Jack Johnson vs Jack Dempsey

[Schmerzen]

Who would win ?

[Obama]

Johnson. Dempsey was far too one dimensional for him. A past it Johnson could even beat a prime Dempsey.

[Junito-Rulez]

Johnson was even the more modern fighter. Jack Dempsey was a precursor of " bob and weavers" but Johnson was one of the first who really took defense and counter attacks seriously. He was probably a better athlete and had better footwork, from what ive seen.

Johnson outboxes him to a UD.

[GJC]

I'd favour Johnson over Dempsey, not so sure that a past prime Johnson would be able to keep Dempsey off though.

[JB16]

Johnson always pleaded for a showdown with Dempsey when he was in his forties.

When Johnson was first released from Jail on July 9th 1921, He told reporters that he is 43 years of age and proud of it. And that he wanted a fight Jack Dempsey. Johnson said ''It dosen't make any difference what Dempsey says about drawing the colour line, the public wants Dempsey whipped. And the public knows I am the one to do it''

Wound't Dempseys youth and ferocity now be simply to much for Johnson? No Johnson said, Bullfighting had taught him everything he'd need to come out on top: ''Many boxers are of the bull type''. When they rush you four or five times and by deft footwork you have avoided them and jabbed them a few times as they pass by, you have them whipped-man or bull''

Johnson also said unlike Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson never was a slacker and never will be''

Here's what Dempseys manager had to say about a Johnson fight.....

''Jack Dempsey would not fight him. Johnson is through, through with his own people,'' explained Kearns.

''He stands discredited in the eyes of the civilized world.'' There was no sum of money large enough, to persuade Dempsey ''to dignify the Negro with a fight''

Alot of people also don't know that Johnson was colse to fighting Harry Willis around this time, but the fight never happened due to New Jersy Boxing Commission wound't allow it to go foward. Saying that the appearance of Johnson in a contest there would be derogatory to the sport.

Johnson also stated about a Dempsey fight. ''I am forty five years of age. But there are forty five mighty light years. I would like to box Mr Dempsey for about a six round no decision. My, how could I show what kind if champion he is. And Firpo, what wound't I do to Firpo.

''But I guess Jack aint never going to get them chances. I'm a business man now''

This was just recently after Johnson had licked Luis Angel Firpo in a sparring session. Here's the story to that....

In Febuary of 1923 Jack Johnson was working in New York as a $250-a-day sparring parther for Luis Angel Firpo, a cocky young heavyweight from Argentina with fourtenn early round knockouts behind him, whom the broadway columnist Damon Runyon had already dubbed ''the wild bull of the pampas'' Firpo was preparing for a fight with ''KO'' Bill Brennan, who had almost taken Dempey's title two years earlier, and Tex Rickard was already thinking that big money might be made someday from a Dempsey Firpo fight.

But when the fight crowd was invivted down to McLevys gym on 26 street to see the newcomer go through his paces with the ex champion Johnson, the temptation to show up his opponent proved more than Johnson could resist, just as it had when he'd worked Kid Carter twenty two years earlier. Firpo rushed at Johnson, only to find himself punching thin air or trapped within the grinning 44 year olds encircling arms as he bowed to the ringsiders-who broke into applause. As the bell rang ending the first round , he patted Firpo on the rear end. Firpo was furious.

So was Rickard, who saw to it that Johnson was fired and refused entry to the gym so long as the Argentinian hopefull was training there.