If Jack Johnson was white?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by McGrain, Jul 31, 2007.



  1. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Good Deal!!!!!!!!
     
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  2. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I'll make sure to mention you.
     
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  3. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Thanks, much appreciation!
     
  4. outtieDrake

    outtieDrake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    You make it seem like bias decisions didn’t exist back then.
     
  5. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Which decision was biased? When Johnson belted Joe Jeannette in the groin, he lost that fight, however kept the colored title.

    As champion he fought O'Brien, and some felt O'Brien was the better. He did not lose his title here either.

    Johnson beat up women drove like a crazy man, and pimpled women. If he was white he's end up in jail too. The Mann Act targeted famous white people too.

    I'll stand on these points:

    Johnson was a man born at the right time. He cleaned up on hall of fame to be fighters such as McVey, Langford, and Jeanette when each man was green as heavyweights, and never fought them again after he became champion. After the sun set on decent champions like Corbett, Fitzsimmons, and Jeffires in 1904, the boxing world was left with the Marvin Hart, Jack O'Brien, and Tommy Burns of the world. Johnson was 1-1-1 vs these three. Post 1908, the field of white contenders was a hopeless lot full of middle weights, clumsy oafs, and older / washed up champions. Johnson feasted on the white hopes until age caught up with him vs Willard, who really was not a white hopes. IMO, Gunboat Smith or McCarty were better at their peak. Johnson did not fight them; instead he fought the guys Smith and McCarty defeated. Willard just caught Johnson when he was older.

    How Johnson would have done from 1899-1904 if he was white vs Fitzsimmons, Corbett, or Jeffries is debatable. Films are few, so we have to look at how Johnson did vs the other top white fighters. If lesser heavyweights such as Choynski, Hart, and Griffin could defeat Jack Johnson, it is likely Jeffries would knock him out. Corbett could out box him, and Fitz with his lethal power would have a punchers chance too. The elementary deduction is if Johnson was 1 win 3 losses and 3 draws vs Choysnki, Hart, Griffin, Burns, and O'Brein, it is unlikely Johnson would have a winning record vs a series of fights vs Jeffries, Corbett, or Fitzsimmons when Jeffires, Corbett and Fitzsimmons were in good working order.

    If Johnson was white, I believe Johnson's record would be even spottier than it was before he became champion. My logic as to why is above. However I do think Papa Jack would become about the time he beat Burns. Being white however means he would not have given McVey, Langford or Jeanette lineal title shots. I say this because as lineal champion Johnson wanted no part of the trio, who without a doubt were the best in the business from 1908-1914.

    Things worked out best for Johnson. History remembers him as the first black gloved lineal champion. That legacy is special for boxing more so than his championship run, or track record leading up to the Burns fight in December 1908.
     
  6. outtieDrake

    outtieDrake Well-Known Member Full Member

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    unless its a ko im presuming all decision wins(or most draws) on black fighters vs white fighters were fixed. We have no footage of the fight but we know how warped the white folks those days were. they tried to stop footage of the burns fight. The fact there was so many draws back then brings into question how little sophisticated the scoring system was.