James J Jeffries.. Would He Survive 15 Rounds Against Joe Louis?

I think it’s more possible than the forum will, I suspect, tell you. Jeffries is really the mystery man of HW Champions - I’d give anything to see him against the greats, because I just don’t know how great he was, but suspect he might have been. I am certain lesser men went the distance with Louis, though.

 

Really depends on if Jeffries can take Joe’s punches. He might have underrated defense but he still definitely got hit, and even though he took some serious shots from the best punchers of his era like Fitzsimmons, Choynski, Sharkey, Hank Griffin, an older Goddard, these punchers aren’t as big, powerful or accurate as Louis.

It’s important to note that even Blackburn thought that Jeffries’ crouch could make for a potential threat in a fight against Louis (like it was against Godoy). Jeffries also had a good left hook which Louis has often been susceptible to.

I’d argue that this may be the toughest fight for Louis out of the fighters who proceeded him, if Jeffries is durable and defensively sound enough then his ugly smothering tactics could work. Louis also wouldn’t approach Jeffries in the same way Fitz did in the rematch or Corbett did in the first fight with their usage of excessive lateral movement. Louis would be taking it to Jeffries, for better or for worse.

 

Do you rate, or suspect, Jeffries is one of the greats, head-to-head? Could he hold his own or win outright with Marciano, Frazier, Liston?

 

He’s a maybe to me, same with Sullivan. They appeared to be complete at their peak, and have the attributes to be head-to-head beats with regard to size, speed, durability, toughness, accuracy, power (mostly on Sullivan’ part) with underrated defense and overall science. They’re the complete package. That being said, they are very unproven against modern sized heavyweights and their H2H status largely has to do with how great fighters and trainers interpreted their abilities. They were absurdly highly regarded on their best nights, though both appeared quite inconsistent

If Sullivan and Jeffries were as good as his contemporaries say they were, there’s a very good chance they beat the names you listed. Jeffries-Frazier would be one for the ages.

 

Thirty eight ,two years out of the ring Fitz carved Jeffries up like a side of beef,today that fight would have been stopped.
Film of Jeffries shows him open to right hands,Louis had a lazer right hand and a fast, hard ,and accurate jab .
The combos that Louis would bounce of Jeffries face would be an experience totally alien to what he had ever known.
Big Jeff relied on being able to ,"taking a licking and keeping on ticking,"not a brilliant idea against a precision puncher like Louis.
Jeffries was there to be hit.
Louis would rip his face to bits and stop him inside 10rds.imo

 

It's been a very long time since I've given the turn of the century any real academic thought. I'm gonna do a deep dive on Jeff again, but to quicken things could someone who already knows list the known filmed fights of Jeffries? I can definitely be tricked by a fake so having a trusty list of what's already been verified to be Jeffries would be nice. Cheers buds.

 

Louis systematically grinds Jeff down before knocking him out in approximately 10 rounds.

 

For sure in 2024 the fight would be stopped. But what about in 1938?

 

Re>Fitzsimmons-Jeffries, we’re talking about Fitz here who was an ATG not a jabroni.

That being said I am not sure based on the historical record that Jeffries could muster the immediate aggression he’d need against Louis to keep from beaten down. Waiting around for Louis to tire out would not work. Did Jeffries have the physical tools to adapt his style to the modern sport? Grist for a different thread.

 

Fitz broke his nose and opened deep gashes above and below both eyes.Hype Igoe who was ringside, said he took more punishment that Willard did against Dempsey.

 

Well if Louis could fo the same damage within 15 rounds then it's a TKO for the Brown Bomber.

 

Not on durability alone.

Maybe just maybe his defense was good enough to drag it out that far, if he can disrupt what Louis is trying to do.

 

Monte Barret would tear Joe Louis up