Jack Dempsey quotes

Jack Dempsey was an American boxer who became a cultural icon in the 1920s. Known for his aggressive fighting style, he held the world heavyweight title for seven years. He remains one of the most celebrated champions in boxing history. Here are 16 of his quotes:

A champion is someone who gets up when he can't. (Jack Dempsey)
Honey, I just forgot to duck. View quote
Jack Dempsey
You know what a champion is? A champion is someone who's ready when the gong rings - not just before, not just after - but when it rings. View quote
Jack Dempsey
By forgetting the past and by throwing myself into other interests, I forget to worry. View quote
Jack Dempsey
A champion owes everybody something. He can never pay back for all the help he got, for making him an idol. View quote
Jack Dempsey
I was a pretty good fighter. But it was the writers who made me great. View quote
Jack Dempsey
Nobody has to go hungry today. There is plenty of work for a man who wants to work. A kid can make plenty of dough for himself doing almost anything. I was hungry. I had to fight my way along. Freights and the like, fight, fight all the time. The life was tough, but it hardened you. View quote
Jack Dempsey
He should've been the only heavyweight anybody ever thought of when they thought about the greatest heavyweight champion. I mean he had everything. He could punch, he could box. He was mean and determined. View quote
Jack Dempsey
Nobody owes anybody a living, but everybody is entitled to a chance. View quote
Jack Dempsey
All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him. View quote
Jack Dempsey
Tall men come down to my height when I hit 'em in the body. (Jack Dempsey)
Tell him he can have my title, but I want it back in the morning. View quote
Jack Dempsey
A good fighter usually knows, to within a very few seconds, when a three-minute round is going to end. View quote
Jack Dempsey
When you haven't eaten for two days you'll understand. View quote
Jack Dempsey
When I was a young fellow I was knocked down plenty. I wanted to stay down, but I couldn't. I had to collect the two dollars for winning or go hungry. I had to get up. I was one of those hungry fighters. You could have hit me on the chin with a sledgehammer for five dollars. When you haven't eaten for two days you'll understand. View quote
Jack Dempsey
There's no place for pity in the ring. Many fighters can't bear to hammer a helpless opponent in the ring. They don't want to hurt him. But look at Dempsey he was probably the greatest rough and tumble fighter who ever lived. View quote
Jack Dempsey