Sam Langford

[McGoorty]

Most, if not all of that "article" is culled from "urban myths". The FACTS are that Joe Gans died shortly afterwards, still a young man.He had "galloping consumption" even when fighting, [virulent TB].

There's no doubt that Sam was a good fighter, but, the fact about the Johnson fight IS that Johnson half killed him, KDing him a few times, and actually holding him up, when he looked like collapsing. This was an old dodge of Johnson, who always needed to make sure that the cash customers got their "money's worh", a fight with lots of rounds. All the negro fighters did this, because with such racial discrimination, they would fight for a purse of only a few dollars. And they had to live. Those were very hard times. Johnson was a defensive marvel, and really dictated the progression of all his fights.

Johnson was absolutely right when he said that people won't pay any real money to see two black men fight.

As for Dempsey supposedly being afraid of 43 year old, S'7" fat, blind, Sam Langford, who was really worn out by this time, this is a myth. There was an article in an old Ring, in which Dempsey denied ever saying such a thing. As a matter of fact, I recall a very comprehensive story in Ring, about the discovery of the old, penniless fighter, and I can still see in my mind, the picture of old Sam sitting on the steps of the tenament in wehich he was living. He was wearing glasses.

Nat Fleischer, the founder and publisher of Ring Magazine, who lived until 1972, and who'd seen all the important fighters since about 1903, was unequivocal in asserting that Jack Johnson was the best heavyweight he ever saw. And he saw Dempsey, Louis, Ali, Frazier, etc.

Sam "Chappie" Blackburn, Joe Louis' trainer and teacher, who had actually fought against some of the early century "greats" and knew them all, told Louis that he would not have had any chance against Johnson, that Johnson, had a wonderful habit, of reaching out and just touching his opponent, putting him off balance when he was about to let go a punch.

It was Tex Rickard, the promoter, who wouldn't make a fight for Dempsey with a black man, because it wouldn't be a big draw. Dempsey would have fought a tiger.

Still, it makes a nice story.

Sounds fair, but I don't care how great and talented someone is, a GIANT has no business in the ring with a LW ( jr. WW actually), so Johnson beating That Sam Langford cannot diminish his claims to Great-Hood. Incidentally, I'd be interested to learn more about Nat Fleisher, for instance did he travel to Australia ? because he seems to have an insiders view into the Australian Boxing scene during it's golden age, I seem to remember him in connection with BURNS Vs JOHNSON.