Bob Fitzsimmons on Jeffries versus Johnson, one day after the fight

Interesting read.

 

Thanks, McGrain. Fitz certainly regarded the prime Jeffries as a phenom; yet he also had a high regard for Johnson. In fact, I would say Bob's opinion -- despite favoring Jeffries at his best -- fortifies my own regard for Johnson.

 

Maybe this New Year ,we can agree to disagree on crucial points?
After all, we all have our favourites,and, possibly our blind spots?

 

My hunch is we will agreed to disagree a bit less in 2010. Read Adam;'s book, and you might stat agreeing with me on a few of the sticky points that have been debated in 2008-2009.

 

Mac, I hope they don't call upon you to broker the peace process in Afghanistan

 

Langford did not duck Jeffries as he never had even a remote shot t a fight with him and their careers did not overlap ... in 05 Langford was still fighting mostly middleweights ... Sam's "fight any heavyweight but Jeffris " was more a PR scam by management than anything else. BY 1910 Langford would have gioven his right nut to fight Jeffries and would have stopped him in a few rounds ...

 

Never say never.

 

One think that I think Fitzsimmons is right about is that Jeffries punishing training schedule hurt his performence.

He would probably have done better if he had come to the fight 20+lbs overweight.

 

Jeffries would have done better if he had a warm up fight, and sparred with the contenders of the time, not an ancient Corbett and Bob Armstrong.

Jeffries had a falling with his chief trainer, Billy Delaney. Delaney knew Jeffries well, and was hired to be in Johnson's corner. The advice Delaney must have been significant.

The change in venue from California to the desert in Reno hurt Jeffries chances too.

 

It certainly did ,as there was a very strong rumour that the fight was bagged for Jeffries in California.

 

Johnson referring to Dempsey's first fight against Tunney remarked.

"Dempsey was overtrained he had attempted to accomplish in a month or so,what should have been attained over a period three times as long."

"He had long been out of the ring,and had engaged in occupations so vastly different than those that contribute to a fighters form,that it was a tremendous task to get him into such condition as was necessary for a contest."

"His training had been intensive.Over zealous trainers tried to restore to him all that had been lost in the month's of ring idleness,and neglect of training."

An overtrained athlete ,is as sorry a sight as an undertrained one,because he does not understand his own condition.He feels fresh ,and vigorous,but therein he is tragically fooled, because he lacks the co-ordination of nerve and muscle and brain,and unfortunately never realizes that something is wrong with him until he tries to acheive that which he most desires".

Jeffries probably tried to round himself into shape too quickly .
The drums of promotion had reached their crescendo ,and the optimum moment for financial reward was insight.Jeffries was denied the luxury of a tune up,had no real tough sparring and entered the ring with his mind distracted ,his stamina severely diminshed,and with enormous pressure weighing on his shoulders from the white establishment .
Add to this the tremendous weight loss he had committed himself to acheiving, and it can be seen that while outwardly he was still," The Iron Man", in reality he was a facsimile .Ali against Holmes.
In contrast Johnson was in the condition of his life.

 

Maybe Jeffries took a dive?

 

No Jeffries took a hiding
If a dive was arranged, it was for Jack to go into the tank, if the fight had been held in California.

 

If Jeffries was indeed told Johnson would take a dive and believed it, that would really hurt his chances once he figured out that Johnson was not going to lie down. After all, if your sure the other guy is going to tank it, why train so hard?

I don't believe the dive story was legit. The fight was moved out of California because it was political dynamite. In fact promoter Tex Rickard had to be the ref because other refused. Reno was a small desert town with rail road access. It was a sub location because Rickard had to come up with one quick. As history records there were several riots after the fight ended. This is why California said no match here.

What might have hurt Jeffries most was his father saying he'd would disown his son if he took the fight.