A defence of Jess Willard

Out of the ring Top 10 today

Wlad destroys Willard at ease

Old Vitali embarrasses Willard

Povetkin outclasses Willard

Haye finishes Willard whenever he chooses

Pulev gives Willard a beating

Adamek-Willard would be a close fight, but i like adamek by UD

Helenius leaves Willard out cold by the 10th round

Boystov outboxes Willard

Old Chagaev-Willard is a toss up

Arreola-Willard is a toss up

Fury shutsout Willard

 

Even less skill than the Interim Latino WBC heavyweight champion?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EALcYERW-s0&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

You should tell most of those amateurs to get in with the professionals, because they sound more skilled than many of the professional belt holders today.

 

And by the way both of those have recovered from this brutal bout to post 1st round KOs! Irineu has actually scored two first round KOs.

There is just no substitute for modern, skills, training, Nutrition and advancements in technique is there?

 

and here is big Matias showing off that world famous armpit shot in a first round demolition of a highly skilled opponent. What is Jess Willard going to do when modern skilled amateurs like Matias unleash techniques that were unheard of in Willards day?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PpwPCKAlE[/ame]

 

Here is Irinea in one of his unrecorded fights/exhibitions, i think it was against one of those amateurs Suzy was talking about. Note that Irinea dealt with things a lot better than Willard managed to deal with Jack Johnson even though both opponents had exactly the same shaved head.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvaz2CNiTS8[/ame]

 

I thought he looked pretty respectable fighting Floyd Johnson at the age of 41, and that was after a 4 year layoff.
Jess was the template for the Klits ,imo.

 

A fighter with limited skills. He did have two assets though. Toughness and guts.

 

His defence in style is similar to Vitali but it's nowhere near as good, that style of defence is based on reactions, speed, athleticism and stamina. Things Willard didn't excel in

What was Willard's second best win again?

 

Nice article ... funny , I've read accounts posted that had Willard getting the better of Luther ...

 

Willard-McCarthy was a draw, not a win for willard

 

You're talking to a man who can be quoted as saying that Fat Willie Meehan would split a series with Mike Tyson, and that Bob Fitzsimmons is a naturally bigger man than Mike Tyson

 

I think Willard is a big unknown, I know people bring up the Dempsey fight, but the guy was 37 years old, out of shape, and had not box in like what? 2 or 3 years.

He rein as champion is not a good one, but its about as good as Jim Corbett, John L Sullivan after he unify the title, or Jim Braddock, and even as good as Dempsey after making the first million $ gate. little to hardly no fighting for years as champion. Willard did make something out of the title, MONEY, he ggot paid for shows, talks, plays, cow shows ete. He took that title and went on the road an made lots of money, and he didnt even had to fight, who can blame him for going after the easy money? In Willard's day as champ, he was view as the great white man, that saved the white race from the evil Jack Johnson. With that rep in that time period, Willard perhaps didnt need to fight ever again for money lol.

He was a good fighter, the Kilt of his day. But started boxing at 29, than a few years later wins the title. Amazing story.

Now Jack Johnson may not have been " Prime" Jack Johnson, but still a great fighter. A old, shot past prime fighter does not go as many rounds as Johnson did at the pace he did. Johnson still had something left, perhaps like Archie Moore or Joe Walcott so to speak. Willard in my mind beat a still great fighter to win the title.