1919 Jack Dempsey vs 1938 Joe Louis

[Southpaw Great]

15 Rounds. Who wins and how?

[CarlosG815]

I like Jack Dempsey. He had a tough chin, great hand speed and knew how to pressure other fighters.

[Southpaw Stinger]

Be a tough fight for both, back and forth. I think Dempsey would hurt Louis early with a big left hook and would likely send him down a couple of times. Under 1919 rules, Dempsey would be all over him and likely stop him at this point.
With the neutral corner rule, Louis might be able to regain his composure and start to time Dempsey as he moves in, eventually stopping him late.

Could go either way depending on who connects first. I'll put Louis as favourite, 60/40

[Sugarj]

So so tough, Dempsey looked terrific against Willard in 1919 and Louis looked superb against Schmelling in 1938.

If you watch both performances though, neither losing fighter offered much resistance at all..........just heart. Louis was still wide open for the right hand, the only one Schmelling threw that night caught Louis flush, but he threw nothing else against Louis.

Under 1919 rules (which didn't require the boxer scoring a knockdown to go to a neutral corner and allowed the standing over the felled opponent) I actually favour Dempsey. His chin was good enough to take some nasty blows from Louis and I'd fancy that Jack's speed and power would enable him to at least score a knock down at some point......at which point he would hover over Louis as he repeatedly tried to get to his feet hitting him mid way to force a KO/TKO shortly after. Hell Braddock, Schmelling and Gallento knocked down the younger Louis.....you'd have to fancy Dempsey's chances to do the same.

That said I could see the fight having a different outcome with 1938 rules. I think Louis would taste the canvas at some point, but with the neutral corner rule he would have a better chance to recover from a knockdown. I could see Dempsey building a good early points lead with the furious pace he could start with, but I'd favour Louis to close the gap with stinging combinations as the fight entered the championship rounds to steal something like a 9-6 or 8-6-1 decision.

[louis54]

dempsey, because of the chin factor. sure he had the style to beat louis, but i think it just gets down to the chin and dempsey being a two handed threat at anytime.

[Miburo]

Under what rules? If no neutral corner, Dempsey. Otherwise Louis.

[TBear]

In my opinion Louis would outbox Dempsey and eventually stop him.

[boxingbuff]

Boyyyyyy,what a fight this would be.

This is another thread where the fight could go either way.I'm sure the fight would not last long,but would have plenty of fireworks.Somebody might even get knocked out of the ring.This would be a toss up fight for sure.