Did Johnson take a DIVE against Willard? Or was that REVISIONIST rumor started by an aging,frustrated Johnson?

Question

Boy it's hard for me to say. Johnson would have MURDERED Willard in his prime. But it is also possible that the statement Johnson made about the dive was a rightfully bitter champion's way of not admitting defeat.

I just don't know!

Answer 1

Willard couldn't carry johnson's jockstrap, i have watched videos of willard and his skill was extremely sub par,dempsey exposed him in their fight, Johnson was already past his prime and the conditions of the fight were ridicolous, willard would not have been able to beat a prime jack johnson (in his prime johnson beat guys like langford and jeffries) he won because he had more stamina under that heat, i have watched the fight and johnson was the much better fighter, if the fight had occured under normal conditions with both fighters in ther primes Johnson would have beaten him easily, after all willard was not the first "giant" that johnson beat, and he was definetely not the most skillful.

Answer 2

Johnson had a decent chin and he was one of the better defensive boxers of all time.  As he lay on his back while being counted out Johnson was shading his eyes from the sun.  When the ref counted ten Johnson jumped up and walked out of the ring.  Yes he took a dive and that wasn't the only dive he took in his career