Nonpareil Jack Dempsey biography
Nonpareil Jack Dempsey, byname of John Edward Kelly, (born December 15, 1862, Curran, County Kildare, Ireland—died November 2, 1895, Portland, Oregon, U.S.), Irish-born American bare-knuckle fighter who was the world middleweight champion from 1884 to 1891.
Dempsey, who moved to the United States as a younger youngster, was a proficient wrestler earlier than he started his profession as a boxer. For his first battle he gave his identify as Jack Dempsey, and he fought below that identify thereafter. (Fighting below an assumed identify was not unusual, as boxing was unlawful and never totally socially acceptable.) Years later a younger heavyweight named William Harrison Dempsey paid tribute to the good bare-knuckle fighter by boxing below the identical identify, Jack Dempsey. Since two nice fighters are recognized by this identify, the primary can also be referred to by his ring identify, the Nonpareil (“unequaled”).
Once Dempsey started boxing, in 1883, he turned skilled nearly instantly, profitable the middleweight world championship in opposition to George Fulljames the next yr. Dempsey was a intelligent, agile, expert boxer who might modify his model to his opponent. He didn't lose a battle till 1889, and that was to George LaBlanche, who used a “pivot” punch that may quickly be barred in boxing. Dempsey retained his title regardless of this loss, as LaBlanche was over the burden allowable for a middleweight. In reality, Dempsey ceaselessly fought males who had an incredible weight benefit over him; throughout his profession as a middleweight, he by no means weighed greater than a welterweight.
Dempsey misplaced his title on January 14, 1891, to Bob Fitzsimmons. He continued combating for a number of years, however by 1895 the tuberculosis he had contracted had severely weakened him, and he retired to Portland, Oregon, hoping that he might regain his well being. He died a number of months later. Dempsey was inducted into The Ring journal’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954.