Jeffries v Sharkey 2Was Jeffries in Danger of being KOd?

[FONT=&quot]Just like Maricnao and Jeffries. Q is all right. We just disagree on some fundamentals.[/FONT]

 

What's amazing to me about Jeffries/Sharkey II is that Jeff put Sailor Tom down, inflicted bone breaking damage to Sharkey's left side, and nearly took him out late, with only his right available as an effective weapon. Given two healthy arms, Jeff would have taken him out in a severely one-sided battering. But in this one, Triple J proved conclusively that he was far more than a one dimensional left hook specialist.

The Boilermaker must have come out of the Sharkey rematch possessing incredible confidence in his invincibility while having two healthy weapons to punch with. This makes Corbett's subsequent 23 round performance against Jeff an even more staggering achievement. (Although Gentleman Jim claimed it was a left hook which took him out, both JJJ and referee Charley White stated that it was the same right hand Jeff used to beat Sharkey that kayoed Corbett. If true, this is the major consequence of Jeffries/Sharkey II, that if the Champ's left didn't get you, then the right one would.)

Small wonder that Jeff was the only man in the world Sam Langford went on published record as being afraid of. It says remarkable things about any champion, whenever that champion is so formidable that the top contenders actually duck him, as Langford did Jeff. (Or SRL a prime Hagler. Incidentally, one has to give both Frazier and Patterson massive credit for stepping into the ring a second time with Foreman and Liston. Jimmy Young also got in the squared circle twice with both Shavers and Lyle. Joe, Jimmy and Floyd had to have major balls to accept that kind of risk. And don't forget that it was Floyd himself who decided to give Sonny a title shot in the first place, as Burns did with Jack Johnson, re-establishing the legitimacy of their championships in doing so.)

 

Sam Langford claimed it in 1904, when he was a mere 140lb. Jeffries was 220lb. I dont think Langford would have said the same thing in 1912 when he grew to a rock solid 185lb.

 

Sam Langford gave the press his prediction for the 1910 Johnson v Jeffries fight. He said, " I know I can't beat Jeffries, but I think I can beat Johnson. " Langford picked Jeffries to win.

Of Course Langford assumed Jeffries could come back, which of course he did not.

 

Jeanette picked Jeffries too,and was quite emphatic about it ,I suppose neither Langford or Jeanette owed Jack any Brotherly solidarity,so its not unatural that,they picked against him and of course Jeffries was the first man to retire as unbeaten Heavyweight Champ,up to that time ,there was probably quite an aura associated with him.