Bob Fitzsimmons Appreciation Thread

this is a short but quick one from Page 2 of the Newark Daily advocate in 1896 January 30. It seems Fitzsimmons broke the nose of a former Jeffries victim, Jack Stelzner with a light tap!


Was Probably About Corbett EL PASO Tex Jan ing with his trainer Jack Stelzner Fitzsimmons landed with his left on nose and broke it He claims the punch was a very light one but Stelzner is in the hospital for a few days

 

http://espn.go.com/sports/boxing/feature/video/_/id/8317776/boxing-heavyweight-championship-lineage

I hope this link works.

This is Fitz doing it again. This time, it is for those who say that he isnt impressive on film. Glipses here of a young close to prime Fitzsimmons outlanding Corbett and beating him to the punch regularly. It seems to have been cleaned up and converted to HD and (unlike every other Corbett Fitz footage) is really watchable. Would love to see the fully restored film of this, particularly the KO Blow.

 

Wasnt Corbett winning the fight against Fitz fairly handily when Fitz ended it?

 

I havent seen the full fight and certainly not in the quality of the film above (which is only a 10 sec or so clip). But i dont think this is the way the fight went down.

To me, it sounds that Corbett started strong in the early rounds adn did knock Fitz down at one stage, but Fitz simply wore him down and knocked him out. I think it is a clean and decisive victory. In fact, probably one of the best recorded victories ever. Corbett was in fine form and despite not having fought for a while, had stayed in fighting shape. Much moreso than say the Dempsey the Fought Tunney, Baer that Fought Braddock, Tyson that lost to Douglas etc. It really does stand up there as one of the best title winning victories of all time.

 

Its impressive for me, thats for sure. Fitzsimmons was a beast.

 

Fitz had been dropped and Corbett was ahead. A fair bit of talk that Jim had over trained to compensate for being out of action for so long.

 

It was certainly a come from behind knockdown by all accounts.

For a guy giving away a stone to wear down and stop a bigger opponent is immensely impressive.

Second only to Armstrong in terms of career achievement.

 

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/57999241?searchTerm=jem mace new zealand&searchLimits=

Here is a mention of Alec Todd, who it is claimed was the man who fought Fitz in the final of a Jem Mace Tournament the dates are not accurate, but if this is true, it seems that it is confirmation that there was probably a second tournament. Something which is hotly disputed by a fair few, including APollack, who is the leading expert on Fitz (along with many other fighters).

 

What do any of you think are Bob Fitzsimmons' greatest wins?
Tell me your thoughts on this ranking:

1. Vs Nonpareil Jack Dempsey (MW Title)
- Dempsey, the greatest fighter in the world and Fitzsimmons gives him the licking of a lifetime. Probably the worst beating of the century?

2. Vs James J. Corbett (HW Title)
- Longterm game-plan or not, Fitzsimmons was still losing -- but overcame a points deficit and a 17 pound weight disadvantage to knock out Corbett (first loss of his career).

3. Vs Peter Maher (HW Title)
- Fitzsimmons gives up 15 pounds and knocks Maher out in under 2 minutes.

4. Vs Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
- Ummmm, O'Brien is badass?

5. Vs George Gardner (LHW Title)
- I went with Gardner; I think he had a crazy amount of momentum: knocked out Jack Root twice, KO'd Peter Maher in 1 round, beat Marvin Hart as well as the Barbados Demon, Joe Walcott, himself. All with just a loss to a much larger Jack Johnson in that 2 year stretch.

And how about some Millard Zender?! Fitzsimmons gives up

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and wins by knockout, in one round...

 

He doesn't do it for me but I get the allure. Great achievements.

 

I would say no.

Fitzsimmons was turning things round.

 

I definitely agree with Ruhlin as a big win. Tom Sharkey wasnt a bad win.

Jim Hall and Dan Creedon are two of the most underated wins and of course Choynski should be in there, i think. The Jim Hall win was a massive fight.

Guys like Bill Slavin, Mick Dooley, Starlight Rollins and many others were much better than most people realise. The reality is that despite all the digging we will never know just how impressive most of his wins are.

 

Vs Corbett, Fitz turned things around as nicely as anyone ever did....all with that mysterious sounding "solar plexus" punch.