Modern life is characterized by its swiftness and a wide margin from the past. Nowadays, the champions of past years have distanced themselves from us so much that sometimes it seems as if they did not exist at all. This is especially true for athletes who spoke at the dawn of the 20th century. But, as you know, history cannot be forgotten, because we all come from the past to some extent. This article will talk about a man named Jack Dempsey, who to this day is included in the cohort of the best boxers.
Brief curriculum vitae
This great athlete was born on June 24, 1895 in the American city of New York (according to other sources, the birthplace is the city of Manassa, Colorado). In the boxing ring, he bore the nickname "Manas Kostolom." The growth of the fighter was 186 centimeters, and the arm span - 196 cm. During his career, he spent 83 fights, in 62 of which he won. He died on May 31, 1983.
Tyson's predecessor
Few people know that it would be more correct to compare Mike Tyson not with Sonny Liston, who is more similar to Iron in his mentality, namely Dempsey. Jack and Mike have a similar style of combat, so Jack Dempsey is considered to be the real analogue of Tyson as a boxer.
Crown reception
Our hero was in his own way a unique person in many ways. During his life, people, as they say, made themselves and were largely inventors. So this legendary boxer also did not stand aside and came up with, as well as actively used the technique, which later became known as “The Dempsey's Sun”. The essence of this technical action is as follows: Jack dived under the side impact of his opponent, did a feint to the outside and carried out his side impact to the head. Moreover, after the dive, an additional blow to the hull often followed. This combination is actively used in boxing to this day.
The beginning of the boxing path
Jack Dempsey came from the poorest. Until the age of nineteen, he worked in mines, until in 1914 he received an offer to speak in a boxing ring. He agreed without hesitation, while taking the pseudonym Kid Black.
It became immediately apparent that the guy possessed not only great physical strength, but also explosive temperament, tenacity. Such a mixture was provided by his blood, in which the Irish and the Indians mixed.
With each fight, the boxer grew in popularity, and therefore he concluded that it would be easier for him to live in the ring than in mines.
Hike to the top
In the years 1915-1916, Jack Dempsey held 29 fights, in which he lost only twice. Young talent became even stronger and courageous, and also increased his dexterity and speed.
In July 1918, a fight took place between Dempsey and then-world title contender Fred Fulton. Initially, this fight was planned for Fulton as a warm-up, able to further increase his authority before the champion fight. Fred himself was a very big guy: with a height of 190.5 cm, he weighed 118 kg. It would seem that he should have laid Dempsey with one left. But…
The outcome of the fight plunged the public into shock, because Jack Dempsey - a boxer who didn’t stand out much before that moment - knocked out Fulton in 23 seconds. Many observers and experts at the time considered this a coincidence, but the subsequent series of knockouts from Dempsey proved that he really deserved a fight for the title.
Champion Duel
On July 4, 1919, in the square of the ring, Dempsey, being in the status of an applicant, met with champion Jess Willard. The title holder was 26 kg heavier and 11 cm taller than his opponent.
As a result, Jack effectively knocked out Jess in the third round, by which he could finally dispel all public doubts about his solvency as a boxer.
After winning the title, Jack defended him five times. The box office from each of these battles then exceeded a million dollars - an unprecedented amount of money at that time.
The first title defense was in a fight with Billy Miske, whom Dempsey knocked out in the third round.
Another outstanding fight of Jack can be considered his confrontation with the Frenchman Georges Charpentier. 90,000 people gathered to watch their duel. But already in the fourth round, the former pilot from France was in the deepest knockout. This fight was built in contrast, because Dempsey was always considered a bad guy and a deviator, while the Frenchman was a hero of World War II and a favorite of many women and the public.
The last successful belt defense for Jack was a fight with Argentinean Luis Angel Firpo. Their fight did not last long, and the applicant left home without the desired title, and even having been knocked out.
The loss of the belt for Dempsey came in a duel with Gene Tunney, whom Jack lost on September 23, 1926. He yielded to him in the rematch of 1927, after which our hero left the professional ring, leaving only to box in demonstration matches.
Life after sports
Having completed his boxing speeches, Jack became a rather successful businessman and opened his own restaurant in New York, where he often organized meetings and dinner parties for illustrious boxing veterans.
During World War II, Dempsey was in the ranks of the US Coast Guard and was responsible for the physical training of soldiers. He also liked to enter the ring as a referee, serving boxing matches. In 1954, Jack was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
In addition, Jack Dempsey, whose book with his detailed biography was published back in 1977 under the title "Jack Dempsey's Autobiography", retained an excellent, one might even say magnificent, physical form almost until his last days. A vivid confirmation of this can be the case when his wife, during their joint walk, two young guys pulled out a purse from their hands. Jack was not taken aback and rushed after them in pursuit. As a result, he not only caught up with them, but also punished him physically. Yes, and he did it so qualitatively and expertly that the failed robbers themselves turned for protection to the police, who did not have enough time for the events unfolding before their eyes. This incident occurred in 1977, at that time Dempsey was already 82 years old.
Boxing and martial arts enthusiasts can also find another book that Jack Dempsey wrote, Explosive Strikes and Aggressive Defense, if desired. In it, the author paid close attention to the nuances of close combat, medium-range exchanges, the characteristics of street fights, and staging a direct hit.