Jack Dempsey turned down a fight with Sam Langford.

[Animal Squabbs]

Im reading the Gene Tunney book and it says in their that early in Dempseys career he was offered a fight with Sam Langford and turned it down sayin "He'd kill me."

[butterfly1964]

Im reading the Gene Tunney book and it says in their that early in Dempseys career he was offered a fight with Sam Langford and turned it down sayin "He'd kill me."

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%.

[Kid Achilles]

This was very early on in his career, and had nowhere near the experience he'd need to be competitive with Langford. This information is nothing new.

[Animal Squabbs]

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%.

NO, according to the book he turned it down cause he said he wasnt ready for Langford and that he was to good and he would kill him.


Just weird to hear that the legendary "Bad Ass" Manassa Mauler turned down a fight because he would get beat.

[Yogi]

I first read about this about 15 years ago, maybe, and I think I first read about it in Peter Heller's chapter on Dempsey where Dempsey not only expressed his unwillingness (and from memory, he did so with a lot of emphasis in the book/quotes) to fight Langford early in his career, but also expressed his opinion in that book that Langford was the greatest fighter he ever saw fight.

[butterfly1964]

NO, according to the book he turned it down cause he said he wasnt ready for Langford and that he was to good and he would kill him.


Just weird to hear that the legendary "Bad Ass" Manassa Mauler turned down a fight because he would get beat.

He wasn't ready for Langford because he was physically drained from the fight before. I don't care what a ****** book says. Obviously, their just trying to tear Dempsey down to build up other fighters. Who's the author of that book anyway? Undoubtedly, it's a Dempsey-hater.

[Yogi]

Animal Squabbs isn't saying anything that can't be found in a quote or two from Dempsey himself, Butterfly, so I don't think it's fair to call the book "******" or accuse them of "trying to tear Dempsey down" under those circumstances...

"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

[Mike Tyson77]

Dempsey also turned down an offer to fight a 40 something old Jack Johnson. And Jack Johnson was way out of his prime and Dempsey was in his. They say Dempsey didnt fight him due to the politics of the time.

[Kid Achilles]

Dempsey didn't fight Johnson because Johnson had done nothing to deserve a shot!

Dempsey not taking the Langford fight was due to his own inexperience. His manager at the time was throwing him into one tough fight after another, with no concern for his long term career. Dempsey was about ready to quit fighting at the time, he was at the end of his rope with the way his career was headed and then he hears that his manager wants him to fight the great Sam Langford?

This was all pre Kearns, before Dempsey was a household name and huge draw. This version of Dempsey was not eating very well, probably weighed in the 160 range on a good day, and was simply not ready for Langford.

[butterfly1964]

Dempsey didn't fight Johnson because Johnson had done nothing to deserve a shot!

Dempsey not taking the Langford fight was due to his own inexperience. His manager at the time was throwing him into one tough fight after another, with no concern for his long term career. Dempsey was about ready to quit fighting at the time, he was at the end of his rope with the way his career was headed and then he hears that his manager wants him to fight the great Sam Langford?

This was all pre Kearns, before Dempsey was a household name and huge draw. This version of Dempsey was not eating very well, probably weighed in the 160 range on a good day, and was simply not ready for Langford.

...