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How did Jack Dempsey’s fighting style use bobbing and weaving?

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Floyd Mayweather Jr., wearing black and gold trunks, lands a left punch on Manny Pacquiao, in yellow trunks, during their welterweight title fight in a boxing ring. — boxing Manny Pacquiao (right) and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., in their 2015 welterweight bout; Mayweather won in a unanimous decision.

Jack Dempsey’s fighting style was defined by continuous offensive pressure, which he maintained by bobbing up and down and moving from side to side while fighting out of a crouch.1

By utilizing this "bobbing and weaving" style, Dempsey avoided incoming blows through head movement—specifically by slipping and ducking—rather than relying on traditional parrying or blocking. This approach provided two key tactical advantages:12
* Offensive Readiness: Because he did not use his hands to parry, both of his hands remained free and poised in a hitting position, allowing him to deliver short, swinging blows at any opening.12
* Defensive Integration: His constant movement and the speed of his attacks served as his primary defense, enabling him to stay on the offensive almost continuously.1

This method represented a significant shift from the older "classic" style of boxing, which relied on an upright stance and arm-based parrying that often limited a fighter's ability to counterattack.2