Jack Johson & Jack Dempsey : Who would be more effective in today's HW division?

[Fenster]

Willard looks better than Vitali? All I see is a KO waiting to happen. I'd bet my left nut that Willard wouldn't last 90 seconds with Wilder.

[Rantcatrat]

The nutrition and the sport science of the modern era is clearly better, but the skill-level among the guys of yesteryear was better. What's interesting is outside the heavyweights, the size of the other divisions hasn't changed very much. For example, a featherweight of 1925 is roughly the same size as a featherweight of today's day and age. While there were big heavyweights back then, there are more big heavyweights today.

I guess I think styles make fights. Ultimately, Dempsey would be better against some fighters and Johnson better against others. Johnson was floored by Stanley Ketchel. Joe Louis was out-boxed by Billy Conn. Gene Tunney outboxed Dempsey.

How deep was the heavyweight division during their time? How does it stack up against the best eras? Everyone pisses on the Klitschkos because the current heavyweight division is considered weak, but how weak is it compared with Johnson's and Dempsey's era?

It's a tough question really.