Jack Dempsey: How A Skinny Hobo Became The Most Savage Heavyweight Ever
The Ring Historian
188,009 views
The date: 1919
The place: Toledo, Ohio
And professional sports are about to change forever.
Jess Willard, the 6’6” 254 lbs giant who dethroned the first black heavyweight champion in history, and killed another man in the ring, puts his title on the line against a comparatively unknown, 6’1” 178 lbs opponent by the name of Jack Dempsey.
They called it the worst beating in heavyweight history...
By the 4th round, Willard couldn't come out for the fourth round. His nose and cheekbones were fractured, ribs broken, half a dozen teeth knocked out, and he could hardly get up to shake hands with his conqueror.
Just a few years before he owned the roaring twenties and became the most prominent name during the golden age of sports, Jack Dempsey was a hobo, sleeping on park benches, fighting in saloons for pork and beans, and taking beatings in mining towns just to stay alive.
Then, somehow, that same drifter became the most feared puncher in boxing – the man who flattened champions, set crowds on fire, and turned prizefighting into a million-dollar spectacle.
But his rise wasn’t clean. He carried the stink of accusations of draft dodging, ducking black contenders, loading his gloves, a reputation for violence so raw it scared people and sold tickets at the same time, and the most infamous match in boxing history.
He was adored, hated, worshiped, and accused... Sometimes all in the same week.
From a homeless kid, to the king of the ring, to a Hollywood star… This is how Jack Dempsey changed American sports.
🎬 Chapters:
00:00 - The Manassa Mauler
02:16 - Willy The Sissy
03:39 - The Restless Family
07:40 - Kid Blackie
11:40 - The Hobo Fighter
12:55 - Enter Jack Dempsey
14:00 - The New York Disaster
16:10 - A Terrible Fit
17:11 - Tough Times
18:40 - Quiet Mauler & Loud Manager
20:20 - The White Hope
23:05 - The 1919 Massacre
26:48 - Birth of An Idol
28:10 - The Loaded Gloves
29:19 - "Slacker Champion"
32:18 - Daredevil Jack
34:45 - The Orchid Man
36:22 - Good vs. Evil
37:44 - The $1,000,000 Spectacle
39:38 - The Color Line
42:48 - The Shelby Fiasco
45:49 - The Wild Bull of The Pampas
48:26 - Falling Into A Legend
50:32 - King of The Roaring 20s
53:27 - The Fighting Marine
56:58 - Solving The Mauler
58:06 - The Imperfect Ex Champ
59:17 - The Boston Gob
1:00:34 - A Death In The Family
01:01:38 - The Low Blow
01:02:52 - Jack's Back
01:04:20 - In The Name of Sportsmanship
01:05:36 - The Long Count
01:08:19 - Ups & Downs
01:10:33 - A New York Landmark
01:12:29 - Redemption
01:13:00 - End of An Era
1:15:06 - Death of An Icon
📄 Sources:
https://pastebin.com/WQfcKDvT
20 Comments
A great fighter and one of the toughest boxers to come around.
Ron Lyle Vs George Foreman is my favorite boxing match of all time
Can we get Miguel Cotto, Tito Trinidad, and some other Puerto Rican stars? Your videos covering them would be peak. 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Jack Dempsey: How A Skinny Hobo Became The Most Savage Heavyweight Ever
The Ring Historian
188,009 views
The date: 1919
The place: Toledo, Ohio
And professional sports are about to change forever.
Jess Willard, the 6’6” 254 lbs giant who dethroned the first black heavyweight champion in history, and killed another man in the ring, puts his title on the line against a comparatively unknown, 6’1” 178 lbs opponent by the name of Jack Dempsey.
They called it the worst beating in heavyweight history...
By the 4th round, Willard couldn't come out for the fourth round. His nose and cheekbones were fractured, ribs broken, half a dozen teeth knocked out, and he could hardly get up to shake hands with his conqueror.
Just a few years before he owned the roaring twenties and became the most prominent name during the golden age of sports, Jack Dempsey was a hobo, sleeping on park benches, fighting in saloons for pork and beans, and taking beatings in mining towns just to stay alive.
Then, somehow, that same drifter became the most feared puncher in boxing – the man who flattened champions, set crowds on fire, and turned prizefighting into a million-dollar spectacle.
But his rise wasn’t clean. He carried the stink of accusations of draft dodging, ducking black contenders, loading his gloves, a reputation for violence so raw it scared people and sold tickets at the same time, and the most infamous match in boxing history.
He was adored, hated, worshiped, and accused... Sometimes all in the same week.
From a homeless kid, to the king of the ring, to a Hollywood star… This is how Jack Dempsey changed American sports.
🎬 Chapters:
00:00 - The Manassa Mauler
02:16 - Willy The Sissy
03:39 - The Restless Family
07:40 - Kid Blackie
11:40 - The Hobo Fighter
12:55 - Enter Jack Dempsey
14:00 - The New York Disaster
16:10 - A Terrible Fit
17:11 - Tough Times
18:40 - Quiet Mauler & Loud Manager
20:20 - The White Hope
23:05 - The 1919 Massacre
26:48 - Birth of An Idol
28:10 - The Loaded Gloves
29:19 - "Slacker Champion"
32:18 - Daredevil Jack
34:45 - The Orchid Man
36:22 - Good vs. Evil
37:44 - The $1,000,000 Spectacle
39:38 - The Color Line
42:48 - The Shelby Fiasco
45:49 - The Wild Bull of The Pampas
48:26 - Falling Into A Legend
50:32 - King of The Roaring 20s
53:27 - The Fighting Marine
56:58 - Solving The Mauler
58:06 - The Imperfect Ex Champ
59:17 - The Boston Gob
1:00:34 - A Death In The Family
01:01:38 - The Low Blow
01:02:52 - Jack's Back
01:04:20 - In The Name of Sportsmanship
01:05:36 - The Long Count
01:08:19 - Ups & Downs
01:10:33 - A New York Landmark
01:12:29 - Redemption
01:13:00 - End of An Era
1:15:06 - Death of An Icon
📄 Sources:
https://pastebin.com/WQfcKDvT