Jim Jeffries A Man Among Old Inactive Men

Perhaps someone who had fought in the last 3 years ?

 

Corbett had a good first showing vs. Jeffries. In fact his own people thought it was his best ring effort. A competitive loser often gets re-matches in boxing, especially if he was a former champion.

 

And a 3 year layoff usually puts a fighter way down in the ranks of contenders, or out of the picture altogether.

 

Usually, but not always. Championship level fighting back than had a lot to due with the live gate. Corbett was a draw, and no one really knew how shot he was. Jeffries had a 5 year layoff, and received a title shot, despite the fact that he was 80+ pound overweight. See my point?

 

Corbett was as interested in the theater as he was in boxing. Presumably he retired for a while after the 1st loss to Jeffries. Even as champion Corbett was not exactly an active fighter.

 

Well, Corbett didn´t fight that´s true but he had numerous exhibitions and qualified himself with his very good effort IMO.

 

Jeffries proved he could beat an assortment of different styles, overcome serious adversity, and improved as a boxer. He was a true professional, and never lost until his silly comeback fight.
His opposition wasn't prime, and he didn't ALWAYS fight the best man out there (who did?), but on balance I think he was great.
His opposition overall was actually very good, he was fighting the world's champion in his 12th fight and had already beaten contenders.

 

Correct. The same could be said for FItzsimmons.

 

Not really, your point is correct but also irrelevant.
Of course big name star fighters can go away for years and come back to draw a huge crowd, but that doesn't make them the best contenders available.

Jeffries wasn't the best challenger available to Johnson either. Far from it. But in Johnson's defence at least we can say Jeffries was actually still considered the champion by many, so in a way he had to fight him.

 

This only underlines his unsuitability to be considered a leading contender.

3-year layoff. Retired and more dedicated to being an actor than a fighter. How does that keep him even remotely viable among the hungry active contenders ?

His showing against Corbett in 1900 as a token for a rematch surely has an expiry date.
The layoff and theatre career business should have at least meant he should win some sort of meaningful fight to qualify as a serious contender again.