Why did Jeffries defend against John Finnegan in1900 ?

I think you are right about the substantive fights, but i think he probably fought a few lower level local fights. I say this for the simple reason that he was considered in the papers as a pretty decent chance against Ruhlin, from my recollection. I think that this was a title fight in the sense that it was no holds barred and if Finnegan won he would have been champion. Much like the George Lawlor fight the night before that has dissappeared from Jeffries record. If i remember correctly, the Lawlor fight was scheduled for 10 rounds but had to be reduced to six due to the laws of the state at the time.

I think Jeffries just grabbed a local fighter because this was cheaper and would draw a bigger gate. Probably not any different to the first Munroe exhibition where the Miner allegedly knocked Jim down. I tend to think that the title reason it became refferred to as a title shot afterwards is becauseof the quick KO, which became a marketing tool for Jeffries. If it wasnt for that, it would have been considered an exhibition and never really mentioned.

This thread seemed to have some reasonable discussion about the topic, i think.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47954


And here is a link to the official ESB Finnegan appreciation thread.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6409528

In all seriousness, Finnegan was not a good title challenger and never really going to win, but he fought some decent level fighters. And was better than most think (even if that isnt really much). I think today, he is good enough to win or at least compete for a WBF title shot and his results against Jimmy Ryan, Mike Creedon and Bonner are could have very easily been for one of todays 4 Major Titles. Bonner particularly who actually had a good record.

It turned out that he was a decent middleweight but not quite good enough to fight and beat the world class heavyweights. Not too different from many of todays middleweights.

 

My pleasure. Just a little bit of history regarding one of boxing's lesser-known practitioners.:smoke

 

Exactly 286 miles. A relatively short trip by train.

 

We certainly agree that he was a middleweight, which was my point, a decent (not great) middleweight who couldnt step up against the two best heavyweights he fought.

Your point about Pittsburgh and Michigan might be a fair one though. I too am not sure about distances but i think it is pittsburg Pennslyvania, which is a fair travel in those days, by the sounds of things. Looking now at his fights, he also seemed to travel quite a bit, his fight before Jeffries was in Uttica, New York

 

In Brisbane, Australia, he would be even worse, a cockroach.

 

I think that far too much is being made of this.

I have nver been a fan of taking a champions worst title defence and trying to find a better theoretical opponent. Champions who meet the most dangerous potential challengers and stay active are entitled to take warm up fights. Who you don't fight is far more important than who you do fight.

Just looking at the timeline, Jeffries had sustained a serious (almost career ending) injury to his left arm in his previous fight. Why shouldn't he take a tune up fight in that situation?

 

Finnegan was part of a boxing diaspora that took place in Pittsburgh around that time. For years after Dominick McCaffrey and before 1896 there was really nothing going on there except mostly amateur stuff because the laws against prizefighting were pretty harsh in West Pennsylvania. That first wave of boxers/rebels who came out and boldly proclaimed themselves to be professional fighters (which is tantamount by todays standard to proclaiming oneself a breeder of fighting roosters[in other words, you were slightly subhuman]) produced such fighters as Jack McClelland, Jim Scanlan (a good heavyweight who fought Jack Johnson), John Finnegan, Eddie Kennedy(fought Joe Gans, Jack Blackburn, Matty Matthews and Larry Temple) Louden Campbell, Yock Henniger, etc.

Perhaps Finnegan benefitted from the momentum created by this profusion of such good fighters. Kinda like some of the English bands that benefitted from the Beatles/Stones/Yardbirds push onto the music scene back in the early 1960s

Just a thought

 

McVey, the scouser, did he last as long as Finnegan?

And Surf-Bat, whats with the exactly 296 miles, maybe it 287 or 285? Is it his home to the fight venue, please be more specific!
Loved the detail on Finnegan's record, great work, tried to get info on him but you have everything I found and a lot more, great work.
To answer the question posed, Jeff was picking up a few handy bob, with no risk. It's only with hindsight that it has become a title fight IMO.