Langford on facing Jeannette n Johnson

[Surf-Bat]

Another brief but insightful bit from a master: "Jeannette ain't human. I'd rather Johnson 20 rounds than Jeannette 10".

Click and scroll right. Bottom of sports page:

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[Seamus]

Interesting but just one, isolated quote which was most likely ballyhoo on Sam's part to sell the fight.

[guilalah]

Thanks, Surf-bat. Sam certainly had an appreciation of Jeanette's resiliance.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Seamus

Interesting but just one, isolated quote which was most likely ballyhoo on Sam's part to sell the fight.

Jeannette did not knock Langford down twice for nine counts ,and break his nose.
I would take this with a very large pinch of salt.
As you say, ballyhoo.

[Legend X]

He's clearly refering to Jeanette's durability and ability to come back from taking a lot punishment.
Johnson was known more for his abilities to AVOID taking punishment, by smothering the attack of his opponent.

The quote makes sense.
And everything said around professional boxing is ballyhoo, yes.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Legend X

He's clearly refering to Jeanette's durability and ability to come back from taking a lot punishment.
Johnson was known more for his abilities to AVOID taking punishment, by smothering the attack of his opponent.

The quote makes sense.
And everything said around professional boxing is ballyhoo, yes.

The fact that Jeannette was known for his ability to take a lot of punishment does not speak well for his defensive capabilites imo.

Johnson was known for his defensive ability ,but he also engaged in offence on occasion as his two knockdowns of Langford demonstrate. Johnson also had Jeannette down multiple times in their series.

I don't believe Jeannette ever managed to floor Langford , and he certainly never dropped Johnson. To expect Langford ,or Jeannette to give an objective opinion of Jack Johnson is like asking Bob Arum to provide a character reference for Don King.

[Legend X]

Originally Posted by mcvey

The fact that Jeannette was known for his ability to take a lot of punishment does not speak well for his defensive capabilites imo.

He doesn't look much good on film to me.
I agree with what you saying, and that's why what Langford says makes perfect sense to me.

To expect Langford ,or Jeannette to give an objective opinion of Jack Johnson is like asking Bob Arum to provide a character reference for Don King.

Well, it's a subjective opinion.
And it makes perfect sense to me.
Langford says Jeanette aint human and would much rather fight Johnson, probably because Jeanette could take more punishment and keep pressing, whereas Johnson liked the slow the action a lot.
Maybe not objective, but certainly understandable.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Legend X

He doesn't look much good on film to me.
I agree with what you saying, and that's why what Langford says makes perfect sense to me.




Well, it's a subjective opinion.
And it makes perfect sense to me.
Langford says Jeanette aint human and would much rather fight Johnson, probably because Jeanette could take more punishment and keep pressing, whereas Johnson liked the slow the action a lot.
Maybe not objective, but certainly understandable.

The reason it does not make "perfect sense to me".


"Jack Johnson handed me the only real beating I ever took".Sam Langford.

[Mendoza]

Originally Posted by mcvey

The fact that Jeannette was known for his ability to take a lot of punishment does not speak well for his defensive capabilites imo.

Johnson was known for his defensive ability ,but he also engaged in offence on occasion as his two knockdowns of Langford demonstrate. Johnson also had Jeannette down multiple times in their series.

I don't believe Jeannette ever managed to floor Langford , and he certainly never dropped Johnson. To expect Langford ,or Jeannette to give an objective opinion of Jack Johnson is like asking Bob Arum to provide a character reference for Don King.

I thought Johnson only floored a then 20 year old 156 pound Sangfroid once.


If you believe in what Johnson told the French press, Langford floored him too.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Mendoza

I thought Johnson only floored a then 20 year old 156 pound Sangfroid once.


If you believe in what Johnson told the French press, Langford floored him too.

I don't believe Johnson ever fought " SANGFROID". he did however fight Sam Langford ,and floored him twice. Senya's link says LANGFORD [NOT SANGFROID] was down 3 times.

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Thanks for the laugh I will make a thread on this .

[Legend X]

Originally Posted by mcvey

The reason it does not make "perfect sense to me".


"Jack Johnson handed me the only real beating I ever took".Sam Langford.

Yes, but this Jeanette quote was some time AFTER Johnson beat up Sam, right ?

So, I interpret that as Sam being confident in himself having improved (and/or perhaps Johnson having slipped) to the point where stylistically Johnson wouldn't be as much of a worry to him as the stubborn Jeanette.

I don't see any contradiction or controversy in what he said.
He may well have been wrong, he may have been untruthful, but it also makes sense and is reasonable.
In my opinion anyway.

[apollack]

Boston Post - Johnson dropped Langford twice in the 6th round.
Boston Globe - Johnson dropped Langford once in the 6th round. However, this is the least detailed of the descriptions.
Boston Herald - Johnson dropped him twice in the 6th.

None of the local papers mention Langford dropping Johnson. It didn't happen.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by apollack

Boston Post - Johnson dropped Langford twice in the 6th round.
Boston Globe - Johnson dropped Langford once in the 6th round. However, this is the least detailed of the descriptions.
Boston Herald - Johnson dropped him twice in the 6th.

None of the local papers mention Langford dropping Johnson. It didn't happen.

Even Mendoza knows it didn't , but he likes to pretend it did.
Al Phillips who saw it, said Johnson beat the piss out of Langford.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by Legend X

Yes, but this Jeanette quote was some time AFTER Johnson beat up Sam, right ?

So, I interpret that as Sam being confident in himself having improved (and/or perhaps Johnson having slipped) to the point where stylistically Johnson wouldn't be as much of a worry to him as the stubborn Jeanette.

I don't see any contradiction or controversy in what he said.
He may well have been wrong, he may have been untruthful, but it also makes sense and is reasonable.
In my opinion anyway.

The quote was made in 1911, Langford had a good year then , beating Jeannette twice and, dropping him in both fights, he also drew with Sam McVey.

Langford was weighing around 170-180lbs in 1911, 14-24lbs more than the 156lbs he had weighed for Johnson.

Johnson did not fight, in 1911, in his last fight July 1910 he scaled 208lbs, 23lbs more than his 185lbs for Langford, both men had undoubtedly improved, but there would still be that weight difference, and physical advantage to Johnson. Question is, had he slipped enough in 1911 for Langford to trim him?
Let's say they agreed to fight in 1911.

Johnson, knowing full well who he was facing would be in shape.

Probably the kind of shape he had been in for Jeffries , that being the case , I see another good hiding for Sam in the offing.


Small , come- forward swarmers got murdered by Johnson.

Langford would rather have fought Johnson than any man alive , that's a given ,imo .

It has nothing to do with thinking him an easier mark, and everything to do with Jack Johnson being the Champion.

[Surf-Bat]

Originally Posted by mcvey

Small , come- forward swarmers got murdered by Johnson.
.

Marvin Hart didn't.

And don't forget that Langford was considered a master in his own right, not just a simple come-forward slugger. He knew how to feint and pick his shots, create openings, etc. There was a reason why he was the most feared fighter of his time. Skills factored into the equation in a big way. Not just power.

I see Sam finding or creating the opening somewhere along the way. When he does he would be able to exploit it in a way that guys like Hart and Burns were not skilled enough to do. I see Langford stretching Johnson.