http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard_to_The_Ring,_Apr_1926 Wikisource:LettersLetter to the The Ring magazine, April 1926 by Robert Ervin Howard Here is my opinion on the greatest heavyweights of all time: Boxing reached its height between 1892 and 1905. That was the ring’s Golden Era. The culmination of perfection, the pinnacle of achievement, the greatest heavyweight of all time was James J. Jefferies. Records prove that. During his reign there flourished the greatest collection of heavyweights ever seen, and he was the greatest of all. He defeated all manner of boxers. In Corbett he beat the fastest heavyweight and the cleverest boxer that ever lived; in Fitzsimmons the most effective hitter of any time; in Tom Sharkey, the greatest of all near champions. While Jefferies would not rank first in skill, speed or hitting ability, for all around prowess he was invincible. Peter Jackson never saw the day that he could have beaten Jefferies; and the idea of Johnson beating Jefferies when the white man was at his best is ridiculous. Johnson lacked both the ability and the nerve. As for Sullivan and Dempsey, they would have fought themselves out punching Jefferies, and then have been defeated. If there ever was a man who might have won from Jefferies it was Corbett, when at his prime. This is my rating of heavyweights: James J. Jefferies; James J. Corbett; Jack Dempsey; Peter Jackson; Bob Fitzsimmons; John L. Sullivan; Tom Sharkey; Kid McCoy; Sam Langford; Jack Johnson; Louis Firpo and Jess Willard. Robert E. Howard Cross Plains, Texas ----------------------------- Robert E. Howard was an author of fantasy, adventure and horror fiction. He wrote over 300 such stories in his thirty year life, which ended in 1936 when he commited suicide. His best known characters include King Kull, Bran MacMorn, Solomon Kane, the boxing-sailor Steve Costigan, the Wild Western man-mountain Breckinridge Elkins, and most famously of all, Conan the barbarian from Cimmeria. (Howard's Russian adventuress, Red Son This content is protected a, was later mutated into a red-haired warrior woman of Conan's Hyborian Age, the comic heroine Red Son This content is protected a). Howard was an enthusiastic boxing fan. There's a good film (which I recommend), 'The Whole Wide World', concerning Howard (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his relationship with a young shool teacher, Novalyne Price (Rene Zellwinger). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Mw...3BD1907E1&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8
Hi, Mendoza I'm no Howard expert, but I'm not aware of Howard writing much more about real fighters, aside that there's a little newspaper report (contained in the collection 'Waterfront Fists') where he extoles a local fighter in a rather hyberbolic manner. He did write a lot of boxing fiction, into which he would work a great deal of humor (often at the protagonists expense), and sometimes a 'weird' angle, too. I know there's a fellow named Mark Finn who is both a Howard expert and also a boxing enthusiast.
At least from this quote in the article, we can FINALLY lay rest Mendoza's claim how Jeffries beat a "Prime" Inactive 33 year old James Corbett
Once again, Corbett was in shape, looking good in camp, and his own people call it his best ring effort. Read the news reports leading up to the fight, or the fight itself. You will see no ink that says Corbett was rusty or out of shape. And no ink that he looked old at age 33. I recommend looking at Corbett sparring with Kid McCoy for WW I bonds ( around 1918 ), or vs Tunney ( in the 1920's ). These are up close and clear films. You jaw will drop at how quick, fast, limber and accurate Corbett was as an old man. Plus he had some good feints. I get a real kick out of some posters saying Corbett at 188 pounds or Sharkey at 183 was too small, yet never think Marciano at 187, or Dempsey at 188-190 were also too small. More double standards.
Rumor has it, when Howard re-read his list in 1936, he committed suicide because those pathetic names made the top10.
But they werent fighting a man 30lbs in the case of Corbett,and 32lbs , in the case of Sharkey, bigger were they?Double standards ? I bet you have two mirrors on your wall
You're missing the point. You cant say 188 is too small, then not say the same thing for fighters you like that were close to that weight as Suzie Q tends to do. This is what I was talking about. There is no need to goad anyone here McVey.
Im not goading you M. Actually the point is , Marciano was not facing 220 lbs fighters as Corbett was when he met Jeffries,plus Corbett's prime weight was between 178 and 183lbs ,not the 188 he weighed when coming back to meet Jeffries in his mid 30's.