Joe Jeannette Vs Jack Johnson SQUARE JOE: The Iron Man of Boxing by Gregory Speciale After many months of challenging and weary waiting with but scant encouragement, Joe Jennette, the West Hoboken nemesis of Jack Johnson, at last sees his hopes to be realized. Jennette declares that he will need but twelve days of work to prepare for the bout with Johnson. I never work more than twelve days for a fight. he explained in discussing the match. I trained twelve days for Langford when we met in that last go at the Garden, and, if you remember, I was in fine shape. In fact, I think I was a little too fine. I weigh 189 pounds now but by the night of the fight, Ill weigh about 192. You know most fellows drop a lot of weight while training but it affects me differently, for I always gain, and fall off when I am doing nothing. Jennette is quiet spoken, unassuming fellow who is well liked by everyone with whom he comes in contact. His features are more of the Hindu or North American type than the full blooded Negro. His skin is a rich nut brown and when he is in perfect condition it glows with health, which together with his wonderful muscular structure, makes him a sight worth more than a second glance. In or out of condition he never carries any fat to speak of. Although he averages about 190 pounds, he is only 5 feet 10 inches in height, facts which indicate that his bones are extra large. He has the peculiarity of being very deceptive in regard to his height. When seen in the ring he creates an impression that he is close to six feet, and it is only when standing by his side that one is undeceived. He called attention to this fact himself and said that it was a mistake that was constantly being made. Jennette is always diffident about criticizing his opponents. He is very sensitive and fearful of being thought boastful. However, repeated questions induced him to discuss his chances of defeating Johnson at some length. Jack and I havent got much use for each other, he said. We have had some tough fights and they have created a lot of hard feeling. I am always willing to forget what happens in the ring and be friends, but Johnson is not built that way. Whenever we have happened to meet he has always tried to avoid me without speaking. I know I can give him a hard fight and I hope to outpoint him at least. He never had much on me in our other fights. I could always hit him without much trouble and once I cut him up pretty badly. I only weighed about 165 when I fought him last, now I am twenty-five pounds heavier, and Jack is getting old and fat. I think he showed in his bout with Flynn that he is losing his punch. If Flynn was butting him, as they say, from what I know of Jack he certainly would have cut loose unless he was afraid of getting tired. Ill go up after his body because I think that is his weakest spot now and besides body punching is my long suit. It was a body blow I got in that made him foul me that time in Philadelphia. I caught him with a right uppercut in the pit of the stomach and it made him gasp. Right after that he began hitting low. He hit me with a right that landed below the belt and the crowd began to hiss. I was hurt pretty badly, but I kept my feet and he deliberately struck again with the same punch. When I woke up I was in the hospital. Johnson was arrested and they wanted me to press the charge against him, but I didnt want to do that. How do you think Johnson intends to fight you this time? Jennette was asked. Well, I shouldnt be surprised if he intends to stall as much as possible. He probably figures he can go along without doing much and not take any chances. Of course it takes two to make a good fight, but it wont be my fault if there is not plenty of action. He never could hold my arms like he did with Flynn and Tommy Burns. I only hope he reaches out to grab me, because if he does something is going to happen. Jennette brought out a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings to substantiate his remarks regarding his different bouts with Johnson. He also exhibited a series of photographs taken during his battle with Sam MacVey in Paris, showing himself, taking the count in all sorts of curious positions at different times during the contest in which he was floored twenty-one times and yet won out in the end. Jennette looked them over with a curious smile, remarking, Johnson admitted when he was in Paris that I could beat him in a finish fight. I hope I can do it in ten. http://www.joejennette.com/joejennettewebsite.html >>> First off, a fine website on a forgotten great. It is interesting to note that Jeanette says he was only 165 pounds when he last fought Johnson. We know Johnson went low propose in the DQ match, as Jeanette describes here. Not sure if I buy the last line. Johnson admitted when he was in Paris that I could beat him in a finish fight " I doubt Johnson would say this. Thoughts on what Jeanette said, and the website as a whole?
Thanks, Mendoza. I'll pass this along. Interesting comment when Jeannette speculates about Johnson being afraid of getting tired. I think Johnson could get a bit tired when he went for a stoppage and it didn't happen, and this might have been part of the reason for Johnson's cautious approach. I do think well of Johnson, he was a versatile fellow with something to trouble anyone. Jeffries and Corbett, even if they thought he got to be a little overrated, still called him a great fighter, and so to did Tom Sharkey and Fitzsimmons.
I too find Jeanette's comments insightful. I do think Johnson was a top fighter in his day, just wildly over rated decades later.
