I've always been curious just how bad a physical beating this was. Was Jeffries as durable as he'd ever been? Did Johnson really punish him more than the likes of Fitz or was it just a case of Jeffries falling apart in a myriad number of ways?
I don't think Johnson went all out for a few rounds he was content to outpoint Jeffries ,he started opening up after the halfway stage,Jeffries found he could do little but take the punishment and the mock concern"does it hurt Jim"? It must have been awful coming out round after round ,to face those cutting punches and hear that smug purring voice ,knowing you had no chance of turning the tide .Jeffries strength and power evaporated when the fight started his years of sloth and huge weight gain ,and subsequent loss had robbed him of his stamina,he was just a big hulk in there ,the only thing he had left was his undoubted courage and durability,make no mistake he took a hiding,Prime for prime I would still pick Johnson ,but it would have been a very torrid struggle I feel
Johnson dealt out a measured beating for the crowd to witness his superiority, but the domination aspect of Johnson was more noticeable than the actual physical harm delivered. There was a good stream of blood, Jeffries left the ring with a busted nose and swelled up eyes. He was given a good battering, dominated more than battered. Jeffries had to endure more 'physical harm' against Choynski, Sharkey and Fitzsimmons - in each of those fights he endured dislocations and fractures of major bones. Not to down play this; Jeffries was roughed-up good.
Yes he probably took more punishment in the Fitz fights ,but Fitz was a better hitter than Jack,and he didnt taunt Jeffries.
Jeffries was maybe 1/8th the fighter he was befor the 6 years of inactivity it was a beating but Jeffries was Shoter than the gatti that Face Gomez
i know its not a vs thread but i have to say in his prime tho johnsons style would give jim trouble i think jim could pull off a very late bloody ko he was just a former shell of the animal he once was
Jeffries took a awfull beating possibly the worst of his carrer im saying possibly because of his war with tom sharkey in his prime was counted at the time as savage today the fight would of been stoped. Sharkeys rib accaully stuck out in the fight and the ref let it carry on.
