A good one to start off with....

'I think Sam Langford was the greatest fighter we ever had. In 1916 I came here and had a couple of fights and won them. I was managed by a fellow named John the Barber. After winning these two fights he said, "I got a good fight for you." I said, "Who is it?" He says, "Sam Langford." I said, "Not me! Goodbye!" He was a great fighter and I didn't have the experience to fight a man like that. He was a hell of a puncher, never been licked, so why should I get my brains knocked out for nothing? Even at my best I don't know whether I could lick him or not. He was a good man, good puncher, rough, tough.'

Jack Dempsey 1970.

Who would win if these two fought in their primes?

I would say Langford. He would have to weigh 180 or so and be in prime condition, but I just think he is the better fighter hands down. Sam fought better men and beat better men. I think it is that simple. But to be fair, I will say that I am not a huge Dempsey fan(and I am a huge Langford fan). I just don't see anything that special in the Mauler's record. He could punch but he just didn't beat that many top flight guys. In fact, I have never done this but I wonder how many true hall of famers Dempsey beat? Anyone know?

Dempsey's HOF opponents were Levinsky, Willard, Carpentier, Gibbons, Tunney, and Sharkey. I am a Dempsey fan but looking at that group I have to admit it's not the strongest, especially when compared to who Langford fought. Kevin, do you have any quotes of Langford on Dempsey? How did he rate him? Did he attend any of his major fights?

Here's a couple of Dempsey related quotes from Langford for you:

- July 1918 – “What do you all think of this Jack Dempsey fighter?” Sam’s friend asked.

“Say, man,” said Langford, “thar’s one rooster dat looks awfully good to me. Don’t laff, but say, he looks pretty near as good to me as I was when I was at my best. He ain’t one of dem pretty boys. He’s jest a plain ordinary fighter wid a kick in each hand.

But is he big enough to hook up wid big Jess?

Foolish question. He’s big enough to hook up with any man’s fighter. He might even whip me, an’ I’ll give him a chance if he wants it. Bug dis Dempsey’s got a hard punch, no use takin, a very hard punch. He treat Mr. Brennan shamefully an’ he’s liable to muss up big Jess if he don’t bar him like he did me.”

“And Fulton?: said Sam’s friend.

“I know all about Fulton. Me an him hooked up in Boston for seven rounds. Some fighter dis Fulton man, some fighter believe me. A slam in each hand, just like Dempsey. It won’t be no Sunday school meet when dey hook up.”

– July 26, 1928 - Sam offered the opinion that Tunney would win his upcoming title fight with New Zealander, Tom Heeney, by decision. “Don’t look for a knock-out, but in my opinion in looking at the Tunney-Heeney fight from this distance, I expect Tunney to win on points, with the fight going to the limit.” So said the veteran Sam Langford in his tent at the show grounds last night in an interview with a press representative. This is the day of the big money fighters, or what I would call running boxers, continued Sammy. In the old days it was stand up and fight, but the old order has changed. Today, it seems to be, how much can I get out of a fight. Take back in the days of Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Sullivan, Johnson (although Johnson is the man I chased over half the American continent) but all of these fighters stood up and fought, instead of running around the ring or falling into clinches.

If Tunney had been in the ring in the years gone by, he would not have had a chance against the fighters we had in those days. Dempsey to my mind is still the champion of the world, said old Sam, in a reminiscent view. He is my idea of a fighter, as he carried the battle to his opponent and never did he back away.”