Jack Johnson's title run

I thought I'd start an open discussion on Johnson’s title defense opponents.

Let's examine who the opponent was, what his record was, and how many times he was Ko'd prior and after the title match, and how the match itself went down.

Johnson won the title from 5'7" Burns. There is not doubt Johnson won the match. There is also no doubt Burns was ill and 15 pounds under his ideal weight when the match happened. Burns had a jaundice, and begged the promoter to postpone the fight. He was told if you want to get paid, you fight on schedule. So he did, and Johnson won the title from the shortest champion of all time, who happened to be ill.


Johnson's first official title defense was a 6 round affair ( why not 15 or at least 10? ) vs Jack O'Brien. O'Brien was a very good middle weight. His record coming into the fight was 129 wins, 7 losses and 21 ND/ Draws. Clearly O'Brien was a worthy title opponent. The weights of the fighters were O'Brien at 161 pounds, and Johnson at 205 pounds. Johnson had a 44 pound weight advantage. The fight was ruled a draw, but had a decision been allowed, the news papers suggest O'Brien was the better by a shade. After this fight, O'Brien was Ko'd twice. I am not impressed with Johnson’s skill or power in this fight. He was the heavyweight. To be shown up and embarrassed by a good middleweight is not the mark of greatness.

Johnson's second title defense was vs Ross. Ross was a " bum " who came into the fight with an 11-9-2 record. Arguably the worst record of any man to receive a lineal title shot. To make matters worse Ross's ring record leading up to the fight was an abysmal 1 win, 4 losses and 2 draws in his last 7 fights. How or why he got a title shot remains a mystery! If someone asks you who was the worst heavyweight contender ever to get a title shot, Ross is good pick. Indeed Ross was KO'd 4 times before meeting Johnson, and 5 times after meeting Johnson. Johnson beat Ross easily enough, but so what. He did not knock him out.

Johnson's third title defense was vs Kaufman. Kaufman was a stiff " White Hope ", but he did have a good ring record of 20-1 coming into the match. He was only KO'd once prior top the match by O'Brien, which was the best fighter he fought in his first 21 fights. Johnson easily defeated Kaufman but could not score a knock down. However it was clear that Kaufman was in fact a nothing special at all. Indeed, he was badly knocked out 4 times after this match.

Johnson's fourth title match was vs Middle Weight champ Stanley Ketchel had a nice record of 51-3-4 coming into the match, but he was only 5'9" and 170 Pounds. Johnson weighed in at 205. This meant that Johnson had a 35 pound advantage in weight. Ketchel had a proven chin at middle weight. Indeed he was only knocked out once. The first 11 rounds of the fight were mostly a boring affair. I do agree that Johnson played a bit with Ketchel, however things got inserting in the 12th round. Ketchel floored Johnson. Johnson was hurt and shaken up, but got up and scored his best Ko on film, but fell down himself during the process. Ketchel was out like a light. Yet Ketchel as a middle weight floored and hurt Johnson with basically the first solid punch he landed during the fight. This has to make me question Johnson’s chin, which in previous fights could be exposed by power punchers.

Johnson's fifth title match was vs. Jeffries. Jeffires retired undefeated as the champ, cleaning almost every good fighter in his entire era. Jeffries was 35 years old when the match happened. He was in-active for 6 years, which is a career for some fighters, and lost 100 pounds of fat to get into shape. Never in boxing history has a man been in-active this long and come back to be champion. Johnson was wary of Jeffries early and often clinched. The first four rounds were likely 2-2 on the cards. Jeffries started running out of gas as early as round 5. He was visibly slower than he was in his prime yet he managed to cut Johnson, and nearly knocked Johnson down from body shots of the mid to late rounds of the fight. I have a source if people want to see this. Check the on line Unforgivable Blackness link. Johnson moved in for the kill when Jeffries had nothing left. Jeffries did not quit or foul out like Johnson did in the past. He gave it his best under the circumstances, and went out on his shield. IMO, this fight is what Johnson’s legacy is mainly based on because Jeffries was a legendary fighter in his own time. Jeffries was the only really good " name " heavyweight that Johnson beat during his title reign. At least on paper. The match meant little in a boxing sense as many great old champions often lose fights when they are past their primes. Think Louis vs Marciano, or Ali vs Holmes.

Johnson's sixth match was vs Fireman Flynn. Flynn had a record of 29-8 with 14 ND's or draws. He was Ko'd 5 times in prior to the match and 15 times after this match! Johnson failed to floor Flynn. The fight ended when Johnson would hold Flynn's head, and then hit him, while Flynn would foul with head butts. The official result in a dismal match should read Johnson win via DQ in 8.

Johnson's seventh title defense was a sham. He fought black Journeyman Jim " battling " Johnson. Jim Johnson had a very suspect record of 14-12-3 coming into the match. Jim Johnson was Ko'd twice prior to the match and 5 more times after the match. The fight was scheduled for 20 rounds of boxing according to the best researched website ( Cyber boxing zone ). NEws reads says Jim Battling was the better!. Somehow, the fight was ruled a draw and Jack Johnson kept his title!

Johnson's eight title match was vs a very mediocre Frank Moran. Moran had a 25-9-4 record coming into this fight. He was Ko'd twice before this fight, and five times after the fight. The fight was shockingly close. Like many of Johnson's other title fights there were no knockdowns. I saw a good 40+ minutes of action that included most of the rounds. Johnson seemed to barely edge Moran.

Johnson’s final title match vs Giant Jess Willard. Willard was not very fast or skilled, but he could punch, was durable, and was in his prime. His record was a fair one at 23-5-1. Johnson was older at 37, but Willard himself was no spring chicken at 34. Johnson's weight for this fight was 205, which lower than all of his title fights save one. Eventually Willard's durability and stamina won the day. Johnson slowed down, and then Willard knocked him out with one solid punch. I don't hold this loss against Johnson due to his age, but Willard was likely Johnson's most formidable title opponent.

Summary: Johnson in his title reign only scored two Ko's. They were vs a middle weight and a washed up old x champ. As I chronicled many of the fighters were knocked out before or after facing Johnson, yet Johnson himself failed to score KO or knockdowns. Johnson drew with a middle weight and did not look good ( O' Brien ). He was knocked down by another middle weight. ( Ketchel ) . He got beat on by journeyman is Battling Jim Johnson. Johnson avoided the best challengers in Langford, Smith ( who tko'd him in a 4 round ex match ) , McVey, and Jeanette. Although he was older, Johnson was Ko'd by his toughest title match opponent in Willard.

While Jack Johnson was champ, top fighters such as Sam Langford, Joe Jeanette, Luther McCarthy, Gunboat Smith, Sam McVey and Jack Dillon did not get lineal heavyweight title shots.. These men were more formidable than ANY Johnson title defense opponent in the era. You could argue between Willard, Dillon, and McCarthy. Big time money was up to make some of these matches with Langford, Jeanette, or McVey. And let's be honest, Willard was not as a good as Langford, Jeanette, Gunboat Smith, or McVey. Duckage thy name is Johnson.

As a title defense run, I rate Johnson's the weakest of all the great champions. Far below Jeffries, Dempsey’s, Louis’, Marciano’s, Patterson’s Ali’, Holmes’, Tyson’s, and Lewis’. I continue to believe that Johnson ring prowess pre 1906 was over rated and his title reign was a lack luster run vs fighters who were too small, to old, or simply journeyman.

^^I Might edit and tinker with this post later.

 

Now I am busy for the rest of the day. McVey, don't have a heart attack. At least not until May.

 

Unforgiven,

[url]http://www.ringsideboxingshow.com/BIOTommyBurnsIBHOF[/url]


I agree, Johnson fought 2nd raters in title matches. You wanted to see information that Burns was ill? OK, read the below link. It says:

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[url]http://www.ringsideboxingshow.com/BIOTommyBurnsIBHOF[/url]

 

Jeffries was a natural heavyweight, and the only one his size with top end ability. Funny you forget to mention Munroe was 210, and Kennedy was over 200.

Forget the weights you dolt. Jeffries wasn't KO'd by smaller men under 200 pounds as Johnson was. He did not lose mere cotneders either, or draw vs. obsure fighters.

 

You were the idiot who used wiki for a source without realizing there was a mistake. In this case I am using the BOXING HALL OF FAME LINK, which merely ties in to Wiki.

The facts dolt is Burns was ill and at a low weight. Burns did in fact beg the promoter to postpone the match. There are several sources that say Burns asked the promoter to postpone the match. Fact, fact, fact.

Can you name me one ATG heavy that was Ko'd by a super middle, out boxed by a shade according to the press by another middle, and floored by another middle? Imagine if that happened today? The press would have a field day on that guy.

 

Hey *******, you know Munore was 210 for the match. You even admitted the mistake after I posted the news report which listed the weights!!! Must I repost your own words? God you are dumb.

Kennedy fought near and over 200 pounds. Jeffries crushed Munroe in two. Johnson, took an out of shape Munroe the distance. Can you distinguish between the two? Probably not.