Harry Wills ,longtime standout challenger for Jack Dempsey's title,was frozen out of the title picture because of his colour.An eliminator was proposed between Wills and Tunney,Tunney had previously balked at fighting Wills but said he would fight him ,with the winner to take on Dempsey. Wills, as the number one challenger refused the fight, and Tunney got the title chance. Wills was around 35 at this time, and probably did not want to risk his status as the most deserving challenger, to Dempsey. Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of Wills not getting his title chance ,what would have happened if he had taken on the rising Tunney at that point?
He'd have been soundly beaten at that point and Wills' detractors would then have written him off. It's a sad story for Wills but at that point it would have been even worse if he'd have fought Tunney.
Wills had a chance to meet Tunney. He balked. Wills also had numerous offers to face George Godfrey ( when both were close enough to their primes ) in what would been a high stakes interesting match, and also passed. While Wills for sure earned a title shot with Dempsey, history seldom examines the opportunities he passed on.
Part of Will's legend is based on NOT fighting either Dempsey or Tunney...both would have beaten him, IMO. Dempsey with fire and Tunney with ice.
You base this on extensive viewing of Wills I take it. We don't know how good Wills was and have no idea how he'd do against either. What we do know is he beat a higher level of competition than Dempsey did
Wills would have likely lost a decision as he was already past his prime while Tunny was entering his own ... Wills saga is one of the more tragic in heavyweight history .. he was a terrific fighter robbed of a shot by a man considered to be a legend ... pretty amazing to me .. there is a famous photo of late middle aged Dempsey and Wills together and it says it all ... Wills looks sad and Dempsey looks embarrassed ...
By the time Tunney was relly gunny for Dempsey, Wills and even Dempsey were past it. Tunney beaten Wills would have proven as much as Tunney beating Dempsey in 1926. A Era was at its end. Prime for Prime is a other story, but at this point, Wills was on the way out. Dempsey prove that you dont even have to face the number 1 guy for 7 years. It was not I face him sooner or "later", but never.
I think that Tunney would've beaten Wills emphatically - possibly even stopped him - I rate Tunney very very highly - one of the best boxers in heavyweight history - I'd personally rate Wills just below the status of world champion - he was what he was - he had his ass handed to him enough times before and after by definately worse fighters than either Tunney or an old Dempsey - very good fighter he was but when it comes down to it he got beat by Jack Sharkey & Paulino Uzcudun pretty emphatically - on the down side he may have been (and against Uzcudun he didn't look to have very much punch resistance at all really) - if Sharkey could box him to a standstill then Tunney certainly could and if Uzcudun could KO him then Dempsey would've and quicker
Wills was too old and slow to win by 1926, Tunney would have soundly outpointed him. A prime Wills would have been difficult for Tunney based on sheer size alone though, as Tunney never fought a man that big. Difficult to say exactly how it would go without much film of the man.