Fitzsimmons vs Langford: 165 pounds

Langford by KO

 

Both have tremendous power and both have very good to great chins. I could say the one guy who lands first but that would be too easy, wouldn´t it? From what I´ve seen Langford was the more busy and offensive minded guy which goes for him, on the other hand Fitz was more of a counter-puncher and loved to set traps to profit from them, so Langford plays a bit into his hands. Hm, one thing that bothers me a bit with Langford is that it always seemed to me that he was more successful with bigger than with smaller guys - yeah, he beat quite a few great one but they were at least competative - Fitz on the other hand totally dominated the smaller competition like Jack Dempsey - who was seen as the best fighter on the planet at the point. Hm, I guess I pick Fitz based on that. With not much if any confidence though.

I take it´s a fight to the finish, so I take him by KO.

 

Almost my feelings to the letter. This one is a killer for me, one of my mental "You asked for it!" fights. I can envision so many scenarios. The only one I can't envision is it going the distance. Like you said, Fitz ate up the aggressive guys. They allowed him to display all his gifts(which were numerous if the testimony of Joe Gans and Kid McCoy are to be believed). But Sam was no straight ahead, bombs away brawler like Tom Sharkey. He was cagey and knew how to create openings himself.

This would be akin to a game of Stratego or Battleship, with two four-star generals trying to outthink each other, carefully creating openings in which to launch their missiles.

"Ooooh!....you sank my battleship!"

(you reveal your age if you can recall that phrase)

 

At 165, I'll go with Fitz. If Sam was in is mature in shape heavyweight form of 180-185, I'd go with Langford.

 

Fitz best weight at heavy was 165-172. Langford was at times fat at heavy. 195-200+ was fat for Sam. But 180-185 was not. Someone will be posting a link for the Langford vs. Jeanette 1913 fight. In this fight Sam was a terror in the 180's.

 

It's a tough call. I haven't yet decided....hmm....

 

It's a nasty fight but style wise I might go w Fitz ... If Sam was going to walk in like I've seen him to clich and throw that right I can imagine Fitz's body shots and uppercuts doing exceptional damage .. it's the all time pound for pound match up if you ask me ..

 

Look at Fitz vs Corbett then Langford vs Jeannette. All respect to Fitz and to the sentimental flag-wavers who feel like its a moral duty to give him an argument, but reality would be very unkind to Fitz in this matchup


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2yBnAfN2-I[/ame]

www.youtube.com/eslubin

 

I posted this before : In an old Boxing Mag I read an article in which an old opponent oif Jack Johnson, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford etc,named John Sandy Ferguson, was asked who would win between Langford and Bob Fitzimmons,[who Ferguson trained with] ?
Ferguson picked Fitz because of Fitz's tremendous body punching.Ferguson gave this interview in 1918 before he died from pneumonia..Testimony or opinion from a man who was in the ring with Langford, Joe Walcott,Joe Jeannette, and Jack Johnson,5 times.
For what it's worth !

 

I've always said Fitzsimmons is like a Navy Dreadnought. Although he could box and move a bit. He was at his best with his feet planted making traps waiting for something to come on to them, then he unleashed with all the artillery.

Here I would see this as the best strategy as Langford is slightly bigger.

I have been researching Langford lately and he impresses me.

I see Langford forcing the fight, moving his head and parrying Fitz's shots to get inside and land his own shots first, but you have to fancy Fitz's chances to start to time Langford with terrible body shots. Langford generally stayed quite low and the way he came forward would be perfect for a body punch to drive right up through him. And I can definitely see these brutal counterpunches playing a massive factor in the bout.

I think when Fitz can tame Langford by countering him hard and often, he can start to box abit and take a points decision in a duller fight with both men sparring for openings and taking turns in controll, but Fitz having banked the early successes and the general, overall control of the bout.