SRR - would he have been as great if he faced the top blk contenders?

the only middles that Robinson faced as a WW were fighters that were based in and around the Ny area so as to ensure good ticket sales, most the fighters you refer to were based on the other side of America

regarding the purses, why go and face a defensive minded midleweight who would have the potential to make you look bad, and give you very little prestige (at that moment in time) and wouldnt sell many tickets to boot, when he can go and face someone like Fritzie Zivic in the old Garden in front of a packed house.

 

what was your original question?

edit: oh you mean the original question, then I'd say he would have been.

 

Nothing would surprise me

 

No you got it wrong,Dempsey ducked Wilde,Rickard was scared of a possible Welsh backlash,and subsequent race riots so the fight never came off,to Jack,s credit he said he wanted to fight Jimmy ,it was just boxing politics.