How Much Of A Beating (prolonged), Would Prime Jack Johnson, Have Given Willard!?

To be real if I was Jess Willard, I would have made sure all my title defenses where at least 30 rounds or more.

 

Yeah, against anyone who couldn't KO him, 30 or more rounds sound like a good number for Jess. Compared to a 15 rounder, given a 30 rounder, that would make rounds 25 through to 30 (the final 6) the Championship rounds. Imagine having to suck it up for those rounds after having already boxed 24 rounds prior to? Your corner: "You've got this, JUST 6 more rounds to go!" Good Lord.

 

It's possible, but I think JJ's mauling style is less than optimal against a tall guy with a 40lb weight advantage. The real question to me is how much more damage JJ could inflict before Willard's size grinds him down. He'd do better, that much is clear. Whether it would be enough is not so clear to me.

 

Per the films and descriptions, Jess had a very strong "immovable object" vibe about him against Johnson. Whatever Jess's age, he was in tremendous shape, perfectly conditioned and specifically purposed to outlast Johnson.

Tbh, and I guess many might disagree, but I don't even know if a prime Jeffries could've prevailed over that version of Jess - given a 25+ round duration of course.

 

I always believe Jess Willard at his best would be hell for any heavyweight that does not blast him out in 3 rounds, in a 40 round fight. Willard had a chin, and stamina and under the ruleset of the day, that should get you past most boxers in that rule set.

 

With a prime Jack Johnson in there, I don't see Jess Willard prevailing, under any circumstances. The Johnson, who actually fought Willard, was a greatly diminished version of himself, for many reasons. Personally, I think Jack would have stopped Jess some time between the 10th and 20th rounds, but, if by sheer force of will or some other way, Jess had managed to last the full 45 rounds, I don't see him ever getting the advantage. A prime Johnson would have sustained less punishment along the way than he actually did in their fight, and Jess would have sustained more. And prime Johnson's not running out of gas before Willard does. Willard's people may have understood Johnson's style, but they wouldn't have had the fighter to deal with prime Jack Johnson, period. Jack was several levels above Jess. From start to finish, this would have been Jack's fight, all IMHO, of course.

 

Agree Demps. A simple formula, as you described, but one that makes Jess a very tough proposition for a lot of HWs - including Jeffries, who relied on similar attributes to see his way through.

 

Johnson was a great fighter.

While I know different opponents allowed him to perform in different ways, I piece meal together what he did in all his fights available on film to gauge the man visually and appreciate what he could’ve let all hang out in the one fight.

He could be so very relaxed, holding a lot back in potential - never showing off all he had in the one fight.

From the Burns though to even the Willard fight, there is valuable visual evidence to take on board, and you can put together a fair picture of Jack, in a more complete sense

Even when old and out of shape, the salvos he launched knocking Big Jess clear across the ring were beautifully executed and powerful - and we don’t necessarily see Jack displaying his skills so aggressively in his prior fights on film.

And while he wasn’t necessarily shifting Big Jess around in the clinches (huge task for anyone) Jack certainly wasn’t being shifted himself - his strength still holding him in good stead.

Finally, while some of his opposition were smaller - it was no mean feat to carry them and absolutely control the fight as he did.

In fact, it would be easier to simply fight seriously and get your man out asap - the way Johnson extended his fights, even chatting to the audience, invited far more risk and potential slip ups, but Johnson had it all covered, putting on a great show, scripted exactly as he wished it to be.

 

And though Johnson toy with the likes of Burns, Flynn and Jeff, on the fight film vs Willard, there was non of that toying with Willard. Johnson went all out in the "early" rounds trying to get Jess out of there which he failed to do. Even at his best, I do not think Johnson had the punching power to knock out Willard outside of a good time shot. I do think a prime Johnson would of played out just like the Older Johnson. People may say Johnson was out of shape, but how out of shape are you to fight 26 rounds in the Cuba heat??? Johnson though a little cubby, was in good fighting shape, and perhaps would of won vs anyone had they not have the needed talents of Jess Willard to end Johnson's rein. Johnson was still a top fighter going in. I just think the fight would of went into the late 30's had it been prime Johnson, or even go the full distant.

 

Lol