BoxRec

Whom did he use over the course of his boxing career?

Willard's sparring partners for the Johnson fight were Jack Hemple, Tex O'Rourke, Walter Monaghen, and Walter Lanahan.

Hemple - who was similar in size to Dempsey - was with Willard in Toledo for the Dempsey fight, as was Monaghen who was also his chief second. Monaghen sparred in exhibition matches with Willard in Vaudeville when Jess was champion, and was probably his favorite sparring partner. Joe Chip was also in camp at Toledo.

I might also add Dempsey used Walter Monaghen as well as a sparring partner throughout his career, along with Bill Tate.

My grandfather was a pro middleweight bouncing around the west in the late teens to mid twenties. In the course of his career, he met and became friends with Walter Monaghan, who was apparently a very good guy. Monaghan always felt that Jess Willard was very under-rated and that, when aroused and focussed, he was a truly dangerous dude.

Is that the Walter Monahan who was a protge of Jack Johnson's in 1910?

Mr E wrote:My grandfather was a pro middleweight bouncing around the west in the late teens to mid twenties. In the course of his career, he met and became friends with Walter Monaghan, who was apparently a very good guy. Monaghan always felt that Jess Willard was very under-rated and that, when aroused and focussed, he was a truly dangerous dude.

I think Willard himself said it best, "I'd have fought any man alive," when he was asked about his ranking and chances against the likes of Joe Louis and others during the course of the NCR-315 computer tournament in 1967. Willard admitted he more or less jabbed and threw the right uppercut when guys got too close, other than that he did little in the ring. I do give Willard mad credit for being one tough SOB, but he was no Luther McCarty.

HomicideHenry wrote:

Mr E wrote:My grandfather was a pro middleweight bouncing around the west in the late teens to mid twenties. In the course of his career, he met and became friends with Walter Monaghan, who was apparently a very good guy. Monaghan always felt that Jess Willard was very under-rated and that, when aroused and focussed, he was a truly dangerous dude.

I think Willard himself said it best, "I'd have fought any man alive," when he was asked about his ranking and chances against the likes of Joe Louis and others during the course of the NCR-315 computer tournament in 1967. Willard admitted he more or less jabbed and threw the right uppercut when guys got too close, other than that he did little in the ring. I do give Willard mad credit for being one tough SOB, but he was no Luther McCarty.

Actually, according to the New York Times, Willard beat McCarty when they fought in August 19, 1912 at MSG:



I could be mistaken, but I don't think any newspaper gave McCarty better than a draw againast Willard.

McCarty became the White Heavyweight champion, not Willard.

HomicideHenry wrote:
I think Willard himself said it best, "I'd have fought any man alive," when he was asked about his ranking and chances against the likes of Joe Louis and others during the course of the NCR-315 computer tournament in 1967.

Willard had only two bouts between 1915-1919 before he lost the title to Dempsey. I realize that there was a world war on, and a guy wants to rake in as much money as he can with exhibitions while he is champion, but couldn't and shouldn't he have had at least one or two other title defenses during those fours years?

Ric wrote:

HomicideHenry wrote:
I think Willard himself said it best, "I'd have fought any man alive," when he was asked about his ranking and chances against the likes of Joe Louis and others during the course of the NCR-315 computer tournament in 1967.

Willard had only two bouts between 1915-1919 before he lost the title to Dempsey. I realize that there was a world war on, and a guy wants to rake in as much money as he can with exhibitions while he is champion, but couldn't and shouldn't he have had at least one or two other title defenses during those fours years?

I agree that Willard should have, but for anyone who knows Willard, knows the man disliked his chosen profession very much. Thats why he joined a circus during his title reign, rather than fight constantly. It took an unheard of amount of $100,000 for Willard to fight Dempsey. Willard liked being champ, or at least the celebrity, but not the game its self.

HomicideHenry wrote:McCarty became the White Heavyweight champion, not Willard.

And McCarty's claim was disputed by the fellow who beat him - Jess Willard.

http://www.boxinggyms.com/news/willard1 ... es1913.htm

I think McCarty was more credible in people's minds because he had more kayos/decisions than Willard whose record was littered with No Decisions.

HomicideHenry wrote:

Ric wrote:

HomicideHenry wrote:
I think Willard himself said it best, "I'd have fought any man alive," when he was asked about his ranking and chances against the likes of Joe Louis and others during the course of the NCR-315 computer tournament in 1967.

Willard had only two bouts between 1915-1919 before he lost the title to Dempsey. I realize that there was a world war on, and a guy wants to rake in as much money as he can with exhibitions while he is champion, but couldn't and shouldn't he have had at least one or two other title defenses during those fours years?

I agree that Willard should have, but for anyone who knows Willard, knows the man disliked his chosen profession very much. Thats why he joined a circus during his title reign, rather than fight constantly. It took an unheard of amount of $100,000 for Willard to fight Dempsey. Willard liked being champ, or at least the celebrity, but not the game its self.

It was purely a matter of economics: He could make more money in vaudeville than in title defenses.

In 1902, Jim Jeffries went on a vaudeville tour with Bob Fitzsimmons. In 1903, he was approached by a reporter who asked him why he hadn't signed yet for a much anticipated rematrch with Jim Corbett. Jeff replied (and I am PARAPHRASING):

"I'm making $1,000 a week on tour with Fitz. If I fight Jim Corbett, I'll get paid about $25,000. From that, I have to pay my own expenses - sparring partners, my trainer's cut, and the cost of putting everybody up at camp - and devote eight weeks to hard work training. You do the math. I'll fight him eventually, but not now - not when I'm getting $1,000 a week sparring with Fitz."

Pure economics. When he fought Jack Munroe in 1904, Jeff stated that he netted less than $5,000 - for eight weeks training and the fight. He could have made $8,000 in vaudeville. Title defenses weren't worth the money, so he quit.

Willard was probably in no hurry to defend his title, and risk losing it, when he could make more money on tour. Pure economics.

HomicideHenry wrote:I think McCarty was more credible in people's minds because he had more kayos/decisions than Willard whose record was littered with No Decisions.

Willard had a reputation as a "man-killer." He killed Bull Young, don't forget. Based on what I've read from those times, Willard's name became linked mediocrity only after he was demolished by Dempsey. Before Toledo, everything I've read indicates that Willard was considered a pretty dangerous fellow.

So did Max Baer. And like Baer, Willard became reluctant to let loose his killer instinct. There is a film somewhere of Willard doing a serial called 'The Heart Punch' which supposedly reinacted the blow that killed Bull Young. Whether that film exists today or not is unclear.

As far as the newspaper decision,wasnt there more then one from the various reporters attending the bout?
Do they then decide who won after the papers were published?

For the fight with Frank Moran in March 1916.
Willard used as sparring partners
Bob Williams(6 ft 2in,220 lbs)
and Whitney Allen.

One of Willard's principle sparring partners in 1914 was Noah Young,who was the brother of Bull Young.
I think that was in the early training in Texas when he was preparing months in advance to fight Jack Johnson.

Willard was cut over the eye while sparring with Monahan about a week before the fight in Toledo Ohio.
and believe it or nuts according to one newspaper account in 1923,Jess Willard wanted a rematch with Dempsey possibly on the 4th of July.
But was turned down because age was a factor,being almost 40 years old.

raylawpc wrote:Willard's sparring partners for the Johnson fight were Jack Hemple, Tex O'Rourke, Walter Monaghen, and Walter Lanahan.

Hemple - who was similar in size to Dempsey - was with Willard in Toledo for the Dempsey fight, as was Monaghen who was also his chief second. Monaghen sparred in exhibition matches with Willard in Vaudeville when Jess was champion, and was probably his favorite sparring partner. Joe Chip was also in camp at Toledo.

Are Walter Monahan and Walter Monaghen two different fighters ,one middleweight and one heavyweight?

I think 2 factors combined to make Willard so under-rated: The fact that film of the Toledo Massacre was immediately available and shown in movie houses across the country combined with the fact that, as I understand it, the film of his win over Johnson was not available until the late 1960s, which is what allowed Johnson to run around with that famous picture telling everyone he'd taken a dive.

"Are Walter Monahan and Walter Monaghen two different fighters ,one middleweight and one heavyweight?"



yes they are two different people.