Jack Johnson vs Harry Wills

I think that Wills generated a lot more column inches during his prime than we give him credit for.

If you read papers from that period, they often talk about Wills more as McGrain does, than as became the norm later.

 

Sure .. Wills was the top heavyweight while Jeff was champ as well ... let's not forget Wills was over five years older than Dempsey ...

 

Will is one of the most tragic stories in heavyweight history when contrasted with the Dempsey legend ... incomprehensible to me that Dempsey managed to duck the top contender of his entire reign, a larger man and a man who fought much better opposition than Dempsey ever did ... this remains , to me , a stigma Dempsey never escapes from ..

 

I'm not sure a 1915, 32yo Langford beats a 230lbs 34yo Jeffries. Langford did also lose to Jeanette and Mcvea that Johnson seemed to dominate. Now Mcvea and Jeanette according to their records were inexperienced BUT given both were recording world class wins and Johnson/Jeanette say they fought more times than were actually recorded, I question if they did have unrecorded fights and more experience. Either way they did put together some world class performances during the time Johnson beat them, so quality wins all the same. Then there's Denver Ed Martin, Ketchel, Childs, Flynn, Kauffman and Burns. Johnson certainly has the greater depth

Johnson also seemingly beat Langford pretty easily. Against Jim Johnson he had a broken arm, so not really indicative of his general talent

Granted Wills did fight at a high level, but he seemingly didn't look quite as impressive as Johnson, whether that's the case or not we'll never know

 

I think there is no doubt that Mcvey improved after his last fight with Johnson ,[in 1904]. I would suggest that Johnson did also ,including adding 20lbs of muscle to his frame.

 

I would pick Langford over post-prime Jeffries without a doubt, he'd not bide his time like Johnson and, if the strength isn't too much he'll land with brutal force on Jeff' in close.

I would say that was a depleted version of Jeff that was there for the taking, by Johnson and quite a few other top notch Heavys. Langford, on the time specified here, was definitely of that caliber. Film supports this.

 

I wouldn't rule out Langford beating Jeffries, it's hard to pinpoint how good Jeffries was prime or past prime, but we're talking about a 180lb blown up 160lb pressure fighter against a very physical 220-230lb man.

I don't quite buy the 'Jeffries was there for the taking', he trained his ass of for that fight and showed up in shape. His stamina would have faded. But against a smaller 2 fisted brawler that he can lean on that is less of an issue

 

He was not just a 'pressure fighter' either.

 

Completely speculative

He looks tubby in some of his pix, whether that was at 180 or higher I'm not sure

 

Well, I can 'comprehend' ..... In that time, there was a mix of pressures, some pushing for Jack to meet Wills, others apprehensive about the potential fallout of such a fight; and Jack's big paydays were in Rickard promotions, and Rickardhad sworn off mixed race title fights. So I can comprehend how the fight didn't happen -- Dempsey didn't have the biggest carrot dangling infront of his nose; and for every person behind Jack holding a lit newspaper to his balls trying to get him to move, there was another person with a fire extinguisher .....

I can comprehend. Very, very, very unjust that Wills didn't receive a shot, though.