Jeffries lost a decision (exhibition) to Munroe in 1902?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/406mts...bd0539e1-ae9b-5d2e-b174-87b3c3396d40.amp.html

 

Here is a headline and story from 1902.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/177521/san_francisco_chronicle/

 

I found the New York Times report on the Jeffries-Munroe exhibition from December 22, 1902. I think it is worth posting as it is, after all, the prestigious New York Times.

"Butte, Montana, December 21:

"Champion pugilist James Jeffries tonight lost a decision in a four round contest with Jack Munroe, after four rounds of the fiercest fighting Butte has seen for some time. At one time the champion went to his knees and a knockout looked possible. Jeffries and his manager had posted a forfeit of $250 for any one to stand against Jeffries for rounds and Munroe accepted the challenge. At the end of the fourth Munroe was still ready to fight. Munroe is amateur champion of the Pacific Coast. Fitzsimmons has posted a forfeit of $500 to put Munroe out in four rounds."

 

This is from the Syracuse Herald in 1916.

"Jeffries arrived at Butte, Montana, where Munroe was working as a mine boss in December, 1902. Jack was a handy man about the camp with his fists and he didn't hesitate a moment when Jeffries offered to meet any man in town for four rounds. If he failed to knock out his victim Jeffries agreed to forfeit a substantial portion of the gate receipts. Munroe not only went the distance but he succeeded in bringing Jeffries to his knees with a punch. Jim always claimed he slipped on a wet spot but that didn't prevent Munroe's name flying round the world."

This is report from years later, but implies Jeffries had conceded that he went down in this fight.

 

Munroes description of the fight:

“I got into the ring and put a pair of boxing gloves on for the first time in two years," said Jack Munroe of Butte regarding his now famous fight with Jeffries, to a New York reporter. "Jeffries was in the other corner, glaring at me as if he intended to make me jump out of the ring. I didn't mind that, but when he got up at the bell and came swaggering over to my corner, grinning at me as if I was easy, it made me mad. He came over as confidently as if all he had to do was to eat a piece of pie. He didn't take the trouble to crouch--just stood up straight.

"I stood in my corner waiting with my mind made up to strike the first blow. He came right up to me, with his guard held carelessly.

"I saw his guard was too low and I hooked my right over as hard as I could. It caught him right under the ear. For a moment Jeff stood there with the silliest, most stupid look on his face I ever saw. Did you ever see a man straighten up suddenly and bang his head on a low beam or a table or something? He looked as if he did just that.

Jeffries Became Furious.

"But in the second round he was wild. Fitz had been yelling and waving his hands over in Jeff's corner and giving him advice. When the bell rang Jeff jumped up and ran at me. I didn't feel excited at all. I just mixed it up with him or clinches when I had to. In the middle of the round, he seemed to get furious because he couldn't land on me when I was either running or blocking or clinching.

"The referee had just told us to break from a clinch.

"I let go and was about to step back, with my two arms still lying across Jeffries' shoulders and my muscles all relaxed, when Jeff suddenly punched me in the pit of the stomach with his right and as I went down followed on the same spot with the left. That was the only time he knocked me down in the whole fight.

"Bite Him, Jeff!" Crowd Yelled.

"It was a foul blow, and the whole crowd yelled and hissed.
"I heard some of the boys yell: 'Bite him, Jeff! Why don't you kick him while he's down?' and other things.

"When I got up Jeff rushed me right away. I clinched, and on the break he tried the trick again. In fact he fouled me that way all through the second and third rounds.

"Near the end of the second round I got my chance.

"Jeffries reached for me with a left hook, and he seemed to be slowing up.
"Anyway, I stepped in toward him and let the blow go over my neck. At the same time I drove my right against his ribs over the heart as hard as I knew how.

"Jeffries staggered against the ropes, which kept him from falling on his back. Then his legs gave way and he dropped over forward on his knees. He couldn't stand straight when he got up and didn't seem to be able to move his legs. Before I could take advantage of the chance the bell rang. Jeff reeled to his corner.

Found Jeffries Easy to Hit.

"Jeff tried to rough me out of it all through the third round, and I gave him a little football work. I retaliated as well as I could at his own game, but I didn't know how to hit in clinches and breaks. He had the better of me. But by the end of the round he was in bad shape. I never saw a man so slow as he was when he came out for the fourth. Of course, it was bad condition that made him go so soon. He couldn't walk straight, and he didn't seem to be able to punch very hard. I felt strong, and I was sure I could last, so I cut loose.

"For all of that last round it was easy to hit Jeff. He was too weak to rough it in the clinches and he gave up hitting in the breaks."

 

Colorado Springs Gazette

CHAMPION JIM ALMOST KNOCKED OUT BY AMATEUR

(By Associated Press Exclusively to Gazette in Colorado Springs.)

Butte, Mont., Dec. 20.--Champion, James J. Jeffries, tonight lost a decision in a four-round contest with Jack Munroe, after four rounds of the fiercest fighting Butte has seen for some time. At one time the champion went to his knees and a knockout looked possible. Jeffries and his manager had posted a forfeit of $250 for any one to stand against Jeffries for four rounds and Munroe accepted the challenge. At the end of the fourth round Munroe was still ready to fight. Munroe is amateur champion of the Pacific coast. Fitzsimmons has posted a forfeit of $500 to put Munroe out in four rounds.

When the decision was announced the large audience rose in their seats and cheered for Munroe. The champion did his best to deliver a knockout blow and was disappointed over his failure to put Munroe out.

The latter repeatedly sent his straight left to the champion's face and blocked many vicious uppercuts. The Butte man displayed unexpected cleverness and although he went down several times, it was more through Jeffries' great weight than the punishment inflicted. In the mix-ups Jeffries did not overlook an opportunity to rough it, but before the third round was reached the smile had disappeared from his face and he went in with a determination to end the bout. Each time Munroe went to his knees he took the count and met all of the big fellow's rushes. A little blood was spilled from Munroe's nose, while Jeffries was puffing freely. Munroe is a miner and has liver here two years.