Jack Dempsey and Joe
Louis Newsreels and in Training
They Were Champions
(Excerpt) 1954
16mm Sound
The Film
They Were Champions,
produced in 1954, follows the linear heavyweight champions from Sullivan to
Marciano. There’s little film of the actual title
fights, but plenty of newsreel and rare training footage. I’ve chosen these two segments, as Dempsey
(in training for Willard) and Louis were the most ferocious punchers up to that
point. The power of these two champions
is still something to behold.
The Restoration
The 16mm film I acquired
is in fair to good shape. Some of the Dempsey
action ran too fast to follow the action, so I slowed that footage to a more
natural speed. A portion of this is
silent. The Louis segment runs with
sound, just as it appears in the documentary.
