Athletes are bigger today.
Diet is superior today.
Sounds like a slam-dunk for modern heavyweights.
But boxers in the old days were tougher than today due to their lifestyles. Life was harder. And, there were no competing sports to drain off the good boxers.It was more competitive in the divisions.
Modern heavyweights might have a size and weight advantage.
But they would be surprised at Dempsey's strength, determination, and punching power.
And he was fast.
Compare a modern boxing match with some of the films of dempsey at his prime. He is lean, fast, dirty, strong, and can hit. He is not wandering around half-asleep like we see today. He charges his opponents and attacks.
People talk mean today, but Dempsey was the very definition of mean. He went about his business quickly and with great intention.
If he could somehow make it through modern bouts without being disqualified (which seems unlikely), there would be a dynamic we no longer see.....one of unbridled determination and aggression.
Harry Greb may have backed down Dempsey.....but Tyson Fury?
Dempsey would destroy the today clowns of the ring. The only great HW today is Wladimir Klitschko. I think Wlad would take him out with his power and size difference, but Dempsey would rate as the greatest right behind him today. Wlad isn't just a big and dumb fella, he's also great in tactics and skills inside the ring. Jack is one of the greatest ever, as Tunney said, he could box, slug, counterpunch and swarm, which made it almost impossible to beat. Tunney also said that even after 3 years preperation for the Dempsey fight he still couldn't read Jack's next step in the ring, because Jack fought always with instinct and switched from style to style. And don't forget Jack's legendary punching power. He punched as hard as a super heavyweight. He destroyed 200 pounds Jack Sharkey with ease and Sharkey said afterwards that Dempsey hits so hard he could dislocate a shoulder with one punch. Dempsey would beat all opponents of Wladimir Klitschko nowadays. Their big, but Jack had the power of a sledge hammer in his arms and would be greater as those big, lousy and dumb boxers of the today era. Wladimir Klitschko is the only great HW fighter today and the only one that could beat Jack Dempsey. Todays fighters aren't better than Jess Willard was. Willard could even better take a punch and had much more stamina.
Yes
Jack Dempsey boxing attributes superlatives
punching power 10
? coordination 9
Offensive game ft 10
instinct murderer 10
resistance to punishment 9
?
That is objective and generally much higher than the historical top ten, for example in the list of qualities of power punching Tyson has 8, and coordination 8.5
Experienced coaches (Ray Arcel) testify the great qualities of Dempsey
He would be a cruiserweight fighting the heavies of heavyweights. Id say he has a punchers chance against the glass chin hws but would not be able to cope with a boxing giant like Wlad. Jess Willard was big but absolutely nothing like the giants today that can box today like Wlad, Lewis. Would like to see Dempsey vs fury though, that might be a good matchup, I'd put my money on Dempsey for that one
With his character and given the benefits of modern training and coaching, I think he will be as good and dangerous today as he was in his days. Primal killer's instinct can never be taught and Dempsey had that which is sorely lacking even in the top modern heavyweights we have today including Wladimir Klitschko.
Dempsey was a Wildman, as he grew up fighting in coal mines, saloons, railroad yards with full grown men , jut to get something to eat. He stood about 6'-6'1" but only weighed about 187 pounds at best. 77 " reach, but didn't utilize it, but rather rushed in and hitting big time, especially with the left hook.
Like most in the 180 pound range, that were successful in their day, would be ok with the average heavyweight, but not the super heavies of 6'5" + IMO.
Hard to say they had different rules back then and Dempsey might not be as effective in today's fight game.
People tend to underrate fighters before joe louis because camera qualiry sucked.
with that said i think dempsey would be very effective today but he would also get allot of DQs. Dempsey was verry dirty
Sure, he'd rip everyone up.
Yes he would
