James J Corbett as a modern day fighter

butler08 · 07-29-2009, 12:01 PM

After seeing the movie Gentleman Jim which i hope you have all seen i have become fascinated by Corbett and before you say i understand that the charactor is far for the real life man.

But for soem of the experts out there tell me there opinion on how they think Corbett would do today as a Light heavy super middle of cruiser against the fighters of today.

I am told he was best for his agility and speed compared to the heavy and light heavys of his day which would still probably be better then that of some of the LHW today but i understand that he was not a great combination fighter trowing one punch at a time.

So for any one who has an opinion on how he would do today

butler08 · 07-29-2009, 12:08 PM

also i found this picture it appears that this is corbett sitting 2nd for the left and John L Sullivan at the right. Is it them?

HomicideHenry · 07-29-2009, 07:23 PM

Yup @ the pic

TheGreatA · 07-29-2009, 07:36 PM

He seemed very quick even at 60 years of age in the films I've seen of him. Today he would probably have a different style of punching technique.

cross_trainer · 07-29-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatA

He seemed very quick even at 60 years of age in the films I've seen of him. Today he would probably have a different style of punching technique.

You saw his sparring footage with Tunney?

djanders · 07-29-2009, 08:49 PM

If Gentleman Jim Corbett was young and came along today, I suspect he would be a Heavyweight of similar size to Chris Byrd. I could see him earning a belt, but I don't think he could beat Wladimir Klitschko. Anyway, that's my opinion.

Mendoza · 07-30-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cross_trainer

You saw his sparring footage with Tunney?

Yes, it was posted about a month ago here. Below is the link.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

he grant · 07-30-2009, 08:55 AM

Corbett was 6'2" and marvelously proportioned. Today he would have been a very well tuned cruiserweight. He would weigh in at about 190 . Trained today, with his conditioning and skills, I think he would be a world champion at that weight ..

cross_trainer · 07-31-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mendoza

Yes, it was posted about a month ago here. Below is the link.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Awesome stuff. Thanks.

Corbett's actually pretty well documented. We have:

Corbett and Courtney before the Kinetograph (Edison film)
Corbett sparring McCoy (about a minute, good film quality)
Corbett showing how he throws punches with Tunney (about two minutes of film)
Corbett vs. Fitzsimmons (over twenty minutes, if I remember correctly)

Seamus · 07-31-2009, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by he grant

Corbett was 6'2" and marvelously proportioned. Today he would have been a very well tuned cruiserweight. He would weigh in at about 190 . Trained today, with his conditioning and skills, I think he would be a world champion at that weight ..

I agree pretty much with this. He had great reflexes and skills but skills which would have to be changed for modern fair. Reflexes are reflexes and those would remain. He was a hell of a fighter. I still think folks underestimate him.

janitor · 07-31-2009, 02:18 PM

I think that Corbetts style was highly unorthodox in his own era and I suspect that he would have employed an unorthodox style had he come allong today.

I think that Sullivan, Corbett and Fitzsimmons all threw the boxing manual out of the window and developed their own systems.

07-29-2009, 12:01 PM	#1
butler08 Contender ESB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 561 vCash: 1000	James J Corbett as a modern day fighter After seeing the movie Gentleman Jim which i hope you have all seen i have become fascinated by Corbett and before you say i understand that the charactor is far for the real life man. But for soem of the experts out there tell me there opinion on how they think Corbett would do today as a Light heavy super middle of cruiser against the fighters of today. I am told he was best for his agility and speed compared to the heavy and light heavys of his day which would still probably be better then that of some of the LHW today but i understand that he was not a great combination fighter trowing one punch at a time. So for any one who has an opinion on how he would do today
Top

07-29-2009, 12:08 PM	#2
butler08 Contender ESB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 561 vCash: 1000	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter also i found this picture it appears that this is corbett sitting 2nd for the left and John L Sullivan at the right. Is it them?
Top

07-29-2009, 07:23 PM	#3
HomicideHenry Bareknuckle Brawler ESB Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Buckeye State Posts: 3,854 vCash: 1061	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter Yup @ the pic
Top

07-29-2009, 07:36 PM	#4
TheGreatA Champion East Side Guru Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7,116 vCash: 1000	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter He seemed very quick even at 60 years of age in the films I've seen of him. Today he would probably have a different style of punching technique.
Top

07-29-2009, 08:49 PM	#6
djanders Contender ESB Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: United States Posts: 1,308 vCash: 1000	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter If Gentleman Jim Corbett was young and came along today, I suspect he would be a Heavyweight of similar size to Chris Byrd. I could see him earning a belt, but I don't think he could beat Wladimir Klitschko. Anyway, that's my opinion.
Top

07-30-2009, 08:55 AM	#8
he grant Historian/Film Maker East Side Guru Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 6,476 vCash: 1000	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter Corbett was 6'2" and marvelously proportioned. Today he would have been a very well tuned cruiserweight. He would weigh in at about 190 . Trained today, with his conditioning and skills, I think he would be a world champion at that weight ..
Top

07-31-2009, 02:18 PM	#11
janitor P4P King East Side VIP Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19,020 vCash: 1000	Re: James J Corbett as a modern day fighter I think that Corbetts style was highly unorthodox in his own era and I suspect that he would have employed an unorthodox style had he come allong today. I think that Sullivan, Corbett and Fitzsimmons all threw the boxing manual out of the window and developed their own systems.
Top