Jack Dempsey footage: what do you see?

First thing thing I would say from the get-go is fortunately the first fight we have on film of Dempsey (vs Willard) is also the last one of the real Dempsey IMO - other than the sparring footage of Dempsey against Bill Tate in the run up to that one - same problem with Jack Johnson the first filmed fight of Johnson vs Burns is the last of the real Jack Johnson - bit like say having only the film of say Tyson against Spinks and only the ones after that when he was beginning to slide

 

I see a brown bear looking at me. Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?

 

But in terms of clear strengths blazing hand speed and vicious power and killer instinct and finishing in equal measures - only the likes of Joe Louis and prime Iron Mike combined similar attributes to similar extents, quick feet also (uncommon with knockout merchants) and also a great chin and recuperative powers

 

I see what Mike saw watching tape seventy years later: it. Born to it as truly as one can be. A ferocious disposition with the requisite physical tools adding up to a just plain natural fighter. (much as Mike was himself, except with more emphasis on the latter and perhaps less on the former if you scratched beneath the surface veneer)

 

:rofl:rofl How old are your wees?

That's among Lil Butt's faves.

 

The knockdown that resulted in the Long Count is personally the best of Dempsey, albeit an over the hill Dempsey. You actually have to see in slow motion the 7 punch combination that put Tunney down for the first time in his career. That's more impressive to me than the Willard massacre. ..yes the ferocity is amazing but Willard was an oaf..unlike Tunney who was slick and younger.u

 

I'm pretty sure you're on the same page with everybody there, and that nobody rates that (or any) Willard higher than that Tunney. :yep

 

If I were grading him, I would give him an Incomplete. On the one side, we see footage displaying great balance, excellent hand speed and power, a real killer instinct. On the other, we see a guy who seemingly has no plan B, who squared up and lost his composure, who was bothered by guys who wouldn't be prelim fighters today and who frankly avoided/missed the kind of opponents who would go on to define the division.

 

That's fair enough I guess. If you transplanted him into the modern scene, however, you have to assume there would be a compensation for some of that shoulder-shrugging he did and that he'd be more consistently "up" for it and putting in his best with a lighter schedule and higher stakes (with more zero worship and the compulsive loss-minimizing culture of the sport today)

 

Just spent Christmas time with the other side of the family. Many young-ins.

It's a good book. Keeps you guessing.

 

Thank you.

http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=241945

Dempsey and Holyfield are in what I'd call the natural heavyweight range. Both will appear smallish next to super heavy Goliaths, but they're going to easily overpower most any cruiserweight or light heavy in history (and that applies, in Holyfield's case, to even before he bulked up)