4 Greatest White Heavyweights: No Controversy?

[HomicideHenry]

I nominate Jack Broughton; no controversy what so ever in his career, other than making an ill-advised comeback against Jack Slack and Broughton's backers thought he threw the fight and had his ampitheatre shut down. Broughton's reply to his backers was: "I am blinded, but not defeated", as both his eyes were swollen shut.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Again --- is Duran not Panamanian?

being panamanian is a nationality not a race...

As I said on the subject already, it's analagous.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I don't think Dempsey counts cos he has Cherokee in him. If ur gonna count Dempsey then why not Clay and Louis??

No he doesn't. He looks very much like a Native American to me. His high cheekbones and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it.

NB: Sorry Gambler - I wanted to quote Mr E but instead quoted you - my apologies. I agree with what you are saying.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Boxing historians everywhere will be very interested to know this BoxRec thread has re-classified Jack Dempsey as, "non-white"

You guys are kidding. Truly. You can plainly see Ali is mixed. I vote for him as the best white champ ever 8)

[Brutu]

Of course Jack Dempsey was White,even tho he had a strain of Cherokee in him on both sides,he said in his autobiography he was mostly of Irish stock.
Jack Dempsey also claimed he had some Jewish strain in him.
IMOP Jack Dempsey as he got older looked more Jewish then anything.
Even when he was younger imop he looked more Levitine then anything.
(IMOP ,Omar Sheika looks a little like him,in the face anyway)

sheeyat ,Im part(1/8th) Shawnee Indian and I got a bad sun burn today.

[Brutu]

I don't think Dempsey counts cos he has Cherokee in him. If ur gonna count Dempsey then why not Clay and Louis??

No he doesn't. He looks very much like a Native American to me. His high cheekbones and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it.

NB: Sorry Gambler - I wanted to quote Mr E but instead quoted you - my apologies. I agree with what you are saying.

...and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it?LOL

[Cutman Scabbers]

Ingemar Johansson

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I don't think Dempsey counts cos he has Cherokee in him. If ur gonna count Dempsey then why not Clay and Louis??

No he doesn't. He looks very much like a Native American to me. His high cheekbones and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it.

NB: Sorry Gambler - I wanted to quote Mr E but instead quoted you - my apologies. I agree with what you are saying.

...and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it?LOL

I am of native-American and Celtic lineage myself and I am telling you something now - Jack Dempsey looks nothing like any Irishman I have seen.

If he can pass himself off as white in racist, segregationist 1920s America - then he is going to do - because he says hes white doesn't mean he actually is. Sure he will have European ancestry but he has big doses of native American ancestry - just look at his face. :geek2:

[Goodnight, Irene]

"Big doses of Native-American ancestry."

Proof please.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

"Big doses of Native-American ancestry."

Proof please.

Well 'proof please' that he isn't? We can do this either way - the only sure way is dig him up and get a DNA sample on him.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Stop avoiding the question. Dempsey is, was & will always be referred to as white, because, believe it or not, that's what he was.

What a stupid topic. Debating whether Dempsey is white or not

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Stop avoiding the question. Dempsey is, was & will always be referred to as white, because, believe it or not, that's what he was.

What a stupid topic. Debating whether Dempsey is white or not

Does he or does he not look as if he has a lot of native american ancestry - look at his lips, his cheekbones, his eyes - he looks nothing like any Irishman I have ever seen.

Sports Illustrated in 1955 says his father is Irish and his mother is Cherokee/Irish mix - so if he had a Cherokee grandparent then that would make sense and it would explain his exotic looks. Is he is going to say he is 'white' in segregationist America? Where the most influential man in boxing (Tex Rickard) was an out and out racist bigot? More than likely, lots of people pretended to be 'white' to get on. Dempsey wouldn't be the first nor the last.

[Goodnight, Irene]

You're gonna need more than that to re=write the history books. Your own description of Dempsey's written heritage is that of a white man, for all intents & purposes. How about you find me an article which lists Dempsey among Native-American champions. Good luck.

Was Dempsey white? Is the sky blue?

[HomicideHenry]

Does Elmer Fudd have trouble with the letter 'R'

[Bricks]

No he doesn't. He looks very much like a Native American to me. His high cheekbones and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it.

NB: Sorry Gambler - I wanted to quote Mr E but instead quoted you - my apologies. I agree with what you are saying.

...and his handsome face has a very un-Irish quality about it?LOL

I am of native-American and Celtic lineage myself and I am telling you something now - Jack Dempsey looks nothing like any Irishman I have seen.

If he can pass himself off as white in racist, segregationist 1920s America - then he is going to do - because he says hes white doesn't mean he actually is. Sure he will have European ancestry but he has big doses of native American ancestry - just look at his face. :geek2:

A very thought provoking post as always Carlos.

[jaclem2]

....dempsey's indian name was big chief hit'em in the balls.

[Darling]

Again --- is Duran not Panamanian?

[Cutman Scabbers]

Again --- is Duran not Panamanian?

His father was Mexican.

[Goodnight, Irene]

That was a point I made earlier.

Collins, didn't you agree to go back into hiding?

[Idisagree]

Picking Dempsey over Tunney is like picking Liston over Ali, or you pick your analogy. They were in the ring twice, and Tunney won both. Its not like Dempsey was too old at the time. Rocky didn't have the competition, but not his fault. An aging Walcott was beating the tar out of him but one punch from Rocky ended it in the 13th.

Head to head Tunney could have been better than Dempsey, but that by no means mean that he was the overall better fighter at heavyweight. There are many other factors that have to be taken into consideration. I for one am a big beleiver in styles makes fights and not always the better fighter wins, that is the beauty of boxing.

[IRLangmaid25]

For me personally

Rocky Marciano has to be in there 49-0 no brainer.
For his pure toughness and perhaps you can argue he was too tough for his own good you can thrown in Jerry Quarry
And then the Brothers K as well. But if you ask who I think is the better one I am tempted to say Vitali over Wladimir.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Quarry & the Klitschkos' (especially the over-rated Vitali) over Dempsey?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think Tunney & Schmeling are very close for the 4th spot after Dempsey, marciano & Jeffries. I might side with Max.

[Brutu]

why is there always been a strong noted resembelance between jack dempsey and max schmeling,even way back when?

[jaclem2]

...uh, brutu...i think maybe it's because they kind of looked a little bit alike...you know? but i'm just sayin'...