Jack Johnson -vs- Joe Frazier…

This is a very bad styles matchup for Jack Johnson. Joe Frazier was relentless against that general style. I - have to go with Smokin' Joe.

 

Johnson may have been the defensive GOAT at heavyweight but at some point he's going to have to mix it up, and not on his own terms (as he always tried to do), with Joe. I rank Johnson higher on my ATG list than Joe, again my ATG list isn't based on head to head, but I might have to go with Joe in this one.

 

Frazier is all wrong for Johnson, 7-8 rounds and Joe gets a ko.

 

Johnson has his moments but Joe eventually smokes him.

 

Johnson isn't going to be able to physically bully Joe the way he could with middleweights and light heavies. Johnson's tactics would cause him to take a tremendous body beating and stopped in 10 rounds.

Frazier ko 10.

 

Spot on--agree 100% with the above analysis. Frazier would roughhouse Johnson with non stop pressure until he eventually caves in.

 

Careful evaluation of Johnson footage shows him ripping uppercuts inside while also clinching to neutralize effectively. He could be a sucker for a right, but the left hook, not so much. Lil' Artha' was perfectly comfortable paddling back and catching pursuers coming in.

Not a hard puncher, but in blistering heat and stifling humidity, while "hog fat," inactive and aging, he produced the best rounds against Willard with the 14th and 15th.

 

I was surprised myself. I made my posts then cast my vote, knowing it would be a dissenting opinion, but I didn't expect it to be an absolute novelty. Perhaps my having access to movie film which I was able to run frame by frame on a projector gave me something of an advantage when it came to evaluating Johnson.

 

What rules?

 

Is Johnson allowed to abuse clinch rules? Ali had success when he was allowed to against Frazier in their rematch.

 

If it’s Frazier era, Frazier fast.
If it’s Johnson’s, Johnson. His inside fighting, Greco Roman clinch nonsense would be inconceivable to Frazier. I’ll say that Johnson would look better then Frazier fighting Joes rules then Joe would Johnson’s - that is without time to adapt.