Willard (Johnson) vs. Jeffries (Fitz 2)

Jeffries was poisoned by mercury in the johnson bout but Jeffries wins no real problem by decision....Willard too tough to ko

 

Jeffries would clearly beat Willard by decision.

Jeffries from Johnson fight would lose, maybe by stoppage caused by exhaustion.

 

Willard put it together once in his career for Havana, he fought for the 45 round distance, based on Johnson tiring, it's hard to say how he'd fight in a 25 rounder based off it.

Jeffries himself isn't the easiest to asses, but I think he was a better class of fighter. I think he'd keep enough pressure on, upping it as the fight went on to get the win.

 

Another important thing is that Johnson tried to knock him out with head shots and Willard protected himself well. Jack had to do that because he wasn't in good condition to fight 30+ rounds against bigger man.

Meanwhile Jeffries was ultimate body puncher who relied on tiring his opponents. His style would be tougher to overcome by Jess.

 

Willard with his lack of movement and defense would be broken down and taken out. While durable, it was proven vs the mid to lower lever type of punchers. Dempsey blitzed him and others stopped him. I say he last about 10 rounds.

 

Watch the film, Johnson was badly hurt by a body shot in round 25. Willard upped his ante and turned the tides around the 17 round. Many of the filmed round, before the 17th are close.

Don't go by the narrative that Wilard didntjl win his share of rounds, the film doesn't show it that way. On the outside Willard was often the better and he was too big Johnson to clinch.

 

I give Willard a lot of credit for that fight. I honestly don't think it matters who won the rounds, since it was never going the distance anyway. Both fought the correct strategic fight, Johnson had to try and get Willard out of there early, and Willard knew he had to neutralise his offence (which he did pretty effectively IMO), and got the stoppage. Willard fought the correct fight, but it was a strategy based on stopping Johnson once he tired

But I think he would have fought a very different fight had it been a 25 rounder, especially against a prime fighter, hed need to fight a much faster pace, though it also probably wouldn't be as hot. I just think it's hard to extrapolate exactly how well he'd do, and what sort of fight he'd fight.

 

Willard did fairly well against Johnson, but there is no doubt that Jack won more rounds. The point is, it's not important in 45 rounds fight. Maybe Willard would fight differently in 15 or 20 rounds fight. We don't know.

 

Are you referring to the ," winged messenger"?

 

It was by no means a one sided contest prior to the stoppage, but Johnson would have been awarded the decision ,had the fight been over 25 rounds.

 

Willard was stopped just twice once by Dempsey when he was 37 and hadn't fought for 3 years,and once by Firpo when he was 41and had fought just twice in the previous 4 years.I don't see Jeffries stopping,though he may well beat him on points.

 

It's impossible to say really, had it been over 25 rounds Willard would've fought a very different fight. I don't see why he should be critisized much for not winning the first 25 rounds when it was irrelivant to the outcome of the fight, it's a bit like saying how Bellew beat Usyk for 6 rounds. In both cases they fighter basically just gave up the rounds, and the stoppage was basically inevitable, considering the condition of the fighter who won the rounds and the distance left.

 

I agree, I'm just saying that Johnson was in front after 25 rds in the fight that actually happened.
Willard fought the right tactical fight, absorbing the punishment he had to and coming on strong as Johnson began to tire.

 

As for the Jeffries who fought Johnson, I think he would have taken a beating, he'd be able to land some shots better than he did against Johnson, but was just far too weak for Willard by that stage.