When Michael Dempsey first looked down at his newborn son on April 12, 1994 he saw he had two black eyes. Then bursting with as much excitement as pride and love, he declared that while officially his name is John, he would be known as "Jack".
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Today, Jack Dempsey, 20, laughs as he recalls why his dad named him after the American boxing legend of the 1920s, despite "John" being written on his birth certificate.
No matter, says Dempsey, that when his mother Rose gave birth to him, he bore no likeness in looks or traits to the iconic "Manassa Mauler" who was the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926.
Even if today, as a rugby backrower, he is required to be an aggressive mauler; as he hopes to show on Thursday night when he starts at No. 6 for the North Harbour Rays in their National Rugby Championship game against the Vikings in Canberra.
"They were going to call me John because it's my uncle's name," says Dempsey. "But when I came out with two black eyes, my dad was like, 'His name will be John, but we will call him Jack'.
"The story is directly related to the boxer because my dad thought I looked like one."
Dempsey, who was a tacker when first told the story, says his father even encouraged him to take up boxing.
But it was to no avail. While the Dempseys have produced fighters in Australian boxing, rugby is also in their blood.
Jack Dempsey's uncle Tony is a former Wallabies and Waratahs back rower who continues to help him.
"My great grandfather on my dad's side was well into Australian boxing," he says. "That was a route dad tried to get me in, but I always liked the rugby side better."
It is a good thing, too for rugby in Australia which Dempsey has represented at schoolboys and under 20 levels, the latter at this year's IRB Junior World Cup in New Zealand.
Injuries have hampered the versatile former St Ignatius College student and current Gordon club member's last year.
An ankle injury sidelined him from all but the last games of the Shute Shield, after which he played in the Junior World Cup.
Then a Lisfranc (midfoot) injury playing for the Waratahs in the World Club Sevens in Ireland and London caused him to miss the first five rounds of the NRC.
With last Sunday's match in him, Dempsey hopes for some game continuity as he looks to secure a future with the Waratahs.
"Jack is an all-round athlete," says Rays head coach Geoff Townsend of the 101 kilogram, 191 centimetre back rower.
"He can carry and he can make tackles and be on ball. He can play pretty much at six, seven or eight, which is very handy.
"He is probably not an out-and-out seven at the moment, but he has the skills and attributes to do that.
"He has to play more football, get more battle hardened and get through a full season. Once he does that, the sky is the limit."
Round 7 NRC: Thursday - Vikings v North Harbour Rays at Viking Park, Canberra; Friday - Greater Sydney Rams v Brisbane City, at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta; Saturday - Perth Spirit v Queensland Country, at Rockingham, Perth; Monday - Sydney Stars v NSW Country Eagles, at Leichardt Oval, Sydney. Bye: Melbourne Rising.
