Did Jack Dempsey Ex-heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World suffer with dementia pugilistica in later life?

Question

I'm a big Dempsey fan and have seen on a few websites that he apparently suffered with dementia pugilistica, the syndrome more commonly referred to as punch drunk.

Does anybody know for 100% if this is actually true or not because I know there are a lot of myths surrounding the life of Jack Dempsey that are completely false.

Answer 1

I heard of a story where Jack Dempsey was in his 70's and became the victim of a mugging in New York.  Word was Jack broke the muggers jaw and knocked out the would be thief.  I don't know it this is an indication of Puglistic Dementia or not, but as far as I know just about anyone who ever fought suffered some damage, it comes with the sport.  I know of no serious problems in that area attributed to Jack Dempsey.

Answer 2

I don't think so----I am a big Dempsey fan also & have a couple of biographies on him which I read years ago.---   I do know that, as a young teenager, I walked into Dempsey's Restaurant on Broadway  in NYC & asked him for an autograph. In those days, he used to autograph postcards ( which he signed " Lots of Luck Pal, Jack Dempsey " ) . The postcards, which Dempsey paid to have printed up, had that famous Willard-Dempsey Fight Scene Painting on one side. I still have that autograph in mint condition today. I don't know how old he was in '63 ?.....But I do know  that he was definitely not punch drunk then.

Answer 3

Yes it is thought that the legendary Manassa Mauler Jack Dempey did indeed suffer from dementia pugilistica later in his life.  Another that is thought to have suffered from this is the great Brown Bomber Joe Louis.  Floyd Patterson also suffered from this illness as did the Quarry brothers Jerry and Mike both died as a result of this disease.  Of course it is caused by trauma to the head.  Like I said, Dempsey is thought to have suffered from this illness but I don't believe anyone knows 100% for sure.

BIG BOPPER.  I said that is was thought that Dempsey suffered from this but much later in his life which could have been anything related to old age.  Patterson had to step down as the commissioner because of some health related issue.  I never said that any of these fighters for certain had it other than the Quarry brothers, but posssibly.

Answer 4

the guy above is right