Did Jack Johnson Deserve A Title Shot From 1902-1904?

In the wake of the thread concerning Gun Boat Smith's credibility as a challenger,which I think has been established ,albeit ,it was a narrow window in which he stood as a contender.
What do posters think of Johnson's credibility as a challenger from 1902 ,till the end of 1904?
Jim Jeffries was Champ during this period and in it he defended his title 3 times, respectable for the times really.
His opponents were.
A nigh on 40 year old man who had been retired for 2 years,a man he had allready beaten by ko.
A 36years old man who had been retired for 3 years, again a man he had allready kod.
And Jack Munroe who was 8-3-2.
Munroe's claims for a title match were that in an exhibition he had supposedly knocked the champion down, it appears Jeffries did hit the floor but as a result of being off balance ,and not from any punch. Munroe had fought 2 men who had any pretensions to class, but both of them were absolutely shot.
Peter Maher was 35 years old ,and an alcoholic, he had won just 1 of his last 6 fights ,that over the execrable Joe Grim 3-2-1.
Maher had been kod in 3 of his last 6 fights.
Munroe's other" name "victim was the totally wrecked Tom Sharkey ,he had been retired for 2 years ,had won just 1 of his last 6 fights and been kod in his last one,those are Munroe's credentials for a title challenge.
Meanwhile ,from 1902, unitl the end of 1904 ,[which coincided with Jeffries last fight as Champion,though he sat on the title for a further year].
Jack Johnson met the following.

1904
Denver Ed Martin kod in 2 rds,after which the promoter offered Jeffries a $15,000 guarantee to defend against Johnson.
Frank Childs
Sam McVey
Black Bill & Morris Harris [same night]
Sandy Ferguson [ well, a fella's got to eat]
Sandy Ferguson

1903
Sam McVey
Sandy Ferguson
Joe Butler
Sandy Ferguson
Sam McVey
Denver Ed Martin


1902
Fred Russell
George Gardner
Frank Childs [for coloured title]
Hank Griffin
Jack Jeffries
Joe Kennedy
All "names ", none beat him.
That's a 2 year span
19 fights without defeat.

Jim Jeffries complained to a reporter that he lost money defending his title against Munroe and, stated he would not, "engage in another farce" but would rather retire.


Whether Johnson could have beaten Jeffries at this stage of their respective careers is not the point ,the point is, given his form over the 2 years, did he deserve the opportunity to try?
If Munroe and , two men coming out of a 2 years retirement ,and a 3 years retirement deserved title shots, I think Johnson surely did.
What say you?

 

A reasonable take on it I feel.
Personally I think Johnson would have beaten Fitz ,and Corbett without any trouble at that stage of their careers,and he played with Munroe.So yes, I think Johnson DID deserve a ttile shot between 1902 and 04.

 

Jeffries was the superior fighter up to 1904 at least ,I would hazard,a guess, but that isn't really the crux of the argument for Jack receiving a title shot. Jeffries fight with Munroe was so dissapointing to Jeffries in the $$$ department that he fought no more ,until his abortive comeback.

 

Just prior to the Hart/Johnson fight, Jeffries stated publicly that, in the event of a Johnson victory,he would not fight Johnson .

 

Its there in black and white.

 

I wonder how Jeffries would have felt about besmirching his lillywhite skin by coming into bodily contact with a coloured fighter, if Johnson had the ability of Munroe and vice versa?