BoxRec

These two men fought only once in 1906. Langford was 156 pounds to Johnson's 185 pounds. Johnson won the decision unanimously. However throughout Johnson's reign as heavyweight champion (1908-1915) Sam Langford was the leading contender.

From 1908-1915 Langford not only put on more weight but defeated Sam McVea, Battling Jim Johnson, Gunboat Smith, Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, Bill Lang, Stanley Ketchell, Fireman Jim Flynn, Mike Schreck, and others--- often multiple times.

Let's say it was Langford who got the shot against Johnson while the champion was in exile instead of the likes of Battling Jim Johnson, Frank Moran and Jess Willard.

Would he have beaten Johnson? Keep in mind that the only man that Jack Dempsey ever admitted to ducking was Sam Langford, in basically this same time period.

1914, Langford by KO. 1913 Langford by decision.

Johnson also put more weight and became craftier for that moment. It would be competetive and still favor Johnson.

I just read the Biography of Sam Langford and yes Langford and his team tried endlessly to get a rematch with Johnson after he'd put on weight and gained more experience, but they were never able to secure it. Obviously Langford's biographer is a little bias, but it would seem that it was widely believed that if Langford had gotten another crack at Johnson he would've beaten him.

He was still relatively inexperienced aside from the pounds he was giving away in their one and only meeting. He hadn't peaked yet. His prime years the Biographer believed were between 1908 and 1913 or thereabouts.

The later in Johnson's reign (as he declined), the better Lanford's chances. Guessing around 1912 is where it would have 50-50. Johnson probably would have beaten Langford before that.