[url]http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9506E6D91E31E033A25751C1A9639C946197D6CF[/url] Does anyone here actually read news clippings? One thing I have noticed is sometimes a quote or two gets out on the web, and people accept it as the truth when it’s not true. Corbett vs Jeffries I is a good example. Corbett's famous internet quote of being up 22-0 is a fabrication. Here is the NY Times full 23 round review of the fight. If might surprise a few people that Jeffries appeared to be slightly behind, even, or up on points with Corbett at the time of the knockout. Jeffries had Corbett hurt a few times, and down in round 19 before delivering the knockout in round 23. While Corbett was the master boxer, Jeffries made him miss and blocked some of Corbett shots too. The review here is from the N.Y. times, which is Corbett's home town paper. I hope the link works. It is a good round by round read.
Wonderful read, Mendoza. It was hard to tell who was actually in what position as to winning a decision as the paper does not list their opinion for each round. Clearly Jeff was certainly not losing by a great amount, but he seems to have been taking a great deal of facial punishment, as his bleeding is emphasized while Corbett is never described as bleeding. As with the Choynski fight, it appears a fighter with a good jab could punish Jeffries. Jeff again proved he could take a licking and keep on ticking to win late. Thanks for posting this.
Corbett had a way of cutting his man up. He produced cuts on Choynski, Jackson, Fitzsimmons, and Jeffries. Part of the reason for the cuts in those days were the gloves. The gloves made out of horse hair and often split or got marked up after the round progressed. Fighters did not have rubber mouth pieces to shield their teeth from the lips either. Cuts were a ***** back in those days. The techniques to stop them were rather poor. Modern fighters use a form of glue to stop the cuts on the face, and gum shields. The old timers were pretty much on their own.