Truly one of most fascinating fighters in the history of the sport. I tend to think that with a little adjustment in techniques his talent would translate very well to any era. The extraordinary nature of his power is beyond dispute. It is unearthly. Along with Langford, he represents the best of the post-John L pre Dempsey era (and I know that he crossed over both). Since most of our film of him is when he is already old, and largely are reenactments, I would like to hear opinions on his style, and perhaps analogous fighters later in history.
I don´t think there was any fighter similar to him, he was very unusual with his style. Worked for him though.
He debuted at around 25, was already approaching 30 when Corbett dethroned Sullivan, pushing 34 when he lifted that title for himself in Carson City, and 40 when he decisioned Gardner for his third world title. The decision over Gardner and subsequent draw with O'Brien demonstrate qualities in his boxing technique beyond knockout power. Fitz was idolized by Gans. Dunkhorst and Ruhlin showed how he could dispatch heavyweights. Many decades later, Mike Spinks went from 170 pounds against David Sears to a history making showdown with Holmes two fights later, and startled the world with his viability as a heavyweight. Walker has been credited as being the only welterweight champion to ever become a heavyweight contender, but Fitz weighed only 150 when he stopped The Nonpareil. Exactly when was his peak, and at what age?
Yeah, I think you could make a very good case for Fitz being at his very best in a head to head sense the night he thrashed NP. I mean that was a destruction. That was not competitive. And although he wasn't what he once was, NP was regarded as #1 going in and still the #2 coming out. Fitz was awesome.
Fitz was a great puncher p4p. He would set you up with a trap like archie moore then pounce on your weak spot before you know what hit you. Just curious though, how many top rated black fighters did Fitzsimmons take on? he seemed to have drawn the color line. I know fitz fought 4 black fighters, but I don't think any of them amounted too much. I tend to not rate old time white fighters highly who did not take on top black fighters.
Yes. Such an interesting character in and out of the ring. His style was completly unorthodox and nothing has ever been seen even remotely similar since. as McGrain puts it he was a 'trapsmith', he lured his opponent in and landed brutal counter-punches.
The film we have of him, shows a very distinct and odd style. The Corbett fight attests to this, as well as the Lang fight, purely from a stylistic sense.
That's an easy out for dismissing him. However, I don't see anyone, outside of Peter Jackson, who really strikes me as an omission in his record. Who did he duck, perchance? I'm not as aware of the potential middles he might have missed. And out of curiosity, do the black fighters get more credit in your book just because they were black?
