Honestly I don't think much of Jeff outside of his tremendous courage and durability. Maybe just maybe if Jeff invests in body shots and keeps a high work rate he can turn things around in the later rounds. But when I imagine this fight, Schmeling makes him look stupid with jabs, counters, good footwork, and intelligent boxing. It was just a totally different sport in the 40's and the start of the modern technical sweet science. Louis, Charles, Walcott, Schmeling, and others of that era paved the way for smarter boxing and flat footed sluggers who blocked with their face like Jeff were becoming a thing of the past.
The "Something" that Max will "See" here, Jeff's Achille's Heel so to speak, - a weakness only discernible after meticulously studying the Boilermaker's "game" for hours on end - is that once Jeffries climbs through the ropes and the bell rings for the first round - Jeff is easy to hit, easy to hit, hard and often, with all manner of punch types. Jeff's only hope is that he can withstand the beating long enough to see Max tire badly and then step up his own offense to perhaps "clean up" his flagging opponent. Of course, the duration for this fight might or might not be relevant here.
Man I wish we could see those early fighters in modern hi def. It's practically impossible to see any subtleties and to get a sense of their rhythm in the ring. The old timers are at a disadvantage in H2H matchups because of this. All things considered I'd lean towards Schmeling too.
The only footage we have of Jeffries being pro-active in a fight ,is against Ruhlin.In that fight he trundles forward his left hand near his waist,he looks wide open to right hands ,and Max had an excellent one.Schmeling was also a good boxer,Apart from durability I don't see what Jeffries brings to the table.
I’d make Schmeling the favorite. His skill and mobility was vastly superior I think. Jeffries would have a puncher’s chance but that’s about I’d give him
I'd plump for Schmeling except for one thing: he fought the skills-limited but powerful Baer like a fool, ploughing right into him over and over. If he does the same thing against Jeffries he might lose.
Schmelling lost to absolute no hopers. Fact. Before and after Louis. Fact. Schmelling could not zee somsing because there was no film back then and the chances that he travels from Germany to the US to study Jeffries are slim to none including the one month boat ride. On the classic "expert" section Jeffries looses every single fight yet in real life he was undefeated until he came out half a decade after retirement getting hog fat to take on the best fighter at that time and still lasted 14/15 rounds...............and dont give me that shid Johnson carried him., no fighter in their right mind carries ANYBODY for 15, two or three maybe but never 15. So I take Jeffries under the rules of his day over one fight hot wonder Schmelling. Waiting for as response from the Number 1 Jeffries hater and Johnson apologist incoming.