Apropos of Mendoza asserting that Joe Jeannette in 1912, would have been Jack Johnson's best opponent, and my stating that Jeannette did nothing earth shattering that year to particularly warrant a title shot[,he was offered one , both parties signed for it, but the boxing commission vetoed it]. Here is a news account of Jeannette's defeat in September of that year by Jeff Clark. Clark ,scaling 163.5lbs, was conceding 34lbs to Jeannette's 197.5lbs. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F70612F8395813738DDDAA0894D1405B828DF1D3
I said a 1912 Jeannette would have been Johnson's best title opponent, meaning that version of Jeanette was better than Ross, Ketchel, Flynn, a shot Jeffries, Ross, etc... I will stand by that statement. Speaking of Clark, I do not see Johnson picking him for a title shot. Considering the trouble Johnson had with past super middles ( KO'd by Choynski, drew with O'Brien, DQ loss to Jeannette who was then in the 160's, and being floored by Ketchel ), one can only ponder why Clark, who was qualified did not get a title shot.
Stand by what you like, it won't make it any more truer. Some facts for you. Clark turned pro in 1908 , that year sound familiar? It's the year Johnson won the title. Now peruse, [that means look at,] Clark's record ,during Johnson's title reign and show me, off of one win over Langford, on the 26th of October 1914,[ which gave Johnson less than 5 months to defend against him ,]and a win over Jeannette. Clark merited a title shot? It has been established that the weight disparity between Johnson and Choynsky was negligible , it has further been established that Jeannette did NOT weigh in the 160's when he last fought Johnson . For your further information . Less than a month before beating Jeannette ,Clark could only draw with 5-2-0 Kid Cotton, Johnson's sparring partner. Five months after beating Jeannette, Clark could only manage another draw with middle weight Jack Twin Sullivan and ,nine months after that, he drew with another middle ,the unheralded Vic Hansen, followed by another draw with Kid Cotton again, who was now an imposing 5-4-0. I've produced a primary sourced fight report that shows Jeannette in 1912 , scaling 197.5lbs was beaten by Clark who scaled 163.5lbs. This would indicate that. 1. Jeannette was NOT the threat you state he was to Johnson's crown in 1912. 2. Clark himself, judging by his record from 1908__ 1915 was NOT a viable contender for Johnnson's title. No doubt, if Johnson had took on the 163.5lbs Clark ,and played with him you would now be castigating him for picking on a middleweight. How does it feel to be exposed once again as a complete MORON? ps. It feels just great having my own personal mascot to ridicule, and torment.:rofl
