When is the last year you would pick fitz to beat the following boxers

Johnson 1902

McVey 1903

Hart 1903

Burns 1904

Jeannette 1905

Langford 1905

 

No, I think Johnson at least would have taken him well before 04.

 

So Johnson couldn't beat a 'good' Fitz?

 

Fitz clearly declined after the second Jeffries fight in 1902, and by 1904 he was more at the level of O'Brien.

The Johnson of 1902 had beaten George Gardiner much more convincingly than Fitz had in 1903, and he had got much better in the year after the fight.

By the time Fitz had given up trying to get back the heavyweight title, Johnson was ready to take him.

 

Fitz floored Gardner 3 times, Johnson twice.
Fitz was a bigger hitter than Johnson.
Gardner finished strongly against Fitz,after an uncertain start.
He was never in the fight with Johnson, who dominated him.
You cannot lose ,or indeed win a fight, if it goes the distance in a no -decision bout, which by it's very nature does not give a definitive verdict.
The clue is in the name

ie NO DECISION.atsch

 

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Johnson wasnt at his best in O Brien, due to the way he "trained" for the fight. In 1909, Fitz was a lot better than people realise, and while obviously he was nothing like he used to be, people underestimate the effect of the heat on the old man. It had more of an effect than it did on Robinson against Maxim, i would have thought.

At his best, Johnson was way too good by this time, but if he undertrained and underestimated Fitzsimmons, even at that age, you would expect him to run into a trap where Fitz lands a haymaker comparable to what Choynski once hit Johnson with.

I dont believe that Johnson would undertrain and estimate Fitz like this. But, if he did it might just be one massive mistake. If Fitz v Lang was a 10 rounder, this probably wouldnt be a hypothetical.

 

I don't think you are in much of a dilemma here if you are a Fitz fan and a Johnson fan.

There respective rampages don't really overlap at any point.

Johnson starts to hit the big time just as Fitz ceases to be a top player in the heavyweight division.