How washed up was Jim Jeffries

Really? I thought it did, how much is missing?

 

Quite a lot. Its been a while since I looked but Id guess half the fight give or take.

 

It didnt need to be. It was filmed in it entirety, just not all of it has survived.

 

Let's see....

He has been out the ring for five years.
He was a heavy smoker and inactive during that time.
He had to slim down from 300 lbs for the fight.


I'd say he was pretty damn washed up!

 

Agree with you somewhat Mr Magoo. I think Johnson still would have won but Jeffries would have had more telling moments in the fight and perhaps landed more significant shots. Ringside reports said Jeffries looked slow and behind in his attack. A younger, primer Jeffries might have backed Johnson up easier and hurt him to the body, but still loses. Maybe Jeffries doesn't get knocked out.

 

Agreed,

The more I learn about these two fighters in terms of their styles, physical abilities and quaility of opposition, the more I am leaning towards Jack Johnson as the better fighter prime for prime. I just think Jack was a man who had better overall skills along with the physical attributes to match Jeff's size and strength. Jack also had stamina that was absolutely absurd and the survival tactics to get him through literally countless rounds. Jeffries however, was truly a marvelous athlete at his peak and far greater than the man who actually showed up to challenge Johnson in 1910. His will to win and refusal to give in to punishment would have made him by far Johonson's toughest rival... I think James could have taken him the distance in a losing effort, and may even have upset him on an off night for Jack..

 

That surprises me. I have to say, many people seem to talk as if they have seen the whole fight. Obviously not.

It is strange that such a high profile fight (probably the biggest of all time, or at least top 5), did not survive in its entirety.

Any chance of a Klompton review on the earlier rounds. I would be interested to see if this was an Ali Holmes level easy victory for Johnson with Jeffries doing nothing or if it was a bit closer early on maybe a Burns Johnson type fight where Jeffries tried plenty but it just had no effect. Or i suppose the other possibility where it was a reasonably close fight until Jeffries tired in the later rounds, as some have suggested.

 

I was wondering about this also, so I called the Library of Congress as this film is on the National Film Registry.

They seem to be aware of only partials.

Call Number FBB 1367 ----- 20 minutes

Call Number FAB 3676 ----- 11 minutes

They also e-mailed me that the British Film Institute has perhaps the most complete extant film.

The BFI description mentions rounds 1, 4, 13, 15 only.

The BFI has 1080ft of the original 6000ft, but not all of that 6000ft was of in the ring action.

 

Johnson could've taken Jeffries out in the first round, but he delayed the KO to avoid the hatred of the white crowd.

 

And if Jeffries fouled him, Johnson was certain Rickard would have given the fight to Johnson rather than just say the punch looked above the belt while counting Johnson out?

 

Which fighter in Jeffries' class did Johnson ever take out in the first? When was Jeffries ever taken out in the first?

Granted, Jeffries was a scrub relative to what he was earlier but he was in decent shape and still durable.

And if we are going prime for prime, I say Johnson wins. More dynamic, more varied attack, strong (tho probably not as strong as Jeff) and quick and clever. Would have been a far better fight tho than the version we got.

 

A first round stoppage is getting a tad carried away... But from what I have heard, read, and briefly viewed of the only available footage, I agree with you that Johnson was likely carrying the fight to a degree.. Jeffries was a huge icon, particularly in the white community and this was by far the biggest fight to that point in boxing history. Apparently from the opening bell, Johnson was smiling and toying with Jeff and easily brushing off many of his attacks.. Although we can only speculate, I have long surmised that someone may have tapped Johnson on the shoulder before the fight and said " let's make a show of it."

 

Ultra cautious Johnson did not try for the stoppage until he had Jeffries properly dressed up in his pyjamas and, ready for bed .No doubt he could have finished things earlier ,but he was enjoying himself no end , it was payback time.
No one puts Jeffries out in the first round, whether he be 35 or 45.
Prime for prime it would have been some fight,but my money would be on a gold toothed smile being on show at the end.Jack by u dec.