What are some boxing myths that can be broken with FACTS?

Both in his BoxRec and IBHOF profile, it is claimed, that he was an Olympic gold medalist.

 

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Tyson last year and I had at least a couple of inches on him. With my dress shoes on i'm over 5'11 and maybe 6' on the dot if i'm standing straight. He's definitely in the 5'10 range. Notice his boxing shoes also had a heel. Hard to say exactly but he's certainly not over 5'11, even in shoes.

It's crazy, he's too young to have shrunk, so to think he was taking on giants at his size is nuts.

I dunno if you watch MMA but they seem to do the same with Fedor Emelianenko - he was listed as 6'1 years ago and he's gotten progressively shorter it seems! I only mention it as I saw a pick of Fedor with Tyson and Fedor was maybe an inch taller than him max!

 

Jim Dawson was one of the most biased boxing writers of that era and based on his writings i think its safe to say he was one of the many writers who were well known to sell their wares to the highest bidder.

Personally Ive always thought the "guvment made me do it" argument to be horse****. At that time progressives were in power in New York State Government, several of whom were running on a pro black platform. These same politicians happen to be some of the most powerful party leaders in national politics (in case someone wants to come in claim it was the federal government stepping in...) Later on this caused all kinds of trouble between them and their buxom buddy Gene Tunney when he found himself in a position to cut in ahead of Wills for a shot at Dempsey in 1926 resulting in the Dempsey-Tunney fight being thrown out of New York and landing in Philly, specifically at the urging of state government officials because Wills was being ducked and against Rickards wishes. Dawson, Dempsey, Kearns, and Rickard were towing the company line on that one but it doesnt jive with reality in the least.

 

Its conjecture, I concede that, but the main point is not. Its easy to sign a fight you know you arent going to have to fight. Dempsey did this on two occasions with Wills actually. On the first occasion the contract was written without any date, purse, venue, or any other details. In essence Dempsey signed a nothing fight to appease those who criticized him, primarily the commission which was on the verge of vacating his title. In the second instance the contract was written in such a way as to be virtually impossible to fulfill (and Tex Rickard was never made to fulfill the same obligations that Dempsey's pal Fitzsimmons willingly took on).

The bottom line is that if Dempsey and his handlers honestly believed that he would have destroyed Wills in two rounds as his most deluded fans do, then they would have taken that fight without any hesitation, destroyed Wills, raised the honor of the white race, walked away monumental heros, and laughed all the way to the bank. The proof is in the pudding and Dempsey clearly wanted no part of Wills.

 

Your right!

Paul Berlenbach http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Human:13685

He became a wrestler and won the Middleweight Gold at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games. This is not correct!

Paul never was in the Olympics. Lino Leino won the Middleweight Olympic Gold Medal that year. Berlenbach did win the AAU Championship in the 174 lb. class in 1922 & 1923, before turning to professional boxing in 1923.

 

Who made more money in the Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston II Title Fight.

The champion or the challenger (on paper).

 

I've often wondered, why this continues to be put forward as fact by both BoxRec and IBHOF. You would think, that someone must have told them that this, in fact, is a fallacy?

 

I have no problem believing the US Gov was behind the scenes not wanting any chance of repeats of the horrible troubles caused by the rein of dear old J.J.
I should add Dawson went public with this many years later, 1940s, long after Rickard and his $$$ influence moved on to Valhalla.

 

As you know, I am on both committees and I wrote them before, and I just wrote them again. Lets see what happens.

 

you're a damn handy fella to have around hh:thumbsup

 

Jump 5 foot 10?

 

If you go by the Ring Record Book they both made $480,657

Liston's Share - 50% - $480,657
Ali's Share - 50% - $480,657

 

Nothing is done in a vacuum. Tex Rickard had legitimate fears of a recurrence
of race riots,which took many lives following the Johnson defeat of Jeffries
a few years before. To deny that is to deny history. Dempsey and Wills as we know signed for a fight which was cancelled and that is also a fact.
You impugn Dempsey and Rickard with devious motives, which can NEVER be
proven. But promoters remembered the violent aftermath of the Reno fight
in 1910, and were fearful of similar results of a Dempsey / Wills fight. It is so easy for pundits today,NINETY years later, to disregard the concerns of Rickard and officials,who had those grave concerns. Was Harry Wills a victim of these concerns, hell yes. And so were many other black fighters of that time and prior to that time.But civil rights came in increments, and Dempsey
should not be singled out and become an ogre to his detractors of today,
while a Joe Louis, a Ray Robinson,for example,avoided as much or MORE
DESERVING opponents of their times...Why has Dempsey become today's
punching bag,while other champs are conveniently overlooked, practicing the same "what's best for my career " concerns ? Dempsey was no better or worse than other great champions of yesterday. It is simply, Jack Dempsey has a target on his back,with a bulls eye. Damn it, he deserves better....