Best STREETFIGHT in the ring the past 50 years

[BattlingNelson]

I see where you're coming from but I gotta ask myself, does Dempsey take a chance on getting disqualified for heavyweight championship of the world by bringing a foriegn object to the ring in front of 50 thousand people or more (sorry, don't have the exact numbers)? I doubt it. On top of all this, to my knowledge Willard never accused Dempsey of cheating.

Nice research jab and several good points made.

For the record I've read accounts of Willard to the day that he died believed Dempsey had loaded gloves. After all Willards facial injuries was horrific including several broken bones to go with his bashed-in face.

[JAB5239]

Nice research jab and several good points made.

For the record I've read accounts of Willard to the day that he died believed Dempsey had loaded gloves. After all Willards facial injuries was horrific including several broken bones to go with his bashed-in face.

Willards facial injuries are another thing touched upon that have been exxagerated over the years. Here is another exrpt from the article I have referenced. Lets also remember both Jack and Jess were wearing 5oz gloves that day. The equivalent of a world class fighter today wearing MMA gloves into a boxing match.

A statement was issued after the fight by Jim Byrne "official physician to a local athletic club in Toledo" that Willard had a dislocated jaw, a fractured cheek bone and several "mashed" ribs and that it would be "at least six weeks before Willard is back to normal condition and can move comfortably." This was reported in the Kansas City Times July 8, 1919, p. 10 "Willard's Jaw Dislocated.”

Pacheco and other reporters based the extent of Willard’s injuries off of this widely distributed report by Byrne who was not a physician. However it soon turned out that Jim Byrne was not a doctor, but was rather a "rubber" in a bathhouse in Battle Creek, Michigan. According to the reporter in an article, "Willard's Jaw is All Right," Kansas City Star, July 8, 1919, p.11, Byrne "doesn't know a nickel's worth about the human anatomy."

Other reports also make it clear that Willard was not as severely injured as has been claimed. An interview by a reporter from Kansas City on July 5, 1919, "Jess Refuses to Alibi," Kansas City Star, July 6, 1919, p. 14, the day after the fight, showed that "aside from the swelling on the right side of his face, which is under cold applications, he was none the worse apparently for his encounter with Dempsey."

In an interview on July 7, the Kansas City Times announced that Jess and his wife were leaving Toledo and driving their car back to Lawrence, Kansas that day. His condition seemed to be fine. "The swelling over his left eye had entirely disappeared and the only mark he bore was a slight discoloration over the eye and a cut lip." ("Willard starts for Home," Kansas City Times, July 8, 1919, p.10).

Another reporter interviewed Jess in Chicago on his way home. "Hello, Jess" said the reporter, "How do you feel ?" "Hello," said Willard, "I'm feeling great. Would you like to spar a few rounds ?" (Kansas City Star, July 10, 1919, p. 10).

Later, according to a reporter for the Topeka Daily Capital, July 16, 1919, p. 8, who interviewed Jess when he got back to Lawrence, "The ex-champion didn't have any black eye, nor any signs that he was injured in any way."

[JAB5239]

[QUOTE=BatTheMan;4444001]Nice research jab and several good points made.[QUOTE]

Thanks for the kind words my friend.

[JAB5239]

Willards facial injuries are another thing touched upon that have been exxagerated over the years. Here is another exrpt from the article I have referenced. Lets also remember both Jack and Jess were wearing 5oz gloves that day. The equivalent of a world class fighter today wearing MMA gloves into a boxing match.

A statement was issued after the fight by Jim Byrne "official physician to a local athletic club in Toledo" that Willard had a dislocated jaw, a fractured cheek bone and several "mashed" ribs and that it would be "at least six weeks before Willard is back to normal condition and can move comfortably." This was reported in the Kansas City Times July 8, 1919, p. 10 "Willard's Jaw Dislocated.”

Pacheco and other reporters based the extent of Willard’s injuries off of this widely distributed report by Byrne who was not a physician. However it soon turned out that Jim Byrne was not a doctor, but was rather a "rubber" in a bathhouse in Battle Creek, Michigan. According to the reporter in an article, "Willard's Jaw is All Right," Kansas City Star, July 8, 1919, p.11, Byrne "doesn't know a nickel's worth about the human anatomy."

Other reports also make it clear that Willard was not as severely injured as has been claimed. An interview by a reporter from Kansas City on July 5, 1919, "Jess Refuses to Alibi," Kansas City Star, July 6, 1919, p. 14, the day after the fight, showed that "aside from the swelling on the right side of his face, which is under cold applications, he was none the worse apparently for his encounter with Dempsey."

In an interview on July 7, the Kansas City Times announced that Jess and his wife were leaving Toledo and driving their car back to Lawrence, Kansas that day. His condition seemed to be fine. "The swelling over his left eye had entirely disappeared and the only mark he bore was a slight discoloration over the eye and a cut lip." ("Willard starts for Home," Kansas City Times, July 8, 1919, p.10).

Another reporter interviewed Jess in Chicago on his way home. "Hello, Jess" said the reporter, "How do you feel ?" "Hello," said Willard, "I'm feeling great. Would you like to spar a few rounds ?" (Kansas City Star, July 10, 1919, p. 10).

Later, according to a reporter for the Topeka Daily Capital, July 16, 1919, p. 8, who interviewed Jess when he got back to Lawrence, "The ex-champion didn't have any black eye, nor any signs that he was injured in any way."

Also found this........

The major questions surrounding this controversy are answered. It has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Dempsey did not have plaster of paris on his hand wraps. Jack Kearns credibility was never good and he had reasons to dislike Dempsey after their falling out when Dempsey fired him during his years when he was the champion. The testimony of eyewitnesses Nat Fleischer, trainer Jimmy Deforest, and second Teddy Hayes debunk Kearns story. The Cleveland Williams/Boxing Illustrated test puts the myth to rest. The film demonstrated that it would be impossible for Dempsey to have held an iron load in his hand given his actions in the ring. The cigar shaped object was probably just that, a cigar. Cigars were very, very popular amongst men in those days and fights were often viewed through a large cloud of smoke. The 5-ounce Sol Levinson gloves, water tight hand wraps, and Dempsey’s natural punching power and inner rage were more than enough to break Willard’s jaw and cause the injuries seen by various reporters after the fight.

[oldgringo]

Breland/Davis was a pretty rough fight and both guys certainly looked like they had been in street brawls at the conclusion of the fight. Davis' right eye was destroyed by Breland's jab/right. Both guys were bleeding profusely from the face, both men hurt, both throwing BOMBS (especially Davis...some of his punches were flat out wild).



BOOM! Right hand outta left field. Never saw it coming.

[KalboKO]

I just realized that i misread the Thread header. For some reason I though this thread was about boxers fighting in streetfights outside of the ring. Anyone ever hear about the James J. Parker/Howard "Baldy" Chard fight in Vince Bagnato's gym in Toronto in the 1950's. Parker was Canadian heavyweight champ who fought and lost to Archie Moore. Chard was a local boxer and street tough who made a living from collecting for loan sharks. It was Canada's last reported bareknuckle bout and they fought for 12 mintues straight before their handlers pulled them apart and stopped the fight. My old coach in Toronto told me that Baldy was also involved in a bout in a box car where the winner was decided when a man was able to walk out of the box car. Baldy won. I haven't been able to find another source to corroborate this story.