Explain Fitzsimmons vs Jeffries 2 to me

Because he used plaster of paris most likely in it.

 

Never read anything on it, fraud really of a classic poster I just watch the fights but I have read similar comments and from my understanding Jeff was just a glutton for punishment who'd wear you down with his often times hefty psychical advantages.

 

A link to a contemporary fight report:-

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=yJwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4822,4995359&hl=en

There were rumours leading in to the fight that Fitz might use Plaster of Paris. This was disproven as Fitz’ wraps were duly inspected in the ring, prior to the bout - as described in the article.

So no Plaster of Paris, instead, just Fist(s) of Fitzsimmons. However, boxrec states there were later reports of Fitz using electrical tape for wrapping - but again, these wraps were inspected and passed.

Fitz trained very hard for the fight. Bob could punch and Jim was easy to hit. That’s all she wrote. If there was any controversy, some suggested that Fitz appeared to fall from an innocent punch after looking still very much viable moments before. It was also noted that Fitz spoke - said something to Jeff just before hitting the deck and that he arose almost immediately upon the 10 count.

Some claimed that just before he was KO’d, Fitz simply said “I’m done” to Jeffries, or words to that effect - as if to say he knew he was beaten by that stage of the fight..

 

Cos Bob could hit like mule kicks.
He was the early 1900 s version of comeback George!

 

Fitz was no ordinary Middleweight.

His strategy was to aggressively counter Jeffries. It worked brilliantly up to the point it didn't, but considering his disadvantages in weight and age, it was an insane performance.

Seeing the Bill Lang fight when Fitz was old as dirt, its clear he had incredible levels of toughness and an excellent chin. Which was important for guys like Toney and Conn, so likely was a big part of Fitz's success. I believe his greater ability to take punishment was what really set him apart from Kid McCoy (who was excellent in his own right)

 

The reports of what Fitz said were contradictory. Another version was he said "it was a peach" referring to the body shot Jeffries just landed that had Fitz out on his feet.

I can't recall which is the one Fitz said he said. Though given he was KOed I'm not sure that should be taken as gospel.

 

Yeah, I’d have to check on Adam Pollack’s book for one source, which actually equates to multiple sources - there’d be what Fitz claimed and what those nearby thought they heard.

Either way, the fact that Fitz, who was still doing very well right up until the latter stages, apparently said something, (whatever that something was), just prior to going down to what some perceived as a more innocent final punch, had a number of people musing that a fix might’ve been in.

As I said, at least one report claimed that Fitz arose pretty quickly after the 10 count was tolled which can happen without impropriety but something that apparently added to some people’s doubts.

Even for Fitz, after receiving a hurtful punch, to say the punch was a peach just before succumbing, is a tad strange and hard to believe.

Saying all this, I don’t believe a fix was in - obviously there would be no reason for Jeffries to absorb such terrible punishment prior to a dive, esp. one in his favour.

At the worst, Fitz might’ve simply given up and allowed himself to be KO’d - but I don’t believe that either.

But for Fitz apparently having uttered something just before the coup de grace, there probably wouldn’t have been any suspicions aroused by any other features of the bout.

 

The score cards juding by at action described were 2-2 with the rest of the rounds even. Jeffries won the 7th round big and obvisouly the 8th. Fitz did his best work in the middle rounds.

 

Fitzsimmons was a skilled boxer with heavy hands, so that in tandem with Jefferies being willing to take punches to land his own, banking on his own ability to absorb punishment to then win war of attrition.

Rumours persist on why Fitzsimmons was able to cut Jefferies to ribbons, the plaster of paris claim i see as impractical that would wreck the hands of fighter using it a lot quicker, than the head of their opponent.

My view and of course i have no definitive evidence to support this is that, Fitzsimmons hand wraps were perhaps not completely legit, be that coated with collodion, or enhancing the knuckle area somewhat, in tandem with also possibly the padding on the knuckle part of Fitsimmons 5 ounce gloves were 'manipulated' somewhat.

Fitz was a experienced and wily campaigner so knew all the tricks in the book, and likely invented a few too

 

The best explaination is that Fitzsimmons wasn't an your typical MW, look what he did to other contenders like Maher, Sharkey or Ruhlin. He dominated them with his combination of punching power, skills and toughness. As @BitPlayerVesti mentioned, Lang footage shows that Fitz was very tough and durable, despite being almost 50 years old. The same thing can be seen in Corbett fight when Jim had him down, but then Fitz stood back and kept going.

Fitzsimmons is very misunderstood fighter, I think he would surprise a lot of modern ATGs with his unique style and intangibles.

 

Fitz had a lot of issues with breaking his hands, including in this fight. I doubt he'd want to reduce the protection l (which was far worse than a modern glove anyway).

Jeffries checked Fitz's wraps carefully, as stated above, too.

 

As you know stories vary, i have read articles where Jefferies is stated as saying he knew but did not care if Fitz had wraps that were suspect, likewise where he told Fitz post fight when working together that he believed the gloves were loaded, and where Jefferies felt the wraps had collodion on them.

I think Fitz with his advanced years knew that Jefferies would catch up with him in later rounds so intended to go all out to damage early on, they were 5 ounce gloves so not a great deal of protection for the wearers hands, the wraps were the protection and 'perhaps' extra protection, even then by fight end Fitzsimmons hands by his own admission were wrecked.

The only person who can categorically state whether indeed the hand wraps were 'suspect', and that the padding in his gloves were not tampered with was laid to rest at Graceland cemetery, Chicago in 1917, RIP Mr Fitzsimmons.

 

Fitzsimmons radically changed his tactics for the second fight with Jeffries.

In the first fight he had gone after Jeffries, and Jeffries had employed a defensive counterpunching style, winning relatively easily.

In the second fight Fitzsimmons fought a much more mobile fight, forcing Jeffries to walk him down, and this gave Jeffries a lot more problems.

Jeffries was pretty beaten up at the end of it, though in fairness he did walk the retreating Fitzsimmons down in eight.

Jeffries seems to have allowed Fitzsimmons to follow very liberal restriction on his hand wraps, and that might have cost him.

 

It is identified and confirmed that Fitz wrapped his hands in elcectical tape, which would never be allowed today and makes you first as a hard as a rock. Did he do something to the gloves? That what legends say and Fitz didn't deny such cliams. When Jeffreis apporached him after the fight was over, he siad let me see those gloves and Fitz tossed them to the crowd. Well never know.