A wheat farmer in Kansas, Willard, at a comparatively advanced age, entered professional boxing in the “White Hope” era, when promoters were seeking white contenders for the title held by Johnson, an African American who was the focus of much racial animosity. At 6 feet 6 ¹/₄ inches (1.99 metres), Willard was the tallest man to win the heavyweight championship until Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko, at 6 feet 6 ³/₄ inches (2 metres), won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight title in 2000.

Willard was not an active champion, defending the title successfully against American Frank Moran (another leading “White Hope”) in 1916, and subsequently fighting only a few exhibition matches until his bout with Dempsey. Age 37 and not well trained, he was an easy mark for Dempsey's furious attack.

In 1923, at age 41, Willard returned to the ring. He scored one knockout and then fought well against the powerful Luis Firpo (Firpo, Luis) of Argentina before being knocked out in the eighth round. From 1911 to 1923 Willard had 36 bouts, winning 24, of which 20 were knockouts. Willard was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.