Jeffries’ dry-out

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Melankomas, Dec 18, 2025.

  1. Melankomas

    Melankomas Corbett beats your favourite fighter

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    'I wish I had space here to write down the training menus I lived on - I didn't Iive high. I went ten weeks, for instance, on no liquid except one gIass of water, sipped slowly, at bedtime each night. Each day after a workout, I went over my face and neck - pickling my hands, too, incidentally - with beef brine and borax. I'd massage the brine into my skin, let the sun dry it, and then wash it off with warm water and borax; it left the skin soft and pliable, but tough, with the fIesh underneath it partly pickled. No matter how much trouble it was I did everything I knew about to make sure I'd be in shape when I crawIed inside those ropes.'

    - Jeffries, The Sunday Mail (Brisbane) - 23rd February 1936

    It’s amazing Jeffries’ endurance and ability to go long distances was as good as it was with this training regiment
     
  2. ManassaMahler

    ManassaMahler Active Member Full Member

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    It didn't actually happen, though. He'd die of dehydration if he actually did that. The real question is why he'd make this up.

    Like, it's pretty obvious why the size of Primo Carnera's breakfast was exaggerated, but this is a bit of a head scratcher.
     
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