Old Harry Wills Reaches The End Of The Line

Dempsey had fought about 100 exhibitions in the past six months, so it's not as if he hadn't stepped into a ring in years. He'd been doing well enough to convince him to take on a current contender.

 

I stopped being in his prime at 23? After Firpo nearly took his head off him, Miske beat him, Meehan beat him, Fireman Sam knocked him into next week.

Yes he turned down a title shot there because he knew he couldn't beat Tunney but he was back in the ring at 37 against a ranked opponent trying to win a title shot against Sharkey who he'd already beat.

Or a real tale of many losses. I forgot the Miske loss (some accounts) before Miske's terminal illness

 

You cleary stated Wills wasn't prime. Don't know why everyone is so angry. I'm just going by styles, I think Wills suits Dempsey. Also to compare a fighter coming back fighting exhibitions to a fighter that is active in live bouts is apples to Oranges. Can't compare the Levinskey bout to the Wills Sharkey/Uzcudon bouts.

 

Look, bottom line is that Rickard and Kearns did not want their tiger to get in the ring w Wills even with big money around for it .. I'm sure Dempsey would have fought Wills but he did not demand it either .. he was not exactly Patterson bucking management to fight Liston ..

 

That is debatable.

 

I don’t think that the available footage backs Wills up very well, but I am certain that he was a lot better than the available footage implies.

A Wills boxed set, would tell you a hell of a lot!

 

It was at least 80 according to this. All those exhibitions ought to have kept him in reasonable shape. He was old, sure, but hardly inactive and rusty.

And how did Louis look at age 37? Would you use his performance against Marciano as a gauge for how he might fare against a prime Mike Tyson? If Wills has his performances as a 38 year old held against him, then I don't see why Dempsey should get a pass for Levinsky.

 

Most boxers wouldn't fare well if the only footage we had of them was at age 35+.

 

Not debatable ... Floyd fought Liston. Dempsey did not fight Wills ..

 

He shouldn't and I agree with you .. Prior to Kingfish Dempsey had been touring for quite a while and having a ton of exhibitions .. he did;t just reappear ..

 

You could mount an argument that he tried to fight Wills, but was blocked by the evil boxing commissions.