Prime James J. Jeffries vs Jack Johnson

I actually think that Ruhlin was a pretty good choice as a title opponent.

He had been very highly regarded before Fitz beat him, and Fitz seems to have refused a title fight with Jeffries, for reasons that are hard to understand.

I think Jeffries just got fed up with it and took the second best available challenger.

I think it is a stretch to say that Ruhlin was damaged goods after the Fitzsimmons fight. Only Jeffries beat him in the next four years.

 

Where do you get the idea Fitz refused a fight with Jeffries?

He was desperate for one, god almighty he fought the number 1 and 2 contenders in the space of two weeks and kod them both! Do you think he did that because he wasn't interested in a title shot?

Fitz lost the first round against Ruhlin, in fact he was floored at the end of it, plus he sustained a cut over his eye and a bloody mouth.

Ruhlin came out full of confidence for the second and the battering began,Ruhlin was down 4 times in the fight ,Fitz because his hands were bad, relied mostly on body shots to weaken the 9 years younger man. Ruhlin was not counted out the referee did not bother to start one so thoroughly unconscious was Ruhlin at the end, he was dragged back to his stool .
Fitz began to become concerned about Ruhlin's condition and went over to his corner but Ruhlin was out to the world. It was ten minutes before he could be assisted out of the ring.


“Whilst physicians were examining him, Ruhlin opened his eyes and faintly asked for water. This was given him as he again lapsed into a sort of stupor. Blood at this time was trickling from his ears and nose.”—The San Francisco Call

After the fight Ruhlin spent the night at the arena,[MSG ] to weak to travel,the next day he was removed to Billy Madden his manager's cottage where he stayed in bed for a week.

A fortnight after this Fitz took out Sharkey in 2 rds. Fitz walked over to Jim Jeffries who was sitting ringside and said ,"You'll give me a fight now ,Jim won't you? Get up and shake hands on it"Jeffries remained seated, "Get up Jim and shake" Fitz repeated, leaning over the ropes.The crowd took up his cry, urging Jeffries to respond with no way to escape Jeffries finally rose and grasped Fitz's gloved hand,and the crowd applauded.

And you say Fitz didnt want the fight!

So what happened? Fitz had just kod both the top contenders inside two weeks .

Who does Jeffries fight? He has an exhibition with Griffn, then takes on his sparring partner Tom Kennedy. A year after Fitz turned this incredible feat ,Jeffries defended his title but not against Fitz but the man he had beat unconscious, Ruhlin.
Fitz had to wait two years before Jeffries finally gave him a rematch, by which time he was all but 40.
After the Sharkey fight Fitz gave an interview in his dressing room. Here is part of it.
" I mean to become champion of the world again, and the only man now in the way is Jim Jeffries.He whipped me once but I don't think he will do it again When we met I had not fought in a couple of years and naturally was not in the best of condition.But I am in great form now and really think that if we meet againI would come out on top.In fact I held Jeffries too cheaply , but I learned a lesson and will not be caught napping next time.If they give me enough money I guess I will be ready to fight Jeffries sometime inside the next six months,"[ he would have to wait two years, and once again was coming out of two years inactivity when he finally got his chance.]

 

For an answer to the debate about the delay in the Fitz-Jeff rematch, see pages 428 - 432, 450 - 452, 503, 506 - 512 of In the Ring With James J. Jeffries.

 

So he wasn't in Fitz class. Big deal, as I showed you he did well post Fitz, so he wasn't shot.:deal Do I really need to show you how many times Johnson's title opponents were KO'd?

If a draw in a title match doesn't merit a re-match, I don't know what does. Excuses!!!

The money was never up. Of course Smith would have taken it. Instead, Johnson gave title shots to men who Smith beat first in Moran and Willard!

Keep believe that. Johnson as champion could have fought ANYWHERE in the world. Its the same BS with Wills signing for Dempsey...the match wasn't going to happen!

To summarize, Jeffries gave re-matches to those who gave him good fights as champion. Johnson did not and avoided the best as champion! None of your lies will change that fact.

 

Your are correct. But McVey has an agenda in front of his face that blocks objective reasoning. As I mentioned Ruhlin beat ( via quick KO ) Everett and drew with Hart post Jeffries. Johnson drew with Everett and lost to Hart.

So if Ruhlin was " shot " post Jeffries, Johnson might not have even be as good using the same opponents...and Ruhlin was past it for the Hart match.

 

After Fitzsimmons knocked out both Sharkey and Ruhlin in a total of under 8rds and in a two week period ,who deserved a title shot more Fitzsimmons or Ruhlin?
Take your tongue out of Jeffries anus.atsch

 

Fitz, but Jeffries had already knocked him out. Fitz got his re-match anyway by proving he wasn't a shot fighter after Jeffries beat him.

The point you make that Johnson would fight Langford, McVey, or Jeannette is hilarious. It is false. Below is an article that nails it.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=FA0714FE385E13738DDDA80994DA405B828DF1D3

 

The point I make is that after koing Ruhlin and Sharkey Fitz did not fight Jeffries for another two years. This link below details the 1912 fight between Johnson and Jeannette being cancelled.

http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=...s=39&e=-------en--50--1--txt-IN-joe+jeannette

 

As Adam says, this is covered in his book in considerable detail.

I wont say that it did not surprise me, but it seems inescapable that Fitzsimmons was instrumental in the fight being delayed.

 

Fitz's wife Rose was on his case to retire ,but he wanted one more go on the carousel.

 

He should have rematched John Finnegan who had avenged his Cavanaugh loss and had gone undefeated since his unsuccessful title shot.

Other Options were

Jack Johnson who was not a top 10 fighter.

Or Joe Choynski who had just drawn with Jeffries and was about to KO Johnson

or John L Sullivan who was calling out Jeffries for a unification bout and had just KOd McCormack?

or Hank Griffin, who had just beaten Jack Munroe?

 

Good old Finnegan who qualified for a fight with Jeffries by being knocked down 7 times by Ruhlin in his previous fight, and carried out of the ring unconscious at the end.All in the space of 4 rds!

Would Frank Childs who fought Butler, Armstrong ,Dunkhorst,Everett and Klondike x2 in 1900 ,not have been a better match than Finnegan?
How about Denver Ed Martin ,who fought Klondike, and Armstrong that year?