James J Jeffries v.s John L Sullivan

He tried to fight George Godfrey but the police stoped the fight.

His problem was not so much with black opponents it was with Peter Jackson.

 

Good question. I have no idea.

Perhaps he felt that racism against a group slightly lower on the social ladder was the only way to differentiate himself as "superior"...a similar reaction to the poor whites against blacks before and after the Civil War in the South.

But that would only be my supposition.

 

Peter Jackson was Jack Johnson's hero. After he won the title he visited Jackson's grave.

Both were highly inteligent me who in a more enlightened era would not have needed to box to make their fortunes.

Ooops wrong thread.

 

I am a tad stressed out today and it is making my post's more sureal.

 

Well, since i've never senn SUllivan fight i cant really predict who would win. However, it's most interesting to note that many people who saw both men fight in their prime said that Jeffries would of beaten Sullivan. They were actually quite confident in that opinion. THats good enough for me. :good

 

Well Sullivan fought some fights in the bare knuckle era, and was the last bare knuckle champ, so his style was obviouslt better suited to it. Both had good endurance, but I would say sullivans was better. Have you ever heard of someone knocking another person out in the 75th round except for him? No, i didnt think so. Jeffries had endurance, but not that much. (at least i dont thyink so) Sullivan KO's Jeffries in 35

 

sullivan never fought a black fighter, a huge black mark on his record, but look at the black fighters in his prime (pre 1888) and none of them would have stood a chance, not godfrey, smith or any of the others. sullivan was washed up by the time peter jackson came on the scene, and not only did sullivan duck jackson, he didn't really want to fight anyone, either corbett or slavin, but eventually corbett raised the high stake money and look what he did to sullivan.

sullivan was afraid of no black fighters, it's impossible to impose our modern sensibilities on historical times, a couple of hundred years ago they would pull criminals apart with horses, draw and quarter them, burned people at the stake and hangings galore, yet people considered it public entertainment and would bring their children to watch. we can't sit here and call them bad parents for doing that, it's just the way things were.

 

Yes there is but its pretty final.

 

I tend to agree. When Sullivan fought Jake Kilrain he was indeed the best challenger available.

 

This was a good win for Sullivan as he was coming back after a period of carousing and heavy drinking,William Muldoon got him in shape for this fight by threatening him with a baseball bat when he got out of line.

 

Obviously that is what is missing from the training regime of the curent heavyweight beltholders. I would soon get them into fighting trim.