1919 Dempsey vs 1926 Tunney

[Kid McCoy]

He almost got Tunney out of there...but was thoroughly demoralised for almost that entire fight. It was even worse in their first clash. As an interesting aside, the two fights were almost repeated to perfection in a pair of battles some fifty years later, between Larry Holmes & Earnie Shavers. Striking similarities.

First-time out, Dempsey was looking sickly, had not fought in three years, & was getting up there. You would still think he'd have done better than being completely shut-out, but you could more or less say, "Well, he's had his day, & he was out-of-shape, ill-prepped, etc."

What of the second fight, though? Dempsey had improved his conditioning & knew the Tunney gameplan & style. He had knocked off a talented, hungry young fighter who, in fighting Dempsey, was out to make a name for himself. That showed Dempsey still had something. The reflexes & the freshness were not going to return, except in brief bursts (like the famous 7th round), but even so, you had to say, "Okay...there's something to this," when Tunney totally out-classed him a second time.

To me, the rematch proves Tunney was always in Dempsey's class, & would always be a very, very tough ask for him, at any point in his career. Who do I favour? Dempsey was quicker & more elusive in years past, & his punching, a little more explosive & consistent. I would honestly look at this as a 55-45 type of fight, maybe even narrower, in Dempsey's favour. I think he catches Tunney & finishes what you see below in about six or seven rounds, but it wouldn't be worth putting one cent on. Tunney would have every chance.

I disagree about the significance of the Sharkey fight. To me all it showed is that Dempsey could still punch. Remember Sharkey was handling him before he unwisely dropped his guard to protest a foul. I agree that Tunney would always be an issue for Dempsey. Guys who boxed Dempsey generally did better than those who slugged. But I maintain that if a past it Dempsey could have Tunney all but out, then the sharper, hungrier version who had his legs back would also get to him, and unlike in 1927, he'd be able to finish him off.

[Barn]

Tunney by SD winning 8-6-1 in rounds but, a few Dempseys knockdowns even the scorecards and make it a pick 'em decision.

[Canelo Phresh]

Tunney by SD winning 8-6-1 in rounds but, a few Dempseys knockdowns even the scorecards and make it a pick 'em decision.

i agree with this

[Great John L]

Interestingly, Tunney called Dempsey the Greatest of all Time.

[Barn]

Interestingly, Tunney called Dempsey the Greatest of all Time.

I heard he called Wilde the Greatest of All Time.

[Barn]

Wilde went to America in 1919, and for almost a year, he toured the States beating an assortment of mainly much heavier opponents. The Americans grew to love Wilde and to this day he is revered by fight fans Stateside. Gene Tunney said of Jimmy Wilde, "He is the greatest fighter I ever saw".

http://www.johnnyowen.com/jimmy_wilde.html

[Wild Blue Yonda]

I disagree about the significance of the Sharkey fight. To me all it showed is that Dempsey could still punch. Remember Sharkey was handling him before he unwisely dropped his guard to protest a foul. I agree that Tunney would always be an issue for Dempsey. Guys who boxed Dempsey generally did better than those who slugged. But I maintain that if a past it Dempsey could have Tunney all but out, then the sharper, hungrier version who had his legs back would also get to him, and unlike in 1927, he'd be able to finish him off.

I agree that if Dempsey could put Tunney down after his prime, then obviously, you can say he has the chance to go one better & finish him at his peak --- but I cannot see how that one moment weighs more heavily than what was very nearly twenty rounds of utter dominance for Tunney. As stated, I actually pick Dempsey (narrowly) in this fight, but I think it's a rough ticket to pick out one slip-up in a pair of otherwise protracted & perfected performances from Tunney.

Reagrding the Sharkey fight, I'm not sure I see it quite that way. I wouldn't say Sharkey was, "handling" Dempsey. He rocked him early, roughed him up & certainly was giving a strong showing --- but he never went near to putting Dempsey away, & the fight was not even half-way through when the end came. Dempsey, by most contemporaneous accounts, fought his way back onto even terms after a shaky start, & I think all-in-all, it shows Dempsey still remained a formidable figure, if not a peak one.

Let me ask you --- what sort of chance would you give Tunney against the best Dempsey? Statistically, that is.