The heavyweight champions of the 30s and the colour line

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by janitor, Jun 11, 2011.


Page 1 of 2
  1. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,571
    27,214
    Feb 15, 2006
    The heavyweight champions between Tunney and Louis are often criticised as a weak crop. One thing that should be observed in their favour is that none of them seemed to have any issues about taking on the top black contenders. Leaving out the second teir black contenders they fought:

    Schmeling-fought Larry Gains and Joe Louis

    Sharkey-fought Harry Wills, George Godfrey and Joe Louis

    Carnera-fought George Godfrey, Larry Gains, Joe Louis and Leroy Haynes

    Baer-fought Joe Louis

    Braddock-fought John Henry Lewis and Joe Louis (Braddock also signed to fight Tiger Jack fox but the bout fell through)
     
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    #1
  2. Pachilles

    Pachilles Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,294
    28
    Nov 15, 2009
    Better men than Jack Demsey
     
    Pachilles, Jun 11, 2011
    Pachilles, Jun 11, 2011
    #2
  3. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,571
    27,214
    Feb 15, 2006
    Dempsey would probably have gone through them all, yet these guys fought and beat the men he failed to fight to his detriment.
     
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    #3
  4. Boilermaker

    Boilermaker Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,372
    473
    Oct 6, 2004
    Surely by beating Sharkey, Dempsey has technically bettered Harry Wills and George Godfrey. Even though technically it was an old Harry Wills that was "bested".
     
    Boilermaker, Jun 11, 2011
    Boilermaker, Jun 11, 2011
    #4
  5. SonnyListonsJab

    SonnyListonsJab Active Member Full Member

    1,148
    3
    Apr 24, 2011
    Dempsey didn't beat Sharkey, he cheated his way to victory by punching Sharkey in the balls like Andrew Golota. If that ref had any sense, he would have DQ'd Dempsey and awarded the fight to Sharkey. Sharkey hurt Dempsey badly in the 1st, and then won nearly every round by outboxing him. Dempsey took the cheap way out. That ref should have never allowed that left hook to land.

    Sharkey W DQ 7 Dempsey is the result
     
    SonnyListonsJab, Jun 11, 2011
    SonnyListonsJab, Jun 11, 2011
    #5
  6. Boilermaker

    Boilermaker Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,372
    473
    Oct 6, 2004
    :lol: Nearly every round except the last one!
     
    Boilermaker, Jun 11, 2011
    Boilermaker, Jun 11, 2011
    #6
  7. SonnyListonsJab

    SonnyListonsJab Active Member Full Member

    1,148
    3
    Apr 24, 2011
    Golota hit Bowe in the balls, does that mean Golota should get credit for knocking out Bowe?


    Sharkey W DQ 7 Jack Dempsey
     
    SonnyListonsJab, Jun 11, 2011
    SonnyListonsJab, Jun 11, 2011
    #7
  8. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,571
    27,214
    Feb 15, 2006
    To be fair, Sharkey also fouled Dempsey repeatedly.

    You could make a strong case that Dempsey was just responding in kind/leveling the playing field.
     
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    #8
  9. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

    42,723
    268
    Jul 22, 2004
    Politically it's interesting, was it because the civil rights movement gaining acceptance with the powers that be?

    Why has Suzie got 2 logins?

    He couldn't even get past Willie Meehan and I don't remember him going through Tunney either for some reason :huh Oh yea its because he got his ass handed to him
     
    PowerPuncher, Jun 11, 2011
    PowerPuncher, Jun 11, 2011
    #9
  10. Duodenum

    Duodenum Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,604
    290
    Apr 18, 2007
    Dempsey at least did fight John Lester Johnson and George Christian on the way up, as Jeffries did Peter Jackson and Bob Armstrong, both were photographed sparring with black fighters (Jeff with Armstrong, who was in Jeff's corner for Johnson, as can be seen on the Reno footage, and Jack with Bill Tate and Godfrey), and Jack was also photographed signing to meet Wills. Tunney and Loughran don't seem to get criticized as much for their more complete segregation with respect to the color line. Corbett gets slammed mercilessly, but he took an incredible risk with a near prime Jackson.
     
    Duodenum, Jun 11, 2011
    Duodenum, Jun 11, 2011
    #10
  11. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,571
    27,214
    Feb 15, 2006
    A lot of people could not beat Willie Meehan, in a four rounder, in his home town. In some of these fights you got a red block on boxrec if Meehan finished the four rounds on his feet.

    Which of the 30s heavyweight champions do you see beating Dempsey?
     
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    #11
  12. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,571
    27,214
    Feb 15, 2006
    Fighters seem to have become principled about drawing the colour bar once they held the title.
     
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    janitor, Jun 11, 2011
    #12
  13. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

    81,247
    21,730
    Sep 15, 2009
    Sharkey dq'd jack as much as jack ko'd gene.
     
    lufcrazy, Jun 11, 2011
    lufcrazy, Jun 11, 2011
    #13
  14. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    37,077
    3,733
    Sep 14, 2005
    none, only louis
     
    SuzieQ49, Jun 11, 2011
    SuzieQ49, Jun 11, 2011
    #14
  15. ripcity

    ripcity Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,449
    51
    Dec 5, 2006
    How many times was the championship on the line?
     
    ripcity, Jun 11, 2011
    ripcity, Jun 11, 2011
    #15
Page 1 of 2