Jim Jacobs on Jack Johnson Vs James J Jeffries

I have to admire Jeffries effort here. He lost a lot of weight in short period and got himself into good shape despite not being an active fighter for 6 years. Then he went to the ring with the best fighter in the world for 45 rounder and tried to knock him out despite being a shell of his prime self. He sustained huge beating for 15 rounds too.

Of course some may say that he was a racist and he got what he deserved, but it's more complicated in my opinion and I really respect Jeffries toughness. Not many fighters can be compared to these 2 in that aspect, they are truly ATGs no matter what haters said and will say here.

 

Wonderful. Watch CAREFULLY the beautiful defense by Johnson. You see Jeffries attempting double hook to body and head, nice punches, but Johnson stops them with perfect blocks each time.

 

For those who watch the film there are several rounds you can see today and many of them are close.

Jeffries, who was old and had not fought in 6 years lost steam, and pretty much had nothing left from the 13th to 15th round, which is when Johnson opened up. Johnson also hired Jeffries old trainer Delaney who knew Jeffries like a book. Meanwhile Jeffries had a dink like Corbett for his trainer.

No one can be out of shape and take 6 years off and go directly to world class in boxing.

Fitzsimmons who saw the match said Jeff wasn't a quarter of the fighter he fought. Considering the heat, his age, the inactivity, and Johnson hiring the his old trainer, not to mention the pressure on him to win, Jeffries performance wasn't all that bad.

This wasn't Ali vs Holmes. Jeffries won two rounds, and had a few other that were even. The British press had Jeffries slightly in the lead after 4 rounds. If the fight was 6 or 10 rounds, a draw is not out of the question...and for those who think otherwise, watch the films.

 

Jeffries was not the fighter he was in his prime certainly. Eye witness testimony taken in mass shows this was a gradual one sided beat down by Johnson. Round by round Johnson cut Jeffries to pieces.

 

Here is a eye witness to the events leading up to the fight as well as the bout itself. Nothing but a one sided affair with Jeffries, it appears, having a breakdown prior to stepping into the ring.

https://books.google.com/books?id=s...age&q=johnson beats jeffries ny times&f=false

 

Jeffries began shedding weight 18 months prior to the fight.A very tough man who took a real beating ,but kept coming out for more.Jeffries was down to 230lbs over a year before the fight happened.

 

Here are the headlines from that evening and next morning papers.
Johnson Victory Over Jeffries Among Easiest Of His Career.Evening Star July 4th 1910

Johnson One Of The Most Dangerous Fighters The World Has Ever Seen.Bob Fitzsimmons SanFrancisco Call July 5th 1910.

After Johnson Colored Jeff's Eye In The Second Round I Knew The Fight Was Over,Tex Rickard Promoter and referee of the fight San Francisco Call July 5th 1910.
Addressing Corbett as Jeffries trainer being partly blamed for the defeat by one poster.
Corbett tried to get Jeffries to spar more and with younger men he refused. Just prior to the fight commencing Corbett expressed his confidence in Jeffries winning but said he did regret his charge had not sparred more.
Jeffries began dieting 18 months before the fight, before the fight was even officially announced actually.Jeffries could have gone into full training a lot earlier than he did,but,once he announced his comeback he began making a fortune in vaudeville and milked it for all it was worth,again his choice not Corbett's.
Corbett wanted to stop the fight during the 7th round and argued with Jeffries brother Jack to do so. "Your Brother's getting licked what shall we do?" Jack suggested having his brother foul out but the idea was abandoned .
No more rabid supporter of Jeffries was at the arena that day,yet he could see Jeffries had no chance after the 7th round.
You say if the fight had been over ten rounds a draw would not have been out of the question!.

Q Were you a judge at the Holyfield V Lewis 1st fight by any chance?

 

That's what McVey used to say. Can you show us an article where he stepped on the scale and it read 230 a year before the fight happened?

 

Even if that's true, it's still very impressive. He didn't live healthy live after retirement. In reality, Jeffries didn't have any chances.

I would like to see him coming out of retirement in similar manner to Foreman. After a few years fighting lesser fighters and a few contenders he could make Johnson fight very interesting.

 

Absolutely. Jeffries effort to get in shape for this bout was monumental. However the result was that he was beaten to a pulp.

 

The attached article from that time states Jeffries began preliminary training February 1909 and by the end of that summer looked in great shape with trim waistline and fat seemingly gone. So if this indeed was correct Jeffries was in pretty good condition a year prior to fight time.

Looking at the description of the fight the writer only gave one round to Jeffries, the fourth. Note Jeffries injuries, closed and cut eye, smashed nose, lip cut through, forehead scrapped red. Johnson only had a bloody nose.

https://books.google.com/books?id=6...ffries signs to fight johnson in reno&f=false

 

If you read “50 years at ringside” it recounts a discussion with Johnson specific to the question of the reason why Jeffries lost the fight. Johnson stood up, took off his shirt and described:

“Well it’s like this Nat. I think it was the blow that closed his eye that started him on his downfall. You see I led and drew him out like this. He thought I would come back with my right hand but instead I crossed over and shot a strong uppercut with my left like this. I think was great ring strategy although I say it myself and it certainly won the fight for me and lost it for Jeff. “

The article mentions Jeffries eye being closed by one punch.

 

Here is a neat summary of sports in general for the year 1910 from 1911.

Note that the Jeffries-Johnson fight was called “disappointing” as Johnson “entirely outclassed Jeffries” and “at no time did Jeffries display any of his accredited speed or skill”.

https://books.google.com/books?id=s...ffries signs to fight johnson in reno&f=false