[RING, Dec. 1962] 40 Experts Pick Greatest Heavyweight (Dempsey wins)

Elmer Ferguson (Montreal Star):
I think that Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because Jack could take out almost any opponent with a single punch; he had a knockout wallop in either fist; he had unquestioned courage and stamina, as he proved in the fight with Jack Sharkey, when he absorbed a severe beating before winning by a knockout, also a 1-punch blow; in that fight too he displayed the instinctive mentality of a real fighting-man by taking advantage of an unusual and unexpected opening. Dempsey never won nor lost a fight on a foul. He was the real championship image of a ring champion for the mythical person. The Man in the Street, because he fought like one. He had true color and personality, and the honesty of his myriad battles was never once questioned.

Jack Cuddy (UP):
Dempsey was the greatest because he could do everything well. He had excellent ring technique. He was a terrific puncher with either hand, had stamina to come back when hurt and was rugged. Jack was the first heavyweight to use the modern bob and weave style of fighting.

Ned Brown (Veteran Boxing Writer):
Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because all of his ring battles were epics. Even his two defeats )(long after he had passed his peak and had been practically retired by Gene Tunney, were thrillers. He had all the attributes of a real champion.

Frank Graham (N.Y. Journal-American):
I think Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because as far as I am concerned, he made out such a strong case for himself that I can think of nothing to add to it.

Dink Carroll (Montreal Gazette):
Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because of his speed, his punching power, his ability to take a punch, his magnetism in and out of the ring (he was the first to draw a million dollar gate and he is still the most popular of all fighters) and the good he did for boxing.

Sam Cohen (Bridgeport Herald):
I think that Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because, despite his failure to meet Harry Wills, he established himself as a tremendous fighting machine. He was well over the hill when he boxed Tunney yet through a fluke was deprived of scoring one of the greatest victories in ring history in their rematch.

Harry Grayson (N.E.A. Service):
The greatest heavyweight of all time was Jack Dempsey. He has tremendous speed, could punch as fast as anybody with the possible exception of Joe Louis. Jack was murder with either hand and was grossly underrated as a boxer. He was dead game, liked to fight and train and was a proud guy, which made him hard to beat.

Jersey Jones (The Ring):
At his peak, Jack Dempsey was the most dynamic and devastating heavyweight this commentator has ever seen. At the age of 24, measuring 6 feet, 1 inch in altitude and scaling 183 pounds, Manassa Jack had speed, strength, better than average boxing skill, lusty punching power and a blazing spirit. His bobbing, weaving style made him a difficult target to hit solidly, but when he was hit he had the ruggedness to “take” it. Lithe as a panther, and equally as savage, Dempsey packed one of the most powerful punching combinations the ring has known—a crippling right to the body, a crashing left hook to the chin and a finishing right to the jaw. Jack was often accused of being a “dirty” fighter, but that was the result of his rugged early schooling in the boisterous mining towns of the west, where infractions of the rules were generally overlooked and fighters were instructed to “protect yourselves at all times.” They may not have been too ethnical, but those grueling early battles helped to mold Dempsey into the great fighting machine he eventually became.

Jack Koford (veteran boxing writer):
I believe that Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because he was a deadly hitter with either hand…fast with both fists and feet…a difficult target because of his weaving and bobbing style…able to take punishment…an intelligent but vicious fighter, with the most highly developed “killer” instinct I’ve ever seen. In my book he combined more great qualities than any other champion.

Dan Walton (Tacoma News-Tribune):
I think that Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because he was the best-ever combination of punching prowess, speed and toughness among the big fellows.

Max Kase (NY Journal-American):
Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight I saw because he had punch, speed, color, could take a punch and had the fighting heart.

Hugh Bradley (NY Journal-American):
I think that Jack Dempsey was the greatest heavyweight of all time because he was the best two handed hitter. Best in-fighter. Roughest. Hardest right to heart-left to chin combination. Most colorful. What more could you desire?