"Jeffries was crude but Johnson could compete today..."

A puncher like jefferies could compete in any era because of his punch, ability to take a punch, his strength and stamina. These are traits that are timeless and would give him a chance against many.

Nothing need be said about johnson. His skills were evident and he was well ahead of his time, especially with his ability to throw punches in series.

 

As for Jim Jeffries, I have always respected his regard for top physical conditioning when entering a fight, and may well have been one of the first men to truly take into account its full value. He actually incorporated a great deal of sprinting, plyometrics, medicine ball work and other protocols that are still used today, and for a brief period were even lost before being reintroduced into athletic training. To me, this indicates the ingenuity of an athlete who was to some degree, well ahead of his time. How would he do in modern boxing? This is debatable. As Cross trainer mentioned, his stance and stylistic attributes were a glimpse of what some fighters would later utilize in their arsenal of weapons, but I also have some concern about other areas of his game.. Another poster by the name of Old Fogey, brought up a very good point a few years ago in regards to Jeffries' defense. The man had his nose broken three times throughout his career by much smaller fighters and his tendency to hold his hands too low, while jutting his chin forward, would have made him a potentially easy target for a lot of technicians who came later. Additionally, as in the case with Johnson, he was considered a large man for the standards of his day, and rarely if ever, demonstrated his abilities against a truly gifted big man. Frankly, I think Joe Louis would have taken him apart in much the same way that he dispatched Carnera, Simon and both Baer brothers..

 

Very true.

I also just posted my take on Jeffries within the last moment. Tell me what your take on it is.

 

Could be the case. You may be right by giving Jeffries the benefit of the doubt that he'd go the distance, but I do think that he'd have to take a horrific beating in an effort to do so, and it might not even be worth his while.. Louis was brutal with his combinations on the inside, and while he wasn't exactly a giant, his size and strength possibly matched that of Jeffries at least.. I don't know, but it seems like a treachurous fight for Jim.

 

Could be but I think a prime Louis in any era is a treacherous fight for anyone from Sullivan to Lewis or the Klitschko's

 

With the passing of Jeffries,Fitzsimmons,and myself as champions,I think it can be said ,that the old school fighters dissapeared.

Dempsey was a link between the old battling system,and the new.
The former were at their height in the days of Sullivan,Jackson,Godfrey,Maher,Sharkey,and Ruhlin.

Corbett,when he defeated Sullivan, foreshadowed the new school,with his wit and speed,but the old school members had not dissapeared at that time, and they made the going rough for the new fighters,Jeffries and Fitzsimmons,while they had the old school stamina,also acquired some of the new tricks.
I define myself as a sort of composite fighter,I have contended successfully,with both the new and old school products.

My record will reveal that I had the strength and resistance of the former and the speed and mental equiptment of the latter.
And ,having had my innings with both,I am prepared to say ,that the modern fighters is not the machine that his predecessor was.

Jack Johnson.

 

In today's game, Johnson might make a regional Fox Sports Network prelim bout as the chosen mark for some up and coming cruiserweight to pad his record.

 

Jack Johnson was first opponent Jeffries ever fought who was over 200 pounds. Jack Johnson is puny by today's standards. The fact that Jeffries could not put away some of those blown up middleweight barfighters he called opponents flies in the face of the myths of his vaunted power.

 

If you really study Jeffries caerer he really had two stumbling blocks. He had very few fights to hone his skills and he had a nagging, reoccuring injury to his left arm. Despite all the incorrect reporting he was very fast of hand and foot. His strength and chin were terrific. His power, when his hands held up was first rate. I think he had the raw goods to be very tough in any era.

I happen to be very impressed with Johnsons speed, power, strength and defensive skills. He was terrific when motivated. However, he was a bit of a headcase and not the most exciting fighter in the world. Without question he would have had to exert himself more against bigger and better men. I honestly do not know if he was capable of fighting at a faster pace. He mostly reminds me of Hopkins more than anyone else.

 

While I do think you are "overegging the pudding"[not for the first time], its true that neither Jeffries or Johnson would be considered big by today's standards.
Johnson said he was in the best shape of his life when he met Jeffries [,he was 208lbs ,just over 6 foot tall].
Jeffries power is exaggerated ,imo,I beleive he needed time to wear his man down,and had to soak up a lot of " return fire" before doing so.
It's a futile exercise ,comparing bygone eras with today's, but rather intruiging, just best not to take it too seriously.

 

Seamus: you are simply incorrect. Johnson fought many large men.

 

It's not hard for me to see how a defensive wizard who had near-modern heavyweight size and tremendous prime stamina could have competed with the best across history. And as far as Jeffries goes, yes he was past his best, but Johnson manhandled him. Therein lies the short answer to the question.