If there hadn't been the colour line in the 1910s and 1920s?

You are correct...Billy Miske even though he had Bright's Disease,was fighting better than ever,during that time period as his record proves...He was a real brave soul, Billy Miske...

 

The thing about highlighting fighters being ex-LHWs/MWs etc, well Dempsey himself was an ex LHW and supposedly a LHW the night he beat Willard (the weights in the pockets story). Miske, Gibbons, Carpentier (ex LW), Tunney are all ex-LHWs, many of the best of the era were LHWs - Langford included, I don't think its a major issue they are.

Its easy to discount Norfolk as a LHW, but he seemed to do a better against Greb than Gibbons and Miske

Its easy to highlight Wills slip ups, what about Dempsey's? He was ko'd in 1 by Flyn, lost 2 fights to Meehan, drew with Miske before Miske was ill, Firpo nearly ko'd him

I certainly don't think Langford/McVey/Jeanette would be easy work for Dempsey either, would Dempsey beat them all? They are arguably greater fighters than anyone he ever beat

BTW didn't Johnson rate Jeanette above the rest? He could well have his own agenda

To say Dempsey would beat WIlls, is nothing more than guess work from what we know of them both

 

Johnson ,many times stated Sam McVey was the hardest proposition for him, most did not beleive it, since he allways won clearly over him, most thought Langford would be the toughest match,I would agree.
Of course its guess work ,that's what most of this forum consists of.
If we don't take it too seriously, its fun though isnt it?

 

Langford had lost twice to Fred Fulton, who Dempsey had destroyed in 23 seconds.

Jeanette and McVea were prety much finished as elite level fighters.

It was probably best for all concerned that Dempsey didn't fight them at this stage of their respective careers.

Wills is the name that you should be focusing on.