Jack Johnson's Reach ...

Jan. 19, 1909
in an article printed in the Grand Forks Daily, Johnson's reach is listed at 72 3/4". This appears to be an article that was reprinted in many papers.

Aug 13, 1913
in an article printed in the Duluth News-Tribune speculating on another Johnson-Langford bout, it states that both mens' reach is 72".

Sept. 20, 1911
in an article in the Harrisburg Patriot (reprinted in many papers), speculating on another Langford-Johnson bout, it again states that both fighters are equal in reach at 72".

I will look for more...

 

I've got three database searches running and that's what I found. I will look further later. Do you have sources?

 

Feb 3, 1912...

Evening Post of Charleston SC, in preparation for the Flynn fight, says that Johnson "stands six feet and one quarter inches. His reach is seventy-two inches."

 

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OK. I need to read that book. Weird that I can't find a reference over 74" and that most are 72". While he doesn't look to have exceptional reach in photos neither does he look like a T-Rex.

Btw, here's yet another one, a Tale of the Tape for the Johnson-Willard fight... 73 1/2"... http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/598529

 

Thanks for the news read.

On film, Jack's a better in-fighter than out fighter.

A 73" 1/2 reach limited his striking ability from a distance.

Today the shorter heavyweight boxers without a lot of power and reach in the heavyweight division are nearly extinct. The last really good one was Chris Byrd, a Southpaw with a much better conventional defense. Byrd not only could box, he took a pretty good punch.

 

Height plays a great role in the ability to land to the head at a distance.. The shorter you are, the more you have to reach up. Reaching up takes away from your distance. The striking distance is at a maximum with a punch even to the shoulder. To illustrate make a fist and barely have it touching a wall with your arm being fully extended and even with your shoulder. Now slowly raise your first upward and you'll see your arm no longer touches the wall.

Langford was short, but he had long arms. Johnson had board shoulders, but average at best arm length for a man of his height.

 

Yeah, who knows how they measured. Let's say his reach was long enough to dominate his era and be considered an ATG one hundred years later.

 

Reach does not mean you have any advantage from distance. It's all about speed, timing and skill.