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

Wills reputation rests largely on his wins over the Black Dynamite trio of Langford ,McVey,and Jeannette.His earliest win over Langford was when allready 31 around that time Langford was floored and kod by Fred Fulton,plus Langford came back to ko Wills ,though conceding 9inches in height.Mcvey too was on the slide.Jeannette was 35 and 40years old.Smith was washed up and Denver Ed Martin was 40.His other wins a dreary points win over Firpo and a 3rds ko over Fulton had been bettered previously by Dempsey koing Firpo in 2 flooring him 7 times and taking Fulton out in 1 rd.
I think Wills is a little overated.I would pick Tunney to beat Wills,and Possibly Sharkey too if they met in their primes

 

Its like this at the end of the day.

Based on what I know I would pick Dempsey over Wills.

On the other hand if Harry Greb had drawn the colour line against Tiger Flowers I would probably have picked him over Flowers so you never know.

Wills has for many years been the most overlooked and underrated heavyweight in history and it is right that his career is being reasesed due to historians such as K Smith. On the other hand it is just possible that a few of his more overzealous suporters have overcorected in his favour slightly.

 

Well put, Janitor. My stance exactly.

 

Wills defeated Langford three years before Fulton defeated Langford. You are making a big fuss about height, but Langford conceded height to almost every heavyweight he fought and often a great deal of height. He actually weighed over 190 lbs for most of his fights with Wills.

"I would pick Tunney to beat Wills."

Perhaps, but Tunney never fought, let alone defeated, anyone nearly as large as Wills. What we do know is that Tunney beat Dempsey twice when Dempsey was the same age as Wills would have been in 1920 and 1921.

 

Funny, I still pick Greb over Flowers, go figure.

 

What is your source for Langford weighing over 190 for most of his fights with Wills?
As to Tunney never beating a man as big as Wills,you could easily say Wills seldom beat a man as big as himself.Jeffries made his name koing smaller men ,that doesnt mean he would not have kod bigger ones does it?
Wills wins over Langford may prove he was a better heavyweight than Sam,but then he had all the physical advantages,I have seen nothing that makes me beleive Wills was a better heavy than Jeannette or McVey.If we factor in that Godfrey did business in an unknown number of fights ,he may well have been Wills equal too.
A big deal about height? I think up to 9 inches advantage IS a big deal,as Fulton proved when he speared Langford 's face into a gory mess ,flooring him in the process.