Is Jim Jeffries criminally underrated today?

Lack of film is the reason why. Few research these days. Jeffries gets very positive press, but you have to know where to research and find it.

He is actually one of the best athletes every to become heavyweight champion of the world. You have to see his workout clips. He's agile, flexible with quick feet, and very good speed for a 220 pound man

See for yourself, few champions, moved like this. ( some of the best stuff is not in this clip )

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Lack of film? How do you account for Fitzsimmons,Corbett, and Sullivan making lists today then ?You do know this is not running at the correct speed don't you?
We have film of Jeffries versus Ruhlin,Sharkey and Johnson and sparring with Choynski please point out the instances in that footage where he emulates this training clip? It's as relevant to his fighting style as the footage of Johnson moving around with dumb bells in his hands,neither man fought like that.
ps Jeffries was measured by a Doctor at six feet even and he rarely scaled 220lbs for a fight ,an example of Callis' sloppy homework.

 

Jeffries athleticism was only remarkable in comparison to his contemporaries.

Today, he couldn't out run or out jump a competent 14 year old girl.

But then again, he did haul a full grown, live and kicking elk 14 miles over his shoulder.

 

Haha, a promoter wanting to make more money said what? Rickard was clear. Jeffries in his prime beats Johnson. " What I wouldn't give to see the real Jeffries tackle Johnson " is what Rickard said.

In 1910 Johnson was viewed as a top, fighter, despite his problems 1909 drawing with O'brien, getting floored by Ketchel ( Hurt, floored and dazed ) plus the 4 round KO exhibition loss to Smith. Even a guy like Ross who was on a bad losing steak stung Johnson in 1909. This doesn't; sound like a great champion to me. To be the greatest he would need to fight and beat a prime Sam Langford, which as we know he ducked several times with offers. A title fight offer to Smith, McCarty, Jeannette, and Mcvey never happened.

Igoe was known to exaggerate. The sports term " hype " came from him. Where can I see a picture of this damage? I went over the round by round report. Jeffries won 7 and 8. Fitz did very well in rounds 6 and 7, with many even rounds. As we know Fitz illegally wrapped his hands with electrical tape, and threw his gloves to the crowd when Jeffries asked to see them. Facts.

 

You couldnt be more wrong! How many of Johnson's fights did Rickard promote. You know nothing about Igoe, no more than you know about the origins of the term HYPE which is an abbreviation of HYPERBOLE!
If you don't feel stupid now you should do!
Here's another fact for you to digest, his name was not Hype that was a nickname bestowed on him because he was so thin and likened to a hypodermic syringe!
His name was Herbert, and Damon Runyon called him the best informed boxing writer of his era.
ps If Fitz had electrical tape on his hands ,why did he throw his gloves into the crowd they weren't doctored?

Produce the quote in which Rickard states Jeffries beats Johnson .
I've blown your other attempts about Langford,Dempsey ,Johnson etc saying Jeffries was the greatest out of the water and I'm happy to do the same with any other unverified "quotes "you pull out of your hat!

 

That's BS. What 14-year-old girl can high jump 6 feet? Names, please. Keep in mind Seamus, back in those days, your feet cleared the bar, the back flop technique was not invented. Also ,there were no starting blocks for the 100 yard dash; you dug your own hole and ran in lousy shoes!

What is the average 100m time for a 14-year-old?

Taken from the web:

Age 13: 16–17 seconds. Age 15: 14,5–16 seconds. Age 17: 14–15 seconds. Age 19: 13,5–14 seconds.

The average under-17 girl can complete a 100-meter sprint in 12.8 to 13.1 seconds

Jeffries had a 10.5 100 yard dash, which roughly translates to 11.9 seconds 100 meters, way faster. Give him straining blocks on a good running surface, and you can extrapolate from there. Fair?

In a dash race, the start means everything. I thought you were a track guy? I'd take you more seriously if you factored in what the athletes had to work with.

Jeffries was probably stronger, and faster in a race than 99% of the heavyweight who ever competed. He had no modern nutrition, or PED's either.

 

Do you want to bet that Fitz wrapped his hands with electrical tape and threw his gloves into the crowd when Jeffries wanted to see them? Step up Tony, you're wrong and you know it.

I never said how many fights did Rickard promote, only that he had a record purse and undoubtably wanted to promote Johnson again so saying something nice make sense.

I am aware of Igoe and his pardon my glove stuff.

You should read some of the Damon Runyon says stuff, before intoning him.

Careful now, most of this this stuff isn't in a book for you to regurgitate.

HYPE IGOE, WRITER, BOXING EXPERT, 67; Sports Reporter, Cartoonist for Journal Is Dead--Knew Champions Since Corbett How He Got Nickname.

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[url]https://www.nytimes.com/1945/02/12/archives/hype-igoe-writer-boxing-expert-67-sports-reporter-cartoonist-for.html[/url]

 

If Fitz's hands were doctored why would he worry about Jeffries inspecting his gloves? Explain this please?

Jeffries carefully inspected Fitz wraps in the ring before they gloved up, so did his manager ,neither raised any objection or said anything was a miss.Fitz finished the fight with three broken knuckles and a broken thumb. He announced his retirement in the ring and tossed his gloves to the crowd.

 

His manager Billy Delaney said you can whip him anwyay. Like I said Fitz used electrical tape, which if you know anything about hand wrapping is a way to turn your fist into a rock. When Jeffries wanted to see the gloves, Fitz threw them into the crowd so he could not. That is fact. Why did he do this? Think. Either way Jeffries knocked him out, taking his best.

 

For example, San Francisco Chronicle, May 22, 1896, page 9: "Jeffries has bested his opponents in short order. Two rounds, three rounds, five rounds is the history of his fights. He put George Griffin out in eleven seconds. Frank Childs, the 'colored cyclone' of Los Angeles went out in two rounds, and Childs had bested LaBlanche and 'Billy "Smith. It took the young giant the same length of time of put out Joe Cotton. "
I have no way of assessing the authenticity of this news. However, comparing Jeffries' career with those of other boxers of his era, it is possible that there are some forgotten matches.

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Apart from that.
Jeffries' rise to the title is quite remarkable. He defeated Griffin (a good boxer. 3 fights vs Johnson, one win, two draws), Goddard, one of the best boxers of the previous generation, Jackson (an ATG), Everett (a good boxer, 22-3-0 at the time. Everett subsequently scored. a draw with Johnson), Sharkey (a Hall of Fame), Armstrong (a good boxer). Jeffries made a draw with Choynski and Ruhlin, but he was the moral winner in both matches, clearly superior. He became champion by beating Fitzsimmons, an ATG. He became champion after only 14 fights, facing almost all the best boxers, always proving to be superior, defeating respectable opponents. It seems to me a good result. How many other HW champions have climbed the division like this, in a short time and with valuable opponents? It is a demonstration of Jeffries' natural qualities.

 

Jim Jeffries was dominant and had quite a few title defenses when he was the world heavyweight champion. I consider Jeffries and Jack Johnson to be the best heavyweights before World War I.

- Chuck Johnston

 

I know about electrical tape,I've worn it ,and if you have it on its easily detectable.
You're still missing my point, if Fitz had tape over /under his hand wraps why would he be concerned about anyone inspecting his gloves? It makes no sense.
By the way Delaney said nothing of the sort.
"Jeff nonchalantly walked over and shook hands with Fitz who rose to his feet.At that point Jeffries critically and carefully examined the bandages on Fitz' s hands.He apparently found no fault with them for he made no objection, he walked over and took his own seat ,Jeffries wore no bandages."pages 526 & 527 .
"The best man won I cant whip Jeffries and no one else can.This is my last fight"Fitzsimmons.

"he then removed his gloves and threw them to the audience which scrambled to secure the souvenirs" NB At no time did Jeffries try to inspect the gloves, in fact he was already about to leave the ring as Fitz got up!
"Fitz had struggled to his feet in a doubled up condition,his eyes were still wobbling in their sockets
Bob walked toward Jeff to shake his hand.Jeffries had started to leave the ring right away,but was called back to shake hands with the beaten man"page 535.
Jeffreis told the Chronicle,"he seemed faster and stronger than when I met him before,and he reached my head much oftener,but I always had my jaw covered and I knew he could not hit me hard enough on the body to put me out.I am so much bigger and heavier than he is,that I knew I would wear him out and win in the end" "Jim Jeffries In The Ring " Adam Pollack.

I'm giving you verified facts and you are responding with myths with no provenance about them

 

Jeffries physical strength was right up there with the strongest heavyweights in history.

 

This is all known to me.

I think that the fighter the Jeffries needed to face, was Johnson, not McVea.

There was a very narrow window in which he could have fought either of them, and obviously Johnson had the better case.

McVea's window would have come later, after Jeffries had retired.

So the black marks against Jeffries title reign are Johnson, and arguably Martin.