Could Sam Langford have been heavyweight champion if allowed the chance?*? What would have happened if Harry Greb had fought Jack Dempsey? Edit * The world heavyweight title held by Johnson ?
If you consider guys like Earnie Terrell, Ken Norton or Daniel Dubois champions, then Langford was a champion too, twice over even. He held NSC and IBU wold titles for a while.
Sam was a Champion, just not Lineal. Could Sam Langford have been Lineal Champion? Probably if he caught the right Champion at the right time. Willard before Dempsey got him? I doubt if Sam could have taken the belt from Jack Johnson or Jack Dempsey. Jack Dempsey vs. Harry Greb? I would go with Jack Dempsey.
It seems reasonable to guess that Sam might’ve been able to take Johnson from 1911/12 on. But then, if Johnson properly appreciated Sam’s abilities and evolvement since they last fought, I’d guess that he’d be better conditioned for Sam than he was for the actual title defences he did make.
Langford could have been the guy throughout the early 1910s starting in 1916/1917 it would have been very difficult to stay champ. If he was still king in 1917 he could have used the belt freeze to stay in charge until 1919. But at the end of the day Fulton was Langfords Foreman and the moment Fulton reached the top that was the end for Langford as champ. Unlike Foreman Fulton was not nearly as good in the developmental phase of his career so maybe at Langfords prime he could beat young Fulton and use it as an excuse to not fight him later like Johnson did to him and Jeanette.
