If Wills Had Fought And Beaten Dempsey In1922?

[travestyny]

I say no Johnson and Wills gets a shot at the title.

I disagree but I guess we will never know.

[QueensburyRules]

Lol - The only thing you could beat is Will's meat. And I don't want to envision that, so stop saying it.

- - Vitch likes you.

[GhostofDempsey]

He likely gives a washed up Langford his shot at the title, and it is billed as the title fight Johnson never gave him, win-win for Wills.

Beyond that I don’t expect any big risks by Harry who likely defends against Firpo, possibly Brennan before his untimely murder in ‘24. Brennan wins and changes the course of events that got him killed. Harry ducks Godfrey as he did in ‘25, ends his career with losses to Dempsey in rematch or Tunney.

[Ivich]

He likely gives a washed up Langford his shot at the title, and it is billed as the title fight Johnson never gave him, win-win for Wills.

Beyond that I don’t expect any big risks by Harry who likely defends against Firpo, possibly Brennan before his untimely murder in ‘24. Brennan wins and changes the course of events that got him killed. Harry ducks Godfrey as he did in ‘25, ends his career with losses to Dempsey in rematch or Tunney.

Interesting post. why do you think Brennan beats Wills?

[Willie Pep 229]

Interesting post. why do you think Brennan beats Wills?

Not my question so I'll keep it short.

I just don't know enough about Brennan. He gave Dempsey fits for 11 rounds. But has been outboxed by others, e.g. Levinsky, Greb, Miske. But those guys couldn't stop him, just decisions.

But then again Wills was a ****er more like Dempsey not Levinsky.

I do believe that history argues whoever gets the shot at Wills in '26 gets the title.

P.S. Miske does stop him in his very last fight, but I didn't hold that against him. His earlier Miske fights were close.

[GhostofDempsey]

Interesting post. why do you think Brennan beats Wills?

Brennan fourth competitively with Dempsey and was the same size. I like his odds given the experience he gained in multiple fights with Greb, Miske, Dempsey and he was a big puncher. Wills wouldn’t be able to out-muscle him or use his size advantage. He would be forced to box him.

[Willie Pep 229]

What if Harry Wills got the "Jack Johnson" treatment from the white supremacists?

Things would have been different. Wills would have had solid support from the NYSAC and complete support from the black community.

Johnson was without support.

But what about Wills under these conditions?

The KKK reached record memberships during this period.

Wills would have been a contentious issue between the Irish driven Tammany Hall ********s of NY, who supported Wills, and the Southern 'yellow dog' ********s.

Would Wills have found himself being pressured in one 'white hope' fight after another, until he is finally beaten?

Would there be a 'white' heavyweight champion crowned?

An ugly but not unrealistic scenario.

[Ivich]

What if Harry Wills got the "Jack Johnson" treatment from the white supremacists?

Things would have been different. Wills would have had solid support from the NYSAC and complete support from the black community.

Johnson was without support.

But what about Wills under these conditions?

The KKK reached record memberships during this period.

Wills would have been a contentious issue between the Irish driven Tammany Hall ********s of NY, who supported Wills, and the Southern 'yellow dog' ********s.

Would Wills have found himself being pressured in one 'white hope' fight after another, until he is finally beaten?

Would there be a 'white' heavyweight champion crowned?

An ugly but not unrealistic scenario.

I think it likely that Wills would be defending against white challengers ,with the reason being not necessarily racist but financial.

[Willie Pep 229]

I think it likely that Wills would be defending against white challengers ,with the reason being not necessarily racist but financial.

Yes I agree. I read your other post and I am not an advocate that JJ ducked black fighters when champion.

I have always followed the belief, that while a champion has an obligation to fight often enough to be fair, e.g. Fury as an example of one that doesn't, a fighter's has is finite # of possible fights/opportunities facinf him. With the # being quite low compared to other a sports.

A fighter should, especially near the end, should take the best fight for the best money he can make a deal for.

With that, I agree Wiils' best action is white challengers. For his people to lead him away from that opportunity, for Civil Rights motives, is to do a disservice to the fighter.

He's not suspose be be used as a political icon, e.g. the manner in which NOI used Ali.

So I agree Wills' fights would be white fighters because of the avaiable money.

But that's doesn't mean the white supremacists won't still make a move against him.

Any white fight he takes will have the stink of a 'white hope' fight attached to it at sone level. It just matters how hard the haters push it.

[Marchegiano]

Billy Miske because he ain't ****.