Corbett (Jeffries I) vs. Liston (Ali I)

What is his record?
What is his best win?

 

Not a win but there was the already nominated Jackson fight. Not bad at all.

Otherwise, I obviously only mentioned certain performances (not wins) that he could be given credit for when due context is taken into account.

Not to boost old Jim beyond his achievements but he probably wasn’t as bad as some might have him.

He outboxed the more heavily praised Jeffries for the greater part - and though deemed a powderpuff puncher he did drop Fitz heavily inside of 6 rounds and, per reports, he also managed to rock the mighty Jeffries.

Ironically, after the rematch 2 years later, it was Jeffries who was credited as having dramatically improved as opposed to the more obvious conclusion that an even older and again inactive Corbett had gone back even more.

 

59-0 is the BS Mendoza propagated to boost Jeffries.
Corbett's official record is20 fights,11 wins,4 losses and 3 draws.
His best wins?
Sullivan ,a 34 years old alcoholic who had not fought for nearly 5 years,and it took him 21 rounds to wear him down.
Jake Kilrain a six round win in which the rounds where anything from1 minute plus to 2 and a half minutes,a fight in which no infighting was allowed.
"Kilrain seemed much heavier than usual for this contest and may not have trained seriously. No in-fighting was allowed, which favoured Corbett .[It was noted that just a few days earlier Kilrain and his troupe of boxers and wrestlers were arrested following the accidental death of one Tom James, a citizen of Dallas, TX."
Charlie Mitchell 165lbs whoop de doo! He'd fought 9 rounds in the previous 2 years.
Kid McCoy who, that same year weighed 163 lbs for a fight.
This fight must have an asterisk attached to it as there are grounds for believing it was a fake.
Choynski? He was a 3 fight novice.
McCaffrey 175lbs 9-4-3 Hadn't fought for 2 years ,when he had been beaten by158lbs Dempsey.

Fitz 157lbs ko'd Corbett with one body shot.
Sharkey manhandled him and was robbed
Jeffries ko'd him twice .
How many men 180lbs and over did Corbett face?
Corbett against Liston would be an obscene mismatch.

 

Liston very quickly.

 

This is a good post but it still doesn't address the fact that Corbett hasn't the resume of an ATG.Exhibitions are not fights,and nobody has been able to dig up more pro fights ,wins or losses for Corbett,and this isn't some obscure trial horse this man was the world's heavyweight champion.

Nor do losses, however the manner of them, change the fact that they are not victories.
Bob Davis was in Fitz's camp and in his corner for the Corbett fight,he stated unequivocally that Fitz was weighed the morning of the fight and was146 1/2lbs.Davis said Fitz''s comment was ,"I'm still a middleweight now let's see wot appens."
According to ringside reports Fitz did not inflict a prolonged beat down on Corbett,and finished him with one body shot.
Corbett himself stated the Sullivan he beat was not the man who had beaten Ryan and Kilrain.so his best win is over a nearly 5 years retired,34 years old man who had dissipated himself for years.
The McCoy affair should be viewed with suspicion imo,it left a stink that impelled Corbett to leave the country. Corbett 's debacle with Sharkey the first time around also had a strong aroma of fix about it.
Jackson was perceived as slightly past his prime when he fought Corbett,and the rounds after the 20th were described as somnambulistic. Once champion Corbett avoided Jackson.
Corbett has one of the worst winning resumes of any champion,and I would not be entirely surprised if Carl Froch proved capable of beating him.

 

Rules? Rounds? Etc they do sort of matter a lot…

 

Not in this case!

 

Less then Liston vs Sullivan, more then Liston vs Burns.