who is the greater heavyweight, mike tyson or jack dempsey?

[squealpiggy]

Dempsey created his own style, but Tyson perfected it.

Head to head I would take Tyson. In terms of legacy, I would also take Tyson.

Maybe if Dempsey fought black fighters I would think otherwise.

I read Dempsey's autobiography and there was a lot of politics around fighting black fighters. A champion giving a black contender a shot would stand to lose a great deal financially and I believe the National Boxing Association was reluctant to sanction fights between white champions and black challengers. I'm going from memory there so I make no claims of absolute accuracy, but I know Jack Dempsey was accused of ducking Harry Wills. I'm not so sure, reading his life story he seems to be less than bothered about skin colour, but of course he's hardly going to put "I always hated black guys" in his autobiography!

Joe Louis played a huge part in changing Boxing's attitude to black fighters when he became the people's champ against Schmeling.

[Thread Stealer]

dempsey did sign to fight willis late in his title reign, but tex ricard cancelled the fight.

[Azteca]

It was the early 1900's. Of course these guys were a little racist.

Anyway, I feel you cant properly judge him because he never fought everyone out there. Maybe not his fault, but its something that has to be hold against him.

[squealpiggy]

It was the early 1900's. Of course these guys were a little racist.

Anyway, I feel you cant properly judge him because he never fought everyone out there. Maybe not his fault, but its something that has to be hold against him.

Yeah that's the one thing I hold over Dempsey. He didn't exactly go out of his way to have a lot of title fights. But I read Championship Fighting and I'll always admire him for that superb body of work...