Of the Black heavyweights of the 1920's could any defeat Dempsey?

Given that Wills' resume is as good as if not better than Dempsey's, he definitely COULD defeat Dempsey. Whether he would, who knows.......

 

I would be inclined to say not.

Wills was the best of the bunch and while a great fighter he would have been a good match for Dempsey stylisticaly. It is also probable that Demp[sey would have got him on the decline.

Who knows what George Godfrey could have been. Dempsey himself thought that he was more dangerous than Harry Wills and said that he was the best heavyweight around after Gene Tunney retired. He is a bit of an enigma.

As for fighters like Kid Norfolk and Battling Siki Dempsey would have anihilated them.

 

I don't think so Godfrey was big and strong but not over quick,Dempsey mauled himin sparring ,Wills I think would have been stopped too ,but he should have had his chance .

 

When Bill Tate was sparring with Jack Dempsey it was a bit like when Greg Page was sparring with Tyson.

He was spent but still had usefull skills.

 

Dempsey's long tenure as champion left him vulnerable, so it's a possibility that a fighter like George Godfrey could have crashed the party when Jack's mind was on everything except the ring.

Still, logic says to go with Dempsey. That blip with Firpo was mythologized for a few reasons, but Dempsey was made for those types of brawls, simply he was not in as bad a shape as he'd have you believe. Dempsey trumped Tyson in that he was not just the destroyer but the conqueror; if bit he'd bite back twice as hard.

That's the general rule why Wills or Godfrey would likely have never beaten Dempsey. They'd come looking for trouble and get more than they could handle from a guy with greater speed, know-how and tenacity.

 

Sorry but that's hogwash. Wills is a great fighter that equal Dempsey in many areas and to just write him off like that makes no sense. Firpo nearly beat Dempsey (should've won by DQ, in fact) and had him down twice. Firpo was big and strong but had worse skills than most of the amateurs in my gym, during a primitive time of gloved boxing. Wills beat everyone Dempsey beat, plus he beat the guys Dempsey was avoiding, i.e. Langford, Jeannette & co.

I know a lot of people want to retain the existance of their hero by saying that "Wills would've had no chance anyway", but fact is that he would've been the best fighter Dempsey had ever faced and had a good chance of beating him.

 

It all comes down to Wills put up a check for a fight with Dempsey, and it bounced. So no fight. So it is Will's fault no fight ever happened.

 

Does anyone believe any of the black contenders would have got a decision against Dempsey even if they deserved it?

 

It was not Wills that made the check bounced. It was the promoter of the fight that did that. It was not Wills fault.

I think sometime after 25, Wills would have taken Dempsey imo. Dempsey was having a 3 year break. And 2 years before that. That type of rust would ruin Dempsey vs a top fighter like Wills. Tunney prove it.

 

It's sad racism kept so many great fights from happening in those days.

 

Untrue.

 

Dempsey is slain by his detractors because of his title reign, not his ability.

When Dempsey beat Willard he was the best fighter in the world, no question. By the time the Wills fight could have materialized, Harry was on the slide.

Stylistically, Wills does not follow the blueprint to undo Dempsey. Firpo found success in feigning injuries, taking knees and flailing, which while looked messy has been proven to be hazardous to conventional styles. If you're a willing slugger then you're a danger man.

Wills more than deserved his shout, but if Dempsey was 'on', without being biased, it may of been a blitz. Dempsey's style and choice of punches were made for the destruction of larger men.