Dempsey intrigues me more than ever....despite the efforts of some modern day revisionists who tried their best to devalue him....and still do.
Man, what a beating he put on Willard, but ironically, it's his final two fights...vs Sharkey and Tunney that fascinate me the most...that 7th round power he displayed,,,he was as deadly as a rattlesnake.
Very true. How CLOSE he came to rewinning the championship. First in a losing fight he kos the no 1 contender with one punch. Then kos the champion pretty much with that same one punch. Thrilling. Can you imagine the roar of that crowd in the seventh round of both fights 90 years ago? It must have shaken the ground.
Met Dempsey at his NY restaurant in 1974 before it closed....shook his hand and talked to him for a bit! So cool!!!
It sure was Cobra...I was almost 20. He shook my hand....I asked him what he remembered about getting knocked out of the ring by Firpo in 1923...ha said,"Not much!". It was a thrill. Very nice man....
British boxing writer Reg Gutteridge once said..."Dempsey was once the most powerful,...ruthless,...and dangerous unarmed man in the world!!!" Quite the statement...
Devalue is the wrong word. Evaluate who he fought, when he fought them, and who he beat and lost to combined ( Flynn and Meehan ) with film study is fair. JD, wasn't shy about kidney punches, rabbit punches, and low blows ( show in these highlights ) to hurt his opponents, which at times lead to the stoppages. The neutral corner rule, hurt Dempsey. His prime was quick as well. While you can't fault Dempsey for fighting in a lower talent time at heavyweight, you can say he did not fight Willis or Greb. Both would have been filmed and done wonders for his resume had he won.
Met Dempsey a few times myself in the restaurant....what a handshake he had...yes just seemed to be a great guy...the bloodthirsty gentleman as Tyson would say....great cheesecake by the way..thznks
