Willie Meehan

Has wins over Dillon, Langford and Dermpsey but regularly fought 4 rounders.

 

He beat Langford and Dempsey.
Some idiots will use that to conclude that Langford and Dempsey were crap.

 

I don't know anything about Willie Meehan, but I'm not surpised to here that he was difficult to beat in 4 round matches. A lot of fighters can be tricky or hard to catch in the early rounds. You don't really have a lot of time to figure a guy out in just a few rounds, and of course stamina doesn't really come into play in such a short duration. Take for example, a lot of guys who were very effective in the amateurs, where fights are only three rounds long, but after turning pro, were not very successful. There were also people like Greg Page who were very effective sparring sessions, but did not always look very good in an actual fight. Also, how many times did we see great fighters behind on the scorecards against average opposition before dusting them in the mid to late rounds? Some of those guys might have lost those fights had they been scheduled for a mere 4 rounds. probably the last and more important factor, is that a lot of people have pointed out that Dempsey's fights with Meehan were not really official bouts that were sanctioned, rather exhibitions or something to that effect. Again, I don't know if this is true or not, as I know nothing of Meehan, but if this is indeed the case, then Dempsey's matches with him can't be taken too seriously.

 

"I don't see much chance of fighting for several months, although I think Kearns ought to take up some of these phony challenges. Willie Meehan doesn't amount to anything. He's a cheese fighter. He can't hit or box. All he can do is cover, clinch, and stall. At San Francisco, in that benefit bout, Kearns had to promise him I would not knock him out before he would go on. Personally I think Meehan and I would make a bad match, but if the public thinks enough of it to offer $30,000 I don't see why I should not take it."

- Jack Dempsey, 14 Sept 1919 as quoted in the NY Times

A whopping $30,000! Boy, Tex Rickard really changed things for Dempsey, that's for sure.

 

Great post. I believe the subject of Meehan has been fully explained here. Yes, they are loses on Dempsey's record but have no effect on his greatness or historical standing.

 

If Willie Meehan was cheese, then what is John Ruiz? Extra cheese?

 

Queso, por supuesto!