theneutralcornernews.com

By. Trayvone Mathis

Jack Dempsey Vs. Jess Willard

This famous bout occurred on July 4^th 1919.

Between the Lean and Slender Jack Dempsey

and the herculean Jess Willard.

I thought to write about this fight in particular because of the odds this fight involved.

You see the odds were stacked hugely against Jack Dempsey.  Jess Willard was truly a giant

weighing in at two hundred and sixty pounds, standing six foot six inches tall he was not to be taken lightly.

  Jess Willard had complete faith that Jack Dempsey had no chance of hurting him.  He believed

that with his superior height and strength advantage he would easily defeat the “little man”.

His obvious confidence showed in post fight interviews and other media events when he actually

smiled every time a question was brought up about the upcoming fight.  On the other hand though

who could blame Jess for smiling?  After all he wasn’t the only person that believed this.  At one point

Jack Dempsey was even told,” Jack every time I look at Jess he gets bigger, and when I look back at you…. well you get smaller.” People believed that there was no way Jack could win.  All the bets were

on Jess.

  Well on Independence day 1919 Jack shocked the world and revolutionized boxing.  Titled the “Manassa Mauler” it only lasted for three rounds, but don’t let that fool you.  During those three

rounds Jess Willard took the worst beating of his career.  Round one started off uneventfully.  With Jack Dempsey picking and probing at Jess, Jess using his strength to fight Jack off if he got in to close.  So far the bout seemed average.  Things really picked up about ninety seconds into the fight.  When Jack became more aggressive.  Soon Jess found himself backing up to get away from the increasingly powerful punching of Jack Dempsey.  The crowd started to go wild when Jess was hit with a hook then a right followed by another vicious hook and yet another stinging right.  This was the combination that sent the two hundred forty three pound champion to the canvas.  The crowd was electrified. This is what they had come to see.  Without the neutral corner rule Jack Dempsey could position himself any where he wanted, and strike Jess the second his gloves left the canvas.  He took full advantage of this and hovered over Jess Willard.  Jess tried his best to stand up, but before he could fully catch his balance Jack struck him repeatedly with full force sending him back to the canvas.  This cycle happened over and over again for a total of seven knock downs, but Jess hung on showing extreme determination.  After the seventh knockdown jess was literally “saved by the bell”. Jack Dempsey and Jess Willard went on for two more rounds.  Despite Jack Dempsey’s explosion of power in the first round, rounds two and three had no knock downs.  Jess’s corner called the fight after the third round. Jess could not continue, but no one could criticize him for it he had just took a terrible beating.  With at least three cracked ribs and a battered face he made the right call.

  There’s no doubt about the situation Jack Dempsey rocked the boxing world, but what if all was not what it seems? Jess Willard believed that Jack Dempsey had something in his gloves, some people even say they saw him putting plaster into his gloves before the fight.  Well what ever the case this bout will always be a boxing legend cheating or no cheating.