Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard

[A Theist]

On July 4th, 1919 in Toledo Ohio, Jack Dempsey stepped into the boxing ring to challenge the much larger Champion, Jess Willard for the Heavyweight Boxing Title. The first round of this title fight is reputed to be the most brutal in boxing history. Jess Willard, (the Pattowatomie Giant), stood 6' 6 1/2 feet tall and weighed 240 pounds at the time of this fight, (huge for a man of that era). Willard won the Heavyweight title by knocking out former champion, Jack Johnson, in the 26th round of their title fight just four years earlier. Jack Dempsey, the much smaller challenger, stood 6' 1 and weighed around 183 pounds for the fight. Willard's straight up erect boxing stance was also common to the era...Jack Dempsey is considered to be the forerunner to the modern day boxer. The differences in fighting styles between Dempsey and Willard are apparent. Willard stood erect and moved slowly around the ring...Dempsey was fast, mobile, aggressive, always moving and Willard was the perfect target for Dempsey. Willard was knocked down seven times in the first round. He suffered a cracked skull, broken ribs, shattered jaw, a broken nose, four missing teeth, partial hearing loss in one ear plus numerous cuts and contusions at the hands of Dempsey...