A Superheavyweight from the 30's who never made it big (Video!)

This is Jack Pettifer. He never made it to the world class stage, despite his 6'7 240lb build.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1zooOLCOIw

This guy is not an oaf. He's quick for 6'7. He can move, and has pretty good balance for a giant. He has power, and although rough around the edges, he can box.

And despite all his physical gifts, he never made it farther in the heavyweight division than Billy Conn.

To me, it sounds like the old timers on this forum who swear up and down about the depth of talent in the 30's are starting to sound like they're right.

 

Oaf was a word used to describe old school super heavyweights before we had clear footage.

But I know what you mean.

At a certain height, your balance gives. No giant has been impervious to it, including Lewis and Klitschkos.

 

Damn speaking of Lewis, I'm going to see him Thursday. That's insane. I'll probably see a lot of legends actually.

 

It depends on who you're talking about when you say talented.

 

Those punches he throws towards the camera look scary.

So what are we to make of a deep pool of giants in the 30's finding nowhere near the same success as todays giants?

 

I never said he was better than any fighters of that caliber.

Some people here make the argument than any big guy with a decent jab would handle anyone before the 70's.

Or that Jess Willard was some freak outlier, and that with a deeper pool of giants, they would surely rule the division.

And slowly this evidence is piling up to the contrary, and we're starting to realize it.

 

Do you know how to punch?