Jack Dempsey on Boxing from 1950

TV did'nt take hold untill mid 50s, the Ring itself did commentaries to the effect.

True it started earlier, but like anything it took a few years to get going. By the mid 1950s and beyond all the small boxing venues began closing down, because as stated thoughout this thread, the number of fighters dwindled desperately.

 

They were already saying TV is killing boxing as early as 1950 :

[url]http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dhAmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TE4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2849,754598&dq=tv+killing+boxing&hl=en[/url]

[url]http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XmNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CPIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6542,379445&dq=tv+hurt+boxing&hl=en[/url]


[url]http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pUg1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=rXEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4689,4572750&dq=tv+hurt+boxing+small+clubs&hl=en[/url]



A detailed article from February 1953, stating most of the small clubs have already folded :

[url]http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bzFdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E1sNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3715,3919488&dq=tv+boxing+small+clubs+closed&hl=en[/url]

 

1946-1955

Heavyweights--Louis, Walcott, Marciano

Lit Heavyweights--Charles, Moore, Johnson, Maxim

Middleweights--Zale, Cerdan, LaMotta, (Robinson), Olson

Welterweights--Robinson, Gavilan, Basilio

Lightweights--Williams

Featherweights--Pep, Saddler

Comparing this to the Dempsey era, I think it stacks up okay.

I'll pass on heavies,

This era has the edge at lt heavy, welter, and feather over Dempsey's.

Dempsey's era wins at middleweight and lightweight with Greb and Leonard.

One problem with the heavyweight division during the Dempsey era--it was really two divisions--white and black--with the best of each division rarely meeting each other.