The evolution of the style of Jim Jeffries.

Hah, I just happened to re-read the Jeffries-Corbett II chapter today during lunch.

I think in a way weight issues also had a play. Ryan liked Jeffries in a crouch cause Jeff didn't like body shots, but that slowed Jeffries down. So he tried to get him light to get him faster. But ironically (at least it seems to me) going light made Jeffries less strong and maybe a bit more susceptible to the body shot.

One thing that struck me, in the account of Jeffries-Corbett II, was that Jeffries didn't worry about the weight (he was with Delany by then), didn't even know what he came in at, but fighting up-right he was a lot faster than previously; and though Corbett planned to target the body and, by nes accounts, actually did get a lot of heart punches over, they didn't seem to much bother the less-light Jeffries.

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Jeffries-Fitzsimmons: Fitzsimmons initial hit-n-run tactics caused Jeffries to leave his crouch. Standing up in the third round, he took more facial punishment (though his nose was already bleeding), but was able to pursue Fitzsimmons well enough that Fitz perforce had to fight Jeffries off.
Fitzsimmons was observed to tire after round five. Jeffries facial damage was the more visible, but experienced observers realized that Jeffries body blows were taking a toll. Though Fitzsimmons was realized to be tiring, the KO in the eighth was none the less unexpected.
One thing that comes through reports is there was much curiosity as to whether Fitzsimmons would show rust, and a consensus that he had shown great form.
Jeffries later said that the ring they fought in was unsuitable for heavyweights, took away half his speed and made his foot-work akward. Pollack was unable to find contemporary mention of this, but did say it was a new ring; so it might have had some quirks. If this is true, it may be part of the reason Jeffries looked so much faster in Corbett II than in Fitzsimmons II.

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John L Sullivan ****ed a kangaroo. The kangaroo gave birth to Jeffries. Then Jeffries ****ed Fitzsimmons sister. Who then gave birth to Charlie Chaplin.

 

Jimmy Jeff was an athlete outside the ring and owned good movement with his legs in training, but as a fighter he seemingly was more of a stalker who looked to walk his man down...... Since the films are crude, I'm not 100% sold on whether or not Jeff used all his god given talent in the ring....

Well, I'm headin' over to my bro's ranch for dinner and I'll prolly drink myself into a state of stupafaction before the night is through.... Cheers.....

MR.BILL

 

You and me both, bruddah!