Jeffries Of Reno 1910 V Joe Jeannette Of 1910?

I suspect that Jeanette would have taken him at this point.

Jeanette was a very hard man to stop, and a very hard man to outlast.

This would be very bad news for the Jeffries of Reno.

 

In 1910, Jeanette Drew with Jeff Clarke, Morris Harris and of course the losses to Langford. A year either side of this shows Tony Ross, Jim Barry Sid Russell, Al Kubiak and Sam McVey also managed Draws. Sandy Ferguson and Sam McVey had defeated him during this time period. Interestingly, Jeanette was to actually retire in 1911.

Jeanette did actually fight Jack Johnson a few years earlier in 1906 and managed to make 15 rounds, in what this article described as a tame fight.

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC1906...-en--20--1--txt-txIN-johnson+jeanette-------1

Johnson became an awful lot better in the next 4 years. I am not sure Jeanette improved as much. And there is no way the Johnson who faced jeffries would have been involved in a Tame fight!. Jeffries was outclassed by Johnson. I see no other fighter in 1910, who wouldnt have been outclassed in exactly the same way. Sam Langford, who beat Jeanette Twice that year and McVey who beat Jeanette had both been outclassed by a Jack Johnson who wasnt as good as the Jack Johnson who beat Jeffries.

In fact, to put this fight into perspective, Jeffries did no worse against Johnson than Muhammed Ali did against Larry Holmes. The same Shot ali, who when pitted against the no 1 contender of his time, in Trevor Berbick, fought to a draw. Or no worse than Jack Dempsey who was outclassed by Tunney. The same Dempsey who fought and then fought and defeated his no 1 contender in Sharkey (himself pretty damn good). He was outclassed no worse than Liston was against Ali, the same Liston who went on to beat many top contenders.

Jeanette was a great. It takes another great to beat a great. Johnson was and Jeanette wasnt. (good as he was). I think this is a competive fight, no matter what. I doubt Jeanette matches Jeffries strength the same way that Johnson matched and actually bettered him. This alone changes the complexion of the fight completely.

Jeanettes best chance is his toughness and stamina. Ironically. Jeffries strength, although maybe his age and condition would negate this strength. In a 15 round fight, it is hard to see anything other than a draw, or Jeffries decision. If it the 60 round fight, then Jeanette did certainly prove his worth in the McVey match up. I think that this is Jeanettes best hope. But i think he would need to rely on Jeffries stamina faulting him. And i think he probably has to come from behind and overcome a few knockdowns. It is his best chance, but i still think Jeffries wins the fight.

Champion fighters are always competive against all but the very best of the best, imo, and history suggests it usually takes something special to beat someone special. Jeanette wasnt quite there.

 

Johnson was a different level to the rest of the black fighters from this era. You can see when he spars Jeanette in their 60s. He just has better technique, footwork and feints

 

He wasn't different level to Sam Langford.

 

He was though, as he showed when he faced him

 

Langford almost certainly improved a lot after that.

 

Based on combination of their resumes and eye test. Langford was much different fighter than Johnson, but he wasn't inferior.

 

You mean when Langford had no experience against big guys? Then we agree, that version of Langford was inferior. Not the prime version though.

 

Johnson dominated for 12 years against all styles of both black and white opponents. Langford can't point to a similar period of domination. Langford has losses in his prime, while Johnson does not. Which is to be expected with a 5'6 man ofcourse

 

I’m not an expert on either Jeffries nor Jeanette. But I think the historical consensus is overwhelmingly universal that Jim Jeffries was finished by 1910 and that his fight with Johnson was more of a formal handing of the torch rather than a genuine meeting between the two best fighters in the world ( at that time. ) Jeanette by this point was a formidable contender who was certainly at a much more favorable stage in his career..

 

This seems like an excellent analyses.
Except that Ali did not draw in his final fight, he lost.