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Jack Dempsey: Does He Deserve His Place In History?


WelshDevilRob
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New article by Lee Skavydis aka Skav

 

Jack Dempsey: Does He Deserve His Place In History?

 

Few heavyweight boxers held the fire and intensity within them as much as Jack Dempsey once did. Nicknamed ‘The Manassa Mauler,’ Dempsey had an unpromising start to his career when he drew with Young Herman in 1914 and eventually lost his 8th professional bout to Jack Downey. Still, he persevered and while he faced more losses and draws in the process, he eventually got his shot at Pottawatomie Giant, Jess Willard who succeeded in stopping Jack Johnson for the heavyweight crown.

 

What followed was the most brutal heavyweight beating in boxing history in July 4th, 1919 as Dempsey inflicted numerous injuries on the title holder, eventually forcing him to retire after three blood drenched rounds while combating the 110 degree heat in Ohio. Although the validity of the news reports are questionable, it was claimed that Willard lost several teeth, had his jaw broken, fractured ribs and partial hearing loss among others. It was as unclinical a performance from Dempsey in a heavyweight title fight that one can get, but the heavyweight championship was then his!

 

Still, here lies the source of the controversy. Dempsey would hold on to the title for the next seven years but his reign is often called into question in terms of how he fares against other great fighters in the history of heavyweight boxing. Jack would go on to fight sporadically, having defended twice in 1920, once in 1921, spending the entirety of 1922 away from the ring, twice more in 1923 and then did not officially fight again for another three years until 1926 when he lost to Gene Tunney, inflicting another defeat on his record as well as losing his status as heavyweight champion of the world.

 

Read more: Jack Dempsey: Does He Deserve His Place In History? - - Boxing News - Ring News24

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What are your thoughts on Jack Dempsey?

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Re: Jack Dempsey: Does He Deserve His Place In History?

 

--- I included Jack in my Josh piece comparison for my own site and he compared favorably.

 

Gonna count up his HOF record and report back. Nonetheless, it was Dempsey who first brought the scale of spectacle to boxing that turned it into a more legalized sport that the authorities could not deny.

 

Anthony Joshua VS Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky, Ali, Joe Frazier, Big George, Larry Holmes, Iron Mike, Lennox Lewis, & Wlad | Bobby Mac's Straight Shooter

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