I agree 100% ! Up until the mid 1960's most boxing experts had Dempsey #1. In the Associated Press Mid-Century Poll in 1950, Dempsey was voted the Greatest fighter, not just the Greatest heavyweight BUT the Greatest fighter. He received 251 points, followed by Louis with 104, Armsrong 16, Tunney 6, Benny Leonard 5, Jack Johnson 4 and Jim Jeffries with 2. He was also voted the 3rd Greatest Male Athlete, behind Jim Thorpe and Babe Ruth. The people that I talked too many years ago that actually saw him fight, all said he was the best.
A prime Dempsey was an absolute offensive monster. Willard basicaly had the best chin in the era before he met Dempsey. It is probably fair to say that not many heavyweights today could have lasted more then a few rounds against him. Wlad deserves credit for his recent run, but his curent tactics will not see him to a win over Dempsey.
Well said Rocky,Todays revisionists think that our ancestors walked on all fours, couldn't think or improvise...Fred Fulton was a large man and terrific puncher, who Dempsey absolutely destroyed in one round in 1918. Jess Willard was past his prime, but was never dropped before,was bounced like a yoyo,in the first round...Dempsey at his peak in 1918-1923 was a tiger then, was described as having the body and hand speed of a welterweight, and was hard to jab or hit on the jaw ,because of his bobbing and weaving style...Not for nothing was he called "A Man Killer"'in his prime ...His style and DURAN like movements in his prime[pre films],would make Klitschko appear to be mired in concrete...And Dempsey was deceptively STRONG for his weight...He carried most of his 190 lbs from the waist up..Dempsey by early ko over Klitschko, whon to me is robotic...In fact I think a Buddy Baer as big as Vlad with more movement would have kod Vlad...Size sometimes is not an advantage...Speed KILLS !
One thing that I think, is that Dempseys mentality was verry diffrernt to that of any fighter who suceeded him, including Tyson. He worked on much narrower margins of safety than subsequent fighters. He would risk taking a fight changing blow to land one. The gates he generated, virtualy eliminated that style of fighting
I watched both fights and Dempsey fought under completely different rules back then. Different enough to have made a difference in the outcome. Add to the fact that Willard was pretty old to begin with and never had anywhere near the boxing skills of Wlad and it becomes an apples to oranges comparison. You do know that a boxer was allowed to stand over his opponent and essentially fire away when he was in the process of trying to stand up don't you? That's no where close to being allowed nowadays. I agree with the posters who said that if Wlad can get out of the first 3 rounds he likely wins and the way he's been fighting lately, especially with the jab, makes that about a 50-50 proposition. Certainly any long range fight belongs to Wlad, and the short range fight belongs to Dempsey. So it's a question of whether or not Dempsey could trap Wlad along the ropes and unload before Wlad could negate this by his movement. That said, Dempsey's skill set is tailor made for Wlad, so again if Wlad can last a few rounds he'd likely win, if not, he wouldn't.
I think because of the Wills fight that did not happen, Dempsey is degraded on ESB, but you have to remember the times and what proceeded Jack Dempsey s title rein. He was the 1st heavyweight in modern times to generate that type of live gate. Dempsey IMO would walk through many of the unfit Heavyweights in recent times but it is also hard to recreate the times that made the man. I find it hard to keep Dempsey out of my top 5. By the way I think Wills was too much of a stand up target for Jack, who never had problems with Big or small heavyweights. I really think Jack would have stopped Wills but the times were unfair to black fighters and Jack Johnson did nothing to help the white American perception, nor did he do any Black fighters a break because he only fought whites, do you think $ had something to do with it?. Dempsey was still the most electrifying fighter until Joe Louis
Today's "revisionist" have seen a lot more of Dempsey than those old fogey's saw of Holmes, Tyson, Bowe, Holyfield, Lewis or either Klitschko. Jim Thorpe would not even make a modern NCAA track team. That is a fact.
I doubt He would be able to take Dempsey's greatest left hook if he can't even take Sander's punches... Once Dempsey connects, it's over. I doubt Wlad would be able to weather the storm because Dempsey is such a good finisher.
I find it strange how most people usually take the Klitschko's as a package, yet you & I share an appreciation of Wlad and a hatred of Vitali.
