Deontay Wilder v James Jeffries

We are, I am just saying what Jeffries is in terms of todays division.

I think that Jeffries was 6' 1.5''

 

It could be taken to mean that, but it could also reflect the fact that he stepped up so early in his career.

 

Most sources say 6'1 1/2. When you are a power puncher with durability and fast feet, how tall do you need to be?

Examples Tyson and Tua. But there reach is much shoter than Jeffries.

Joe Louis, Ali, and Liston were roughly an inch apart to where Jeffries was. Liston shoter. Louis about even. Ali maybe an inch taller. Does your Adamek comment apply to them too???

 

I think the data here is wrong as fitz did not break his nose in the first fight.

I read he did in the second fight, possibly with doctored gloves.

Sources for all three occasions please.

 

You can run the 100 yard dash in 10.5 seconds at age 13?

This is about 11.5 seconds in the 100 meter dash. That would be very impressive.

How many could carry 220lbs and do it ?

 

I dispute McVey quite often, especially on film versus eye witnesses,

but I think he was correct on Jeffries being only 6' tall. Not only are there reports that he was measured by physicians at that height, but photographs consistently show he was shorter than one would think, and just a heavily built fellow.

But height is certainly the hardest physical measurement to really pin down.

As for his athletic ability. 11 seconds for 100 yards doesn't impress me much. High-jumping 5' 10" back then does. That is good for that era. The Olympic champion in 1896 had a best jump of less than 6'.

The NFL was founded in 1920. The NBA in 1946. I don't see Jeff ever as a basketball player. Football, yes. Especially prior to 1960. Someone mentioned as a tight end. Can't see that, but he might have been a decent fullback, although I think his best shot would be as a lineman.

But the most popular team sport of his era was baseball and I have never come across evidence that he played it at all let alone played it well. It would tell us something about his reflexes if he was a good hitter.

Sugar Ray Robinson and Rocky Marciano were both considered decent major league prospects before they went into boxing.

 

Here is Jeffries next to Art Lasky and Jess Willard in boxing stances.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2d/b3/fa/2db3fa2da39019eeb4a10457662b478c.jpg

 

My old man was a track guy, fast enough to take 3rd in the state in the early 1960's He ran a 10.1 100 yard dash. His best event was the 220.

But consider this, you ran with starting blocks, with the right technique, modern track shoes, and on a good surface. Jeffries had none of these advantages and really did not train for track. If he did, had your equipment and training, he's even faster. This to me makes sense.

Back in Jeffries day for the high jump, your feet actually cleared the bar! There was no back flop technique.

 

The old "i think he would be x lbs in yyyy"

 

It was 10.5 seconds in the 100-yard dash, world class speed in his day and good enough to win the 1896 Olympics 100-meter meter dash.

I could see Jeffries being a top NFL American football level linebacker, fullback, or offensive lineman well past 1960.

I also think he'd be a beast of a lacrosse or rugby player. Of course very good at wrestling too.

 

And the old "I could see him do well in a sport I've never seen him in"

 

Jeffies would easily carry 220-240 pounds.

I imagine him being a bit like Sam Peter. Boxes on the back foot against those smaller than him, gung ho attack against those bigger than him.

Is he any better than Sam Peter though? Based on film I'm not sure it's conclusive one way or the other.

Peter, at one point managed to be the second best HW in the world. So I'd say that's about the level Jeffies could have been recently.

Specifically today and against Wilder we have two unknowns since we don't really know how good either are.

 

Everything that I have read gives Jeffries height as 6' 1'', 6' 1.5'', or 6' 2'.

I tend to believe 6' 1.5'' because it is a more precise statement, which would probably be based on an actual measurement.

In any event his height would have fluctuated by an inch or more, just like everybody else’s.

I am a little bit sceptical of some of the claims for his track and athletic accomplishments.

His strong man accomplishments are documented by primary sources, but I have never seen a primary source for his track and athletic accomplishments.

 

on Jeff's height,

The strongest source I have seen is box rec with this quote--

"Jeffries was examined by Dr. D. A. Sargent at Harvard University in December of 1903 and was recorded as precisely 6 feet tall."

This certainly answers the basic questions--who? where? when?

I'm open to better proof, but right now this seems the best evidence I have seen, and is consistent with what I have seen on film and in photographs.