Jeffries-Corbett I: scoring the NYT report, and other questions.

My take on it from this article and others is that Corbett was not expected to be competitive due to his age, but he sumond up one last great performence, and was narrowly edging Jeffries going into the fatal 23rd round.

The crowd and press warmed to him, and so the legend of the 23-0 lead was born.

P.S

It seems that Jeffries passed a crucial milestone when he became the first champion to defend his title succesfully three times.

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No one is going to convince me corbett was in his prime when he fought jeffries. He was 33 coming off a 1.5 year layoff, had one fight in the past 3 years in which he was manhandled.......

 

I guess 3 title defenses was the 25 title defense of the era lol.

 

Here is another account from the Atlanta Constitution which differs again.

Scartissue

Location: Seaside A.C., Brooklyn, New York, USA

"Corbett emerged from a year's retirement from the ring rejuvenated and fresh. He was as fast and clever as back in the days when people marveled at his skill. His footwork was wonderful and his defense perfect. He outboxed his man at both long and short range, and if he had the strength necessary he would have gained an early victory. A hundred times he ducked the punch that knocked him out. At times he made the massive Jim look like a beginner in the art of offense and defense with his hands. It was a clean knockout that came so quickly that it dazed the thousands of keen spectators, and left them in doubt as to just how the winning blow was delivered. It was avowed that it was a left hand jolt to the jaw but Jeffries himself and Referee Charley White, who stood at his side, say it was a right hand swing." -The Atlanta Constitution

Weights

Corbett - 185
Jeffries - 215

 

"Here is another account . . . which differs again."

Now we are getting into real history.

Where we stand:

1. Jeff won by knockout in the 23rd.

2. Corbett was viewed by most, if not all, as being somewhat, or quite a bit, ahead.

3. Corbett made Jeff look amateurish, slow, and clumsy at times.

4. The knockout came suddenly from either a right or left hand blow.

 

In effect yes.

Jeffries set new standards for quality of oponents, frequency of title defences, and number of title defences.

He was the first dominant heavyweight champion of the gloved era, who repeatedly defended the title against the best talents.

 

Yes like beating a 1 month short of 38 year old Corbett who hadnt had a fight in 3 years and was outweighed by 30 lbs ,that was a monster win!

 

Lets put things in perspective here.

Sullivan efectivley sat on the title for the last few years of his reign.

Corbett sat on the title for years apart from two defences against middleweights. The last one being a big mistake.

Fitzsimmons sat on the title for years.

Jeffriess defended the title multiple times in quick succesion, meeting the last two champions, and two fighters who had held him to draws previously.

Hart fought a non entity then a middleweight, who beat him.

Burns defended his title activley against commonwealth grade opposition.

Is it any wonder that people respected Jeffries?

 

In perspective? Jeffries defended against 5 8 Sharkey 33 lbs the lighter man .Sharkey gave him life and death.Jeffries defends against Corbett who is just short of 38 and hasnt fought in 3 years,Jeffries defends against 39 year old Fitz who hasnt fought in 2 years and who is outweighed 47 lbs,Jeffries defends against Munroe a bum,whom the referee rescues as he sits on the floor crying,thats your idea of best talents?
Say Jeffries was tough ,say he was a great fighter ,but dont say he set new standards of quality of opponents ,because he ducked his no 1 contender Johnson,and made his name on old past it champs a reluctant Ruhlin whose corner pulled him out and two bums in Munroe and Finnegan,plus a 5 8 man he was 6 inches taller than and who he out weighed by 33 lbs a man who gave him his toughest fight,who had been folded in half by a body shot from super middleweight Fitz.Thats perspective for you.Just because the guys before Jeffries sat on their title s and made their living on the stage ,and Jeffries who hardly uttered two words ,and so was a non starter in that direction ,fought comparatively frequently ,dont make it as though his reign was exemplary today it would be like Wlad defending against Jones ,and Tarver,then taking on a comebacking Virgil Hill,all of these weighed more than Fitz did when he met Jeffries.

 

Corbett and jeffries are terrible fighters .

 

No . For their time they were great fighters Corbett was the father of modern Heavyweight boxing as we know it.Jeffries was as tough brave and resolute a Champion who ever lived ,but his reign as Champ is blown out of all proportion his scalps were over men well past their prime,combacking smaller men.

 

I happen to think that Jeffries contribution to modern boxing was as valuable or more so than Corbett's. Jeff really showed the boxing world the importance of quality training more than any early fighter did, but Corbett's contributions are well noted though.