Do you think that Jack Dempsey could have won belts from Super Middle to heavyweight today ?
I’m not talking about becoming undisputed or unified or anything but do you think he could win one of the belts at all 4 divisions
Who did Dempsey beat? He has no great fighters to his name -- other than Tunney, who beat him twice -- and no black fighters.
He might be able to grab one of the many, many belts out there, maybe at cruiserweight, maybe. But I doubt it.
Heavyweight, no way. Don't even.
No.
Jack Dempsey is an ATG and deserves every bit of credit he receives for that accomplishment, but he was a product of his era. By today's standards he would be little more than a crude brawler, fierce but largely devoid of skill.
That's why it isn't fair to directly compare two fighters of drastically different eras in a head to head match up. If Dempsey had been born twenty years ago and groomed in this era of boxing then it would be different, but to just take him as he was and put him up against the boxers of today not only would he not win titles in four divisions but he wouldn't get a sniff of a world title in any division.
I'm sorry if you don't like that but it's the truth. Boxing has evolved somewhat in the past 100 years like everything else. You can't just swing wide hooks with your hands down and your chin up anymore and expect to go far- no matter how ferocious you may be. Ultimately, Dempsey was a great of his era and will be forever remembered for the impact he had on the sport, and that's the most you can ask of any fighter.
- -Dempsey coulda started at middle and ended up with 5 division titles like Roy coulda/shoulda done but didn't.
Easy money for the first fighter to put the spectacle in boxing almost every fight.
Dempsey was just one of those great fighters who rarely comes around. He could probably win a belt in all of those weight classes. He really only weighed about 180 for Willard but they lied about his weight so there would not be as much outrage over the weight advantage the 250 pound Willard had. With weighing in the day before the fight he could make 168. I don't think a prime Dempsey would have any trouble hitting Wilder clean and often. Dempsey had the power to take out anybody and could throw a seemingly endless stream of fast hard punches. Some have never seen film of the prime Dempsey in action. They should do so because it's a treat to watch him fight. He was a vicious monster who put so much weight and speed into his punches that he hit with more power than any 185 pound man should. He was pure muscle with no extra fat and a master at putting maximum weight into his punches.