Would Dempsey have gotten the same results against peak Willard?

I just don't fancy Willard beyond being big, strong and with a lot of heart. Peak Willard was just more of all that, his skills, or lack thereof, stayed the same.

 

Same results meaning what, precisely? Willard would probably always under-estimate him, & I’m not strongly convinced Dempsey didn’t load his gloves.

 

I agree, just maybe takes a little longer for Jack to get him out of there.

 

How can you be so sure though if Willard spent the entirety of Toledo getting plastered? Logically he would have been better a few years ago, yes, but he really wasn’t ever in position to show what he could do against Dempsey.

 

Willard had undoubtedly been better at his peak.

His preparation for the Dempsey fight was **** poor, and h didn't come to teh fight with a very good plan.

He could undoubtedly have done much better.

However we are still looking at a gap in class here.

If Willard brings his A game, then the best that he is going to do, is make Dempsey work harder for the title.

He might at least have earned a rematch.

 

Willard looked quality against an older Johnson. That version of Willard may take Jack the distance but he would be badly busted up and lose wide decision imo. Jack liked to lead and he had cannon at his side. Lot harder to absorb that type of fire than the men Willard had fought.

 

Willard’s demeanour prior to opening bell was one of utter complacency.

The way he royally opened his arms out to the reception of the spectators was as if he was about to embark on a starring role in a theatrical stage performance, not an actual fight against a hot streaking, power punching phenom.

When Willard was first dropped by the left hook - he looked as bewildered as he was hurt - bemused that his much smaller opponent could deck him like that.

I wouldn’t say that Dempsey would’ve just gassed beyond the 3 round mark - but I believe he would’ve been that much less effective in general but still carry his power through.

As it was, after round 1 Big Jess was already irreparably wounded - a less frenetic but more methodical Jack easily beat on him in rounds 2 and 3 - but Willard managed to stay upright and get in a few decent shots of his own.

I guess I’m heading toward making the point that what Dempsey did in round 1 was the major pivot/foundation and basically set up Willard’s eventual demise. Without such an impacting first round - the fight might’ve possibly run along a somewhat difference course.

Dempsey was known for his left hook but was that possibly the best left hook he ever threw? - it absolutely started the nightmare for Willard.

To have footage of Dempsey’s fights during his formidable run to a title shot would be gold.

Maybe Jack could put it all together against a prime Willard - exactly as he did against an old, fat, inactive and ridiculously complacent Willard - but I tend to doubt it.

If prime Willard could see himself viably through the first 3-4 rounds, then the odds would begin to shift, not automatically in his favour - but heading in that direction.

By the the post 3-4 round stage, Jess would’ve survived the most dangerous window but Dempsey would still remain dangerous in fair measure.

Interestingly their actual fight in Toledo was set for 15 rounds - a prime Willard might’ve perhaps preferred a 45 rounder or no limit fight - but it’s possible that, if still on his own feet, he might’ve seen some stamina wilt on Dempsey’s part sometime during the 15 round route.

I “think” the most Jack had gone prior to that was 12 rounds - if not 12, then 10 rounds.

 

Always selling short the giant heavies of the past...

 

I’m not sure Dempsey wins if he didn’t stand over him and mug him like he did , especially against the vastly better prepared Willard that fought Johnson.

 

A bit more later stoppage imo,no way Willard beats Dempsey.

 

Moran was kind of awful though

 

Edit. My bad, I don’t want to misinform.

After I posted I remembered that the Willard - Dempsey fight was actually only scheduled for 12 rounds. A limit for which Dempsey would’ve likely maintained a good pace, from start to finish -

 

Peak Willard was still a bad fighter even if he had all the stamina in the world. So, yeah, pretty much...