Tell me about Harry Wills

http://www.blackathlete.net/artman/publish/article_0406.shtml

Tex Rickard, the major boxing promoter from 1910 till his death in 1929, told his financial backers that he would never match Willard with a black fighter. Roger Kahn noted that for Rickard, the issue was as much about money as racism. Rickard told one of his financial backers, “If a ****** wins the championship, then the championship isn’t worth a nickel.” This reasoning eliminated both Sam Langford and Harry Wills. By this time, Langford was past his prime but Wills was at his peak as a fighter. His strength and durability would have made the Willard-Wills fight an interesting proposition. As Kevin Smith told me, “When you meet Sam Langford 18 times over and live to tell about it---you are a serious fighter. I guess it can best be said that Harry Wills was legit. He had size, speed, power, a bit of grace, and a great deal of experience.” Rickard denied Wills his first chance at the heavyweight title. While Kahn would write that Rickard’s major concern was making money, he added that with Rickard, “The issue was money, not prejudice. Or anyway money before prejudice.” Rickard’s racism played a role in denying Wills his shot at the championship throughout his career. (Rickard’s impact can’t be underestimated. Rickard’s control of the sport in the 20’s would make modern day promoters Don King and Bob Arum envious.)

 

you are welcome ripcity

 

Yes, Dempsey avoided him for many, many years. Probably longer than any other heavyweight champ in history. Wills was kept on a leash by Dempsey's promotor; he was promised a title shot if he got by Fulton. He then beat Fulton and of course there was not title shot. Dempsey disgraced the championship by his non-championship behavior.

As for Wills, there is no film of him during his prime or even near his prime. From what i've read, he was a boxer-puncher with good but not great power with a very strong chin. He beat everyone around and basically undefeated for 9 (!) years, beating Langford (who Dempsey wanted no part of) something like 10 times, Jeannette several times (who again, Dempsey wanted no part of), beat Fulton, beat Firpo without getting knocked out of the ring and needing 3rd party assistance to get back in, beat Martin, beat Johnson (who gave Dempsey a beating), beat Gunboat Smith, beat Mcvey.
His resume is on par with Dempsey's if not better. It's to bad the rightful chance to prove his superiority head to head was taken away from him.

 

This thread was a question about Wills not a request for yet another diatribe against Dempsey.

 

What you lack in truthfulness you might be able to gain in repetition!

 

Harry Wills beat Sam Langford all those times so he must have been a GREAT fighter, whether or not Langford was past it.

 

Shades of Larry Holmes really.

Never really captured the public imagination but built up an amazing record when you stand back and look at it.

 

Oops, sorry.

 

a couple of points:

- Dempsey was young and green when he fought John Lester Johnson. Wills was in his prime when he fought Johnson.

- Dempsey came away witha draw with Johnson so that is not a beating. The fight was close. Fighting with broken ribs, going the distance and fighting a draw. Therefore that is not a beating.

- using your logic Lennox Lewis must be better then Joe Louis because at the same age Lewis beat Vitaly, Louis lost to Marciano, yeah? Or you just assume that Dempsey and Wils were at the same stages of their carrier when they fought Lester Johnson?

If you were some one with a balanced view on Dempsey you would have said something like , "Although Dempsey was young and not in his prime he came away with a draw vs John Lester Johnson whereas Wills beat Johnson although Wills was in his prime at the time. " But of course something like this will never come out of your posts which shows just how unbalanced and biased your view realy is and why no one should really listen to you when speaking about Dempsey

 

well the point he made was that he beat guys dempsey had trouble with thats all

 

@Vantage_West
yes, Harry Wills did beat such guys, but was it always more convincing than Dempsey`s performance? Unfortunately there is a lack of films about fights of this era.
The film of Wills`fight against Paolino Uczudun shows us something about his style, but Wills was not in his prime then.