Jack Dempsey could run right over these laughable apes we call professional boxers. He won the title at 187 and there isn't one oversized and overrated heavyweights that could last 12 rounds with him, if they came to fight. Of course they don't usually come to fight, they just show up for their paycheck. That is Firpo you see on the canvass, but it just just as easily be Klitschko, Maskaev, Valuev or anybody else.
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/Images/dempsey_firpo1.jpg
I think a lot of modern boxing fans don't give enough credit to the old guys. You have small fat James Toney in with todays heavyweights and he does fine. He's not an all-time heavyweight, but he has no problems in that weight class. He's a throwback fighter, so why wouldn't all of those oldschool fighters be able to hold their own as well?
At the same time, I think a lot of old school fans don't give modern fighters enough credit as well. There are those that think yesterdays fighters would roll over every fighter from the modern era with ease, and I think that's a bit silly as well. I think the heavyweight division is in a low swing right now, mostly because there are a lot of other sports that are far less damaging with greater monetary reward. But, I think many of todays heavyweights would be competitive even in those fondly remembered 60s and 70s, though their records would have a few more blemishes.
I am disappointed with the current crop of heavyweights...I don't think it would be as competitive as you may think...Wlad and maybe a few others would be competitive, but the rest, I don't think so...the guys today are more likely to show up out of shape, and seemingly not take their sport serious because if they are, they shouldn't be in the sportin the first place because it is tough not having the talent to compete.
The last great crop of heavyweights was Lewis, Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson, etc.
Other leagues like MLB, NFL, and NBA, yeah, they can more than hold their own, though most of the current crop of NBA players don't know how to play defense, but we will save that for later
I think a lot of modern boxing fans don't give enough credit to the old guys. You have small fat James Toney in with todays heavyweights and he does fine. He's not an all-time heavyweight, but he has no problems in that weight class. He's a throwback fighter, so why wouldn't all of those oldschool fighters be able to hold their own as well?
At the same time, I think a lot of old school fans don't give modern fighters enough credit as well. There are those that think yesterdays fighters would roll over every fighter from the modern era with ease, and I think that's a bit silly as well. I think the heavyweight division is in a low swing right now, mostly because there are a lot of other sports that are far less damaging with greater monetary reward. But, I think many of todays heavyweights would be competitive even in those fondly remembered 60s and 70s, though their records would have a few more blemishes.
In the next 5 years the heavyweight division will be changing, and most likely for the better. Some these aspiring young boxers from Eastern Europe will make the limelight and the heavyweight division will once again be the flagship of boxing. It is clear that Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis could run right over the current collection of lackies who pretend to be heavyweight champions, but it is not clear that the up and coming new generation would be so easy.
I think a lot of modern boxing fans don't give enough credit to the old guys. You have small fat James Toney in with todays heavyweights and he does fine. He's not an all-time heavyweight, but he has no problems in that weight class. He's a throwback fighter, so why wouldn't all of those oldschool fighters be able to hold their own as well?
At the same time, I think a lot of old school fans don't give modern fighters enough credit as well. There are those that think yesterdays fighters would roll over every fighter from the modern era with ease, and I think that's a bit silly as well. I think the heavyweight division is in a low swing right now, mostly because there are a lot of other sports that are far less damaging with greater monetary reward. But, I think many of todays heavyweights would be competitive even in those fondly remembered 60s and 70s, though their records would have a few more blemishes.
Dempsey is a superb well conditioned atlete and there's no question that he can be competitive against anybody in this modern day of the sports, but it's just that the phrase "Demsey beats anybody" is simply super HYPE and ridiculous. :)
Well, of course, nobody in their right mind believes Jack Dempsey would beat George Foreman or Sonny Liston. But he could lick the Klitschko pussies without even breathing hard.
Dempsay should not be mentioned in the same breath as modern fighters. He must be one of the tiniest men I have ever seen.
The only reason that he is mentioned is due to Wladimir Klitschko - glass Wlad - being a champ.
Dempsay KO glass Wlad 1. No-one argues with this.
But compare Dempsay to a decent man sized man, and his china chin gets cracked EARLY.
Hell, a fucking fireman knocked him COLD!
so you think that dempsey is nothing comapred to modern heavyweights and yet you say he could take out the best current heavyweight in one round?! are you an idiot?
Dempsay should not be mentioned in the same breath as modern fighters. He must be one of the tiniest men I have ever seen.
The only reason that he is mentioned is due to Wladimir Klitschko - glass Wlad - being a champ.
Dempsay KO glass Wlad 1. No-one argues with this.
But compare Dempsay to a decent man sized man, and his china chin gets cracked EARLY.
Hell, a fucking fireman knocked him COLD!
yeah, it'd be great if you never posted again
you cant really believe these stupid primitive boxing videos show anybody with any skill...you people arent THAT stupid are you?
.....yeah, I am! :boxing:
For those you of that never saw Jack Dempsey fight(obviously a few on this board):
Jack fighting George Carpentier:
His fight agains the 6'6 245lbs Jess Willard who beat Jack Johnson btw:
you cant really believe these stupid primitive boxing videos show anybody with any skill...you people arent THAT stupid are you?
"The Great Trainers and Fighters on Dempsey: Simply The Best"
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=4017
Exactly what the title says. Trainers alive during Dempsey's era who witnessed him firsthand and who are still alive today argue Dempsey's greatness and plausible dominance of the sport at present times.
jack was fighting on a stomach that was empty for about a week. it is possible that he took a dive, too. but ive heard both stories. he needed money at the time, so a dive is not out of the question.
In a competitive sport loses are inevitable. Back in Jack Dempsey's day losing was not considered to be the end of the world. Today boxing has become a highly managed sport where a losing is a very bad idea when there are so many uncompetitive fights. Vitali Klitschko have great looking record, but this is largely against hand picked opponents. Jack Dempsey had to fight to live, and some of his fights were ill-timed and ill-advised, problems that Vitali Klitachko never had to deal with. The keyboard warriors make a big deal of Dempsey loss to Flynn, a much smaller man and conclude from that he would have no chance against Vitali Klitschko. That is a dubious train of logic. Styles make fights, and Klitschko's style is similir to Jess Willard. Dempsey had no problem with Willard and he would have no problem with Klitschko.
Did Dempsey took a dive against Jim Flynn or simply got knockout? It's hard to believe Dempsey got knockout by 5'9 short and sturdy Fireman Flynn.
jack was fighting on a stomach that was empty for about a week. it is possible that he took a dive, too. but ive heard both stories. he needed money at the time, so a dive is not out of the question.
The theory behind the low hands stance is to draw the opponents punch, allowing the fighter to slip and counter with both hands free. Dempsey presents himself as a tempting target and then weaves your punch and counters with the left hook or right (or most likely a combination using both hands) when you try to go for it.
This is untrue: he was wild early in his career, but as he got more fights he became quite the fighter...he used the bob and weave, and used the jab...it is because you are watching the footage that is so sped up that it makes him look wild...one fight that shows that he wasn't wild happened to be to late in his career to display how great he actually was, the Gene Tunney fight.
The one big problem though was that they kept their hands way to low, and that is not good.
When did the technique of holding your hands high first develop? I've always found the lowhanded stance curious and I don't undertand it. Why, for instance, hold the left so far in font of you that you can't get behind a punch?
He beat a 38 year old Jesse Willard that beat a 37 year old Jack Johnson.
I don't think his win over Willard proved anything, but he was still a great fighter, I'm not discrediting the win, but that fight is just remembered because of the one sided beating given to the bigger man from the smaller man, Jesse Willard was nothing special, just an extremely big guy who could hit.
Agreed, I was trying to suggest that he was anything especially, he didn't really have a clue of how to really use his body, although I do think if he were exposed to the trainers of this era(i.e. Manny Steward) who could help him use his body better, he could have been a much better fighter imo. Anyways, I posted that fight because it is one of my favorite fights to watch.
dempsey was a wild mindless brawler..and the people he fought had less skill then he did..boxing back then was primtive..imagine jack dempsey beating hit by tua or klitchko..he wouldnt even beat a contender today..plus if he fought today he'd be a cruiserweight anyway
This is untrue: he was wild early in his career, but as he got more fights he became quite the fighter...he used the bob and weave, and used the jab...it is because you are watching the footage that is so sped up that it makes him look wild...one fight that shows that he wasn't wild happened to be to late in his career to display how great he actually was, the Gene Tunney fight.
The one big problem though was that they kept their hands way to low, and that is not good.
Jim Jeffries looks pretty dam imposing...agree with "mentally tough"
you can read the article
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/jeffries.html
A young Jim Jeffries, not the version that Jack Johnson fought
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/Images/jeffries1900.jpg
I totally agree with everything here. Lets remember how difficult it is to compare different eras, in that time, their focus was more on conditioning since they had to fight so many rounds and fight so often. Plus, you have to keep in mind the advancements today in training techniques, supplements, etc. While Jack may have fought at 190 or so back then, he very well could have been fighting at about 215-225lbs if he were around today. Just like if a prime Mike Tyson were around then, he would probably have been fighting at like 190-195lbs during that era too.
Sam McVey was of similar size to Tyson, so I doubt Tyson is going to weigh less than 210...remember, "supposedly" Tyson never lifted weights in his prime.
http://www.si.umich.edu/chico/Harlem/graphics/jackj_374.jpg
One other misconception with the past is that they didn't have weightlifting and know about "proper" nutrition...they might not have had the knowledge that we have today, but they knew what to eat and how to workout, though they probably weren't into the bodybuilding version of weightifting.
I read an article that said John L. Sullivan actually worked out with weights...he was friends with some of the "Strongmen" in the circus and they showed him how they stayed strong.
Remember, there were a lot of guys that still worked in labor jobs while boxing for extra money.
Eugene Sandow wrote a book on proper nutrition and how to workout
http://www.sandowmuseum.com/
For those you of that never saw Jack Dempsey fight(obviously a few on this board):
Jack fighting George Carpentier:
His fight agains the 6'6 245lbs Jess Willard who beat Jack Johnson btw:
dempsey was a wild mindless brawler..
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to dino again.
How the F is your bar blue? You are the most idiotic poster on these forums, without a doubt. Dempsey at his best, was a fighter way ahead of his time. Yeah, he fought wild at times, and loved to brawl, but he could also shoot amazingly short punches, with power, head movement, ring generalship. Watch his destruction of Jess Williard. He looked like he could have been a modern day fighter at times, bouncing in and out, moving his head, shooting beautiful rights and lefts, all with KO power.
But yes, of course a guy 185-190 is going to have problems with the Klitschkos and Lewis's. It's just a matter of size.
Dempsey would have been a LHW in today's game, and I don't think there's a LHW in the modern era who could have stood up to him, or been able to stay away for 12-15 rounds. He brutally KO's Moorer, Jones, Tarver, Dariusz, etc.
dempsey was a wild mindless brawler..and the people he fought had less skill then he did..boxing back then was primtive..imagine jack dempsey beating hit by tua or klitchko..he wouldnt even beat a contender today..plus if he fought today he'd be a cruiserweight anyway