Perception

I am talking about 1904 because that is when Jeffries fought Munroe,so ,obviously we would evaluate substitutes for Munroe on that narrow window,sorry maybe I did not explain it clearly.
The concensus appears to be that Munroe "did not belong in the ring with Jeffries", how does that jive with him being on a par with David Haye ?
As to the gate, Jeffries retired after the Munroe fight because of the dissapointing gate receipts and the prospect that there would be none better against any other white challengers.
Maybe he should have fought Johnson and took home some $$$$$$$?

 

The difference being that Haye had defeated a boxer holding a version of the world title ,he was himself an alphabet holder ,he had also beaten a former holder,was a former world cruiserweight champion,whereas Munroe had beaten a totally washed up Sharkey who had not fought in 2 years and had been kod in that fight, been thrown out for not trying in the fight before that ,and lost the one before that in 2 rds,in fact Sharkey had not won a fight in 3 years.This win gave Munroe his chance at Jeffries,along with the bull**** about flooring Jeff ,in an exhibition.
Haye had lost just one fight in 24 ,7 years earlier , with 23 kos on his record.
He was a genuine challenger who underperformed on the night.

 

Your belated input is welcome.


I agree, and have often said Jeffries was the most precocious of the heavyweight champions .

I don't have an idol ,my favourite boxer is Dempsey,followed by Ali.

We are not comparing Jeffries with any other, we are debating whether he was a great champion.

Would you care to debate whether beating a totally washed up Sharkey who had not fought in 2 years, in that fight was kod, being thrown out for not trying in the previous fight ,and been dsq in 2rds in the one before that ,not having actually won a fight in 3 years , qualified Munroe to fight Jeffries?
Sharkey never fought again after Munroe beat him,it was his pension plan.
The greater you build up Jeffries ,the weaker your case is that Munroe deserved to share a ring with him contesting the world title.

The New York Sun .Aug 27th ,1904.

ROUND ONE[SIZE=+1]

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[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Munroe after a little fiddling was the[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]first to lead. He shot out the left, but[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]the blow was provokingly short. Jeffries[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]smiled and danced around his opponent[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]and the drew him into a clinch. He tried[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]a right for the body, but missed.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]A clinch followed, and then Munroe[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]tried the right, but could not connect.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Jeffries chewed gum and grinned. Then[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]with a spurt Jeffries sent over the left and[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]hooked the miner on the jaw.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Munroe went down, but got up smartly.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Jeffries then waded in again and drove a[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]straight right to the head and followed[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]with a left swing to the wind. The champion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]would not give the miner any rest, but was[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]after him sending Munroe to the ropes[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]with right and left on the body.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Jeffries then put the left for a well directed[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]punch. The blow landed on the jaw and[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Munroe went down and remained on the[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]floor for eight seconds. He arose, but[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]was again floored with a similar punch.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Munroe started a vicious right for the jaw[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]but the bell rang and the champion checked[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]the blow. The miner did not land a punch[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]in this round and worried when he took[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]his chair.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]ROUND TWO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]

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[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]They went to a clinch, Munroe receiving[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]a left swing to the mouth that made him[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]spit blood. He bored in, but Jeffries was[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]after him, smashing him all over the body[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]with lefts and rights and flooring him.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Blood flowed from Jack's face and mouth.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Another straight terrific right to the face[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]rendered the miner helpless. He sank[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]slowly to the floor and attempted to rise,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]but Jeffries was waiting for him.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Before the champion could land on his[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]helpless victim, however, Referee Graney[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]grabbed him and declared Jeffries the[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]winner.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]

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[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Munroe was completely outclassed and[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]seemed to be frightened while sitting in his[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]corner before the fight started[/SIZE][SIZE=+1].[/SIZE]

Its interesting that the fight was postponed twice because of lack of public interest.

 

The Munroe Jeffries fight was postponed twice because of lack of public interest.

The New York Sun, Sat Aug 27th 1904.

It was lack of interest that really caused
the combat to be postponed twice, and not,
as alleged, Jeffries's poor condition.

 

Jeffries made 9 defences.
2 with men who did not deserve to be fighting for the heavyweight title.
1 against his sparring partner Joe Kennedy.
1 a 4 rd no dec
I over a man 5' 8'' , 32 lbs lighter whom he had allready beaten
3 with men who had been retired for 2 years x2 and ,one retired 3 years,they were 34,36, and 39 years old.Conceding 30lbs,27lbs,and 47lbs
1 a between rds stoppage over a very inconsistent Ruhlin,who was at least his size.
His win for the title was over a man 37 years old who had not fought in 2 years , was conceding him 10years ,and 39lbs FACT.
A champion with those statistics today would be laughed at.

 

I thought better of you.
Please tell me which title Sharkey ,who had not fought since being kod by Ruhlin 2 years previously held?
Munroe was such crowd puller /credible opponent,the fight was postponed twice, through lack of public interest.
Dress it any way you want, Munroe did not belong in a ring with a world champion.END OF