Dempsey vs. Wills who would have won?

[zojo]

Dempsey never fought Wills even though he was #1 contender for a large amount of Dempsey's championship reign. Tickets were sold, even though the fight was never signed. Heck, the reason why Dempsey was not given a license to fight in NY to fight Tunney was because he would not fight Wills.

If they did fight when Dempsey was champ....who would have won?

[Ezzard]

The fact that they never fought hurts Dempsey more than Wills in a way...

Wills fought and beat a lot of top talent from his era.

Interested to know what experts of the time think. Was Wills a little past it?

Dempsey seemed to struggle with guys who had quick feet. He liked to the more spritely. I think he would be in this match up. Though I may well be corrected.

Dempsey was a comparable puncher to Langford who stopped Wills...

[Robinson]

I have only seen an older Wills on film, so I really do
not know how to imagine this match. What film of
Wills exists ?

[Robinson]

I have only seen clips of the Uzcudan fight when Wills was well
past it.

[Crease]

Dempsey I think...

From what I've seen and read...

[Ambling Alp]

Dempsey. He was the better fighter and was particularly good against big heavyweights. Still, too bad it didn't happen.

[ben geoghegan]

I judge it strictly by records. Up until 1922 Wills beats Dempsey, possibly stopping him. Wills was a top contender for years by that point, fighting the best in the world during the late half of the teens. Dempsey's chances increase from 1923 on. I still take Wills in a close one up until mid 1924, then it's dicey thru early 1925. Beyond that Dempsey KO's Wills surely. To the gentleman who said the missed fight hurts Dempsey, he's right. Wills record speaks for itself, he fought the better men for longer. Dempsey fought average opponents. While he did do what he was supposed to do against them, eg. Porky Flynn and the Sapulpa Bleeder Carl Morris, they were not the best. We'll never know what would have happened but it would have been a great fight, the fight of its era no doubt about it.