills would still have been frozen out.