Rare sparring sessions

maybe a good spoonful of folklore to this....but anyway...

......................


"One afternoon, Jack Dempsey strolled quietly into Stillman's gym on eight avenue and after passing the time of day with several old pals, he walked up on to the balcony while "Two Ton" Tony Galento was going through the motions of working out. Galento was fatter than ever, hopelessly out of condition and quite obviously doing nothing about it.

Anyway, he didn't see Dempsey and continued waddling lazily around the ring, clowning wisecracking and grinning as he fooled with his sparring parthers. After watching a couple of rounds Dempsey came down to ringside. He was wearing a beautifully cut light grey suit, tan and white shoes, and white silk shirt and when Tony caught a sight of him, he waved a glove at the ex champ.

''Hiya Jack" he grinned. ''You look like a million bucks dis afternoon'' Dempsey gave him a mean look, ''never mind how I look, you big bum" he said "lets see you do some work''

Galento must have thought he was joking, because he made no attempt to speed up his work and carried on ambling around until Dempsey blew up. ''Have you a pair of Gloves Ray?" called out Dempsey. Then taking off his coat, he stripped right down to his white silk, monogrammed underpants and vaulted into the ring.

''Now Tony'' he said ''it's you and me. I'II show you how we used to do it'' He began huming a little tune - and old Dempsey mannerism- and then, as Galento backed away, he flashed into action. Jack was 40 years old, but his body was lean and tanned, and for three memorable minutes he was the old Dempsey, the murderous, tearaway Manassa Mauler of the 1920's.

He ripped punches into Galento's podgy torso from all angles, split his lips with a terrific left and sent the blood spurting from his nose. ''Lay Off Jack'' Galento gasped as he staggered backwards vainly trying to cover up. But Dempsey showed him no mercy, he chased after him until time was called.

Still breathing easily Dempsey ducked under the ropes and began to dress, while Galento stood shaking his head in a semi daze and trying to wipe the blood from his face with the back of his gloves.

When dressed, Dempsey gave him one contemptuous look. ''That's how we used to fight!!" "

(Ray Arcel: A Boxing Biography)

 

yeah he managed to wobble a sick, past prime parkensions Ali

 

Nice list !

 

154 lb. Jones easily holding his own with 168 lb. Lindell Holmes.

 

Well, it was reported in the newspapers at the time (1936 I think), so it's reasonably credible.
I mean, it wasn't some story that changed grew and over time.
Of course, it might have been made up at the time for publicity, but that can be said of lots of things.

 

Hearns hurt poor old Ali, wow he'd have koed him before Holmes without head guards...

 

ali always let sparring partners work him over....said it got his body accustomed to being hit

 

Yeah, but Ali was in no fit state to be in the ring against Hearns.

 

i cant argue that.
this hearns footage was for the berbick fight in the bahamas...and i'll go against the grain a little here and say ali didnt look as bad in that fight as most reports suggest.

 

Even while having Parkinson's for years at that point, Hearns was nothing to Ali. Ali wasn't hurt, a bit off balance maybe. Please.

 

:good

Ali was buzzed bigtime hence the fake clowning which he always did when hurt, stupid from Hearns IMO.

 

I sure every spotted Duran in with Stallone in Rocky 2

 

spotted him sparring nigel benn on youtube