Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard

[A Theist]

I think Jess Willard is an underrated boxer in historical boxing. You have to remember that he was in his late 30's when Jack Dempsey put that beating on him. Now I doubt that Willard could of ever beaten Dempsey, but he was still a very tough dude who beat a very good champion and held the title for a long stretch. Speaking of the brutality of boxing in that era, Willard himself had killed a man in the ring.

Also as Dempsey was a forerunner to the modern style, the man he lost to, Gene Tunney, was really a forerunning to both modern training and technique. Ahead of his time.

I believe Jess was underrated too...He defeated Jack Johnson the best fighter of the era to win the Heavyweight crown, and there was no question to his toughness, strength, and stamina. I can't think of any other fighter who could have risen to continue two more rounds after the kind of pummeling he was handed by Dempsey in the first round.

Gene Tunney was a real classic, and a great skillful fighter.....Here's a video of the famous Dempsey / Tunney 'Long Count'. It was only after nine seconds that the floored Tunney looked up at the ref to pick up the count, (He was actually on the canvass for 14 seconds). What's your opinion, could Tunney have risen at the official count of ten?....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OeeCfbahwQ