Good Article on Jack Dempsey

[Mars_ax]

This article puts a new spin on Dempsey's invincible aura. It posits that he avoided fighting Harry Greb for years. What do you think?

Greb was a high risk, low reward fight for Dempsey, so if he did indeed avoid him, that might be the reason. BTW, i've read just about every bio written about Dempsey, and other then Greb's death and being a good friend, I don't recall any other mention of him.

[brocktonblockbust]

Greb woulda gave Dempsey one fuckin helluva fight worse than Conn gave Louis

[Rantcatrat]

Greb woulda gave Dempsey one fuckin helluva fight worse than Conn gave Louis

I still can't get over that Conn outboxed Louis for 12 rounds or so. It's like his concentration lapsed for 10 seconds and he blew a chance at a history-making victory. Frankly, it's a blight on Louis's record that a middleweight could do that to him. Conn was no average middleweight clearly. Still though.

[Mars_ax]

Greb woulda gave Dempsey one fuckin helluva fight worse than Conn gave Louis

I still can't get over that Conn outboxed Louis for 12 rounds or so. It's like his concentration lapsed for 10 seconds and he blew a chance at a history-making victory. Frankly, it's a blight on Louis's record that a middleweight could do that to him. Conn was no average middleweight clearly. Still though.

I always like what Billy said after the fight: "What's the point of being Irish if you can't be stupid?".
Funny stuff..

[Rantcatrat]

This article puts a new spin on Dempsey's invincible aura. It posits that he avoided fighting Harry Greb for years. What do you think?

Greb was a high risk, low reward fight for Dempsey, so if he did indeed avoid him, that might be the reason. BTW, i've read just about every bio written about Dempsey, and other then Greb's death and being a good friend, I don't recall any other mention of him.

I recommend a great book that I'm reading right now by Jack Cavanaugh, "Boxing's Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey," that more or less confirms what the article I cited above asserts. I highly recommend the book if you have interest in Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey and that era in boxing. Among others, there are chapters on Battling Levinsky and Luis Firpo. Good quality of writing too.

By the way, what is your favorite biography on Jack Dempsey? I'm leaning toward buying the lone biography on Joe Gans, or perhaps one on Sam Langford next, but one on Dempsey won't be far behind on my reading list.

[Mars_ax]

This article puts a new spin on Dempsey's invincible aura. It posits that he avoided fighting Harry Greb for years. What do you think?

Greb was a high risk, low reward fight for Dempsey, so if he did indeed avoid him, that might be the reason. BTW, i've read just about every bio written about Dempsey, and other then Greb's death and being a good friend, I don't recall any other mention of him.

I recommend a great book that I'm reading right now by Jack Cavanaugh, "Boxing's Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey," that more or less confirms what the article I cited above asserts. I highly recommend the book if you have interest in Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey and that era in boxing. Among others, there are chapters on Battling Levinsky and Luis Firpo. Good quality of writing too.

By the way, what is your favorite biography on Jack Dempsey? I'm leaning toward buying the lone biography on Joe Gans, or perhaps one on Sam Langford next, but one on Dempsey won't be far behind on my reading list.

I like all his Bios, you can usually find one or 2 at the local library, the last one I read was one written in 1977, in collaboration with his daughter Barbara Lynn, Jack published his autobiography, titled "Dempsey".
Dempsey was one of a kind, in May 1983, he died of heart failure at age 87. With his wife Deanna at his side, his last words were ... "Don't worry honey; I'm too mean to die." Good stuff, after all the wars and trauma he'd been though in his life, to die 3 years short of 90 is amazing. RIP Manassa Mauler.

BTW, Dempsey's step-son through his marriage to Deanna posted on another forum I used to belong to, nice guy it was fun chatting with him.

[Mars_ax]

Jack Dempsey's obit in the N.Y. Times:

Jack Dempsey, 87, is Dead; Boxing Champion of 1920's