Jack Dempsey turned down a fight with Sam Langford.

[butterfly1964]

"He was a great fighter and I didn't have the experience to fight a man like that. He was a hell of a puncher, never been licked, so why should I get my brains knocked out for nothing? Even at my best I don't know whether I could lick him or not. He was a good man, good puncher, rough, tough. I think Sam Langford was the greatest fighter we ever had." - Dempsey on Langford

He was just being nice. He doesn't even put himself on any all-time list.

Look at the end of this video.

[number6]

Jack Johnson also avoided Langford, although Johnson had beat him once he would never grant him the rematch that he deserved.Even though he was clearly the best contender at the time.

[QueensburyRules]

He was offered that fight right after he had been in a very hard fight against another fighter, I believe it was Willie Meehan. He turned down the Langford fight because he wasn't 100%.

- -Butterfly had a pure heart even if he a tenderfoot in the Day.

Jack had just been swindled by the local crook out of his managers presence and his purses for his NYC debut.

The crook offered him Sam as Jack nursed a broken rib sleeping on park benches and standing in soup lines.

Don't take a genius to know he was being swindled, so he rode the rails back west where he hooked up with Doc Kearns and the rest history.

[HOUDINI563]

Johnson sent Langford to the hospital when they met. Many point to Langfords weight for that fight but Johnson probably scaled much lower than prime weight. Both were less experienced than they would have been during Johnson’s championship reign.

[QueensburyRules]

Johnson sent Langford to the hospital when they met. Many point to Langfords weight for that fight but Johnson probably scaled much lower than prime weight. Both were less experienced than they would have been during Johnson’s championship reign.

- - Better to remain mute than to needlessly dumb out U dummyness.

JJ been a pro 9-10 yrs vs SAMs active 3 yrs as light and welterweight.

Jus shaaadup and folks be respecting U more.

[HOUDINI563]

The point is both men improved between when they fought and Johnson’s title reign. Johnson at the time of the fight with Sam was a good 25 pounds below prime weight.

[QueensburyRules]

The point is both men improved between when they fought and Johnson’s title reign. Johnson at the time of the fight with Sam was a good 25 pounds below prime weight.

- -U always revert to sillyboy.

Why?

[HOUDINI563]

The point some inexperienced posters make the true claim that Langford was lower in weight and not as experienced when he fought Johnson.

The point not stressed, and it should be, is Johnson at that time was scaling 180-185 pounds. Had Langford fought Johnson as a title defense YES he would have scaled about 25 pounds heavier and he would have been more experienced. Johnson however would also weight 25 pounds heavier and he would have been more experienced.

[QueensburyRules]

The point some inexperienced posters make the true claim that Langford was lower in weight and not as experienced when he fought Johnson.

The point not stressed, and it should be, is Johnson at that time was scaling 180-185 pounds. Had Langford fought Johnson as a title defense YES he would have scaled about 25 pounds heavier and he would have been more experienced. Johnson however would also weight 25 pounds heavier and he would have been more experienced.

- -Ergo, U 25 lbs mo' larded.

BRILLIANT!!!

[HOUDINI563]

At 210 pounds Johnson was ripped. Langford could only pack about 180 pounds on his frame.