[1903] Fans applauded Jack Johnson's challenge to Jeffries-Corbett winner?

Yes it was.

Yes it was Jack Munro.

Bizarre as it may seem today, Munro was seen as being the most credible white challenger remaining.

Obviously everybody knew that Jack Johnson was the most credible available challenger, as the crowd's reaction shows.

 

In fairness there was no crystal ball to see into the future.

They couldn't see which contenders would be a flash in the pan, and which would go on to better things

Knowing what we know now, we can see that even if they had to have a white challenger, somebody like Sandy Ferguson would have probably given him a better fight.

 

Some snipets from the run up to the fight.

"I know Jeffries is a wonderfully strong man, but so is Sam McVea, who I defeated recently in Los Angeles. McVea is a marvel of strength, and he expected to rough me round in the clinches. I met him at his own game and fought him all over the ring. I believe I will be able to take just as good care of myself with Jeffries and I did with McVea."

Jack Munro

At the time McVea was preparing for a bout with Jack Johnson, but there is no record of them having had a match or exhibition.

"The Munro fight will be the first time that Jeffries has fought a man like himself. Strong huge rough and rugged."

National Police Gazette

"Munro has talked so much and made so many mean cracks that I think he deserves just as hard a beating as I can give him. You know in all my fights I have held a great deal in reserve. I have never had to cut loose with a punch with every ounce behind it because I never had to go so hard as that. I never wanted to be brutal for fear of possible consequences. I have always had a horror of being mixed up with a killing in the ring. With Munro I will feel no compunction about slogging him."

James Jeffries

 

So Munroe fought and beat McVea? If so, then it makes him better challenger than I thought he was!

 

Never happened.Janitor put Munroe instead of Johnson,honest mistake.


When Johnson fought Munro he toyed with him and reporters said Munro did not even know how to punch properly.

 

It didn't necessarily happen.

It might have been an undocumented fight, or it might have been an exhibition, or it might just have been Munro's lies!

 

It didn't happen end of!
McVey fought Martin on the 22 nd of August 1904 after which he did not fight again until Jan 25th 1906, Munro fought Jeffries on the 26th of August 1904.

 

Anything is possible, but why could he lie about that?

 

Why wouldn't he,he lied about flooring Jeffries!

 

Janitor misattributed the quote. It's from Jack Johnson.

 

It makes sense then.

 

He had a reason to do so - he wanted to get title shot.

I wouldn't put too much weight into this title defense. Jeffries agreed for a fight because he wanted to punish Munroe, it was personal thing.

 

I'm aware of the circumstances surrounding the fight.Whilst on his exhibition tour with Fitz ,Munro was one of the men who tried to stay the 4 rds for $250.Fitz advised Jeffries to take him out quick,but Jeff decided to give the crowd a show and let him stay awhile,he began to get more serious in the 3rd rd but, owing to his lack of conditioning started to blow as Munroe sought only to survive till the end of the 4 rds,Jeffries missed with a swing and slipped down to the canvas.After lasting the distance and claiming his$250 Munroe was taken up by an opportunist fight manager who began a hype campaign stating Munroe had got the better of Jeffries and floored him into the bargain. Jeffries was very unhappy with the financial return from the Munroe fight and said if he couldnt make bigger purses than that defending against White challengers he would retire.