Jack Dempsey is a legend in the boxing ring and is widely regarded as one of the all-time great fighters in the sport’s history.
The former world Heavyweight champion is one of the all-time great Heavyweight fighters, reigning as world champion from 1919 to 1926.
While Jack Dempsey’s losses to Gene Tunney at the end of his career are what many remember about him, he picked up some incredible wins throughout his 84-fight career.
This included the utter destruction of Jess Willard, who suffered some hellacious injuries at the hands of Dempsey in their 1919 clash.
Jack Dempsey destroyed Jess Willard to become the world Heavyweight champion
Dempsey’s fight with world Heavyweight champion Jess Willard was famous for his world title win, and infamous for the damage he caused to the defending champion.
Despite Willard outweighing Dempsey by nearly 60lbs and having a 5.5-inch reach advantage, he was powerless to stop the “Manassa Mauler” from taking his belt in impressive fashion.
It was one of the worst beatings in boxing history when Willard faced Dempsey on July 4, 1919. The smaller Dempsey came out of the blocks incredibly aggressive, fighting on the inside as he mauled the champion from the get-go.
A four-punch combination sent Willard crashing to the ground in the first round, but as soon as he got to his feet, Dempsey went right back on the attack and knocked him down again.
Back in those days, the fight restarted as soon as the knocked-down boxer got to his feet, so Willard had little time to prepare for the onslaught he was about to receive.
This up-and-down from Willard happened seven times in the first round, as he was battered from pillar to post by his smaller, more aggressive opponent.
During the attack, Willard suffered a multitude of injuries, including a broken jaw, broken ribs, and missing teeth, as he valiantly tried to survive in the ring with the future champion.
Somehow, he made it past the first round and fought on for another two, although it was only a matter of time before he would have to quit.
Mercifully, Willard’s corner threw in the towel after the third round, having seen enough of the beatdown and wanting the now-former champion to get medical attention for his various ailments.
Dempsey conquered his much bigger opponent with his unmatched aggression to become the world Heavyweight champion in one of the most devastating performances in boxing history.
Mike Tyson explained why he ‘loved’ Jack Dempsey in the ring
As a smaller fighter with some lethal punches, it’s clear to see how Dempsey inspired someone like Mike Tyson, even decades after his retirement from the sport.
In an interview early in his career, Tyson, who was also a shorter boxer in the Heavyweight division, looked at Dempsey’s bout with Willard to explain why he loves legendary fighters in the ring.
Tyson said: “Look at the size difference between the two. I think it was 45 lbs. There, look at the combinations right here.
This is what made Dempsey so exciting and a great fighter. Just the ferociousness in him, waiting for his opponent to get up like a tiger.
“There are rounds like this that make the public love Dempsey so much, and this is why I love him so much.”
Both men proved that shorter men could reign as Heavyweight champions in impressive fashion.