Jim Jeffries beat Fitz, Sharkey and Corbett in under 12 months

Hank Griffin wan't considered a top contender in his day, outside perhaps of California. Peter Jackson contender days were long over,
If you want to find guys who fought the top black contenders, try Maher and Choynski.

 

I have footage of Ruhlin vs Martin. It appears to my eyes Martin was getting much the better of it.

 

Is the film you have from September 16, 1901?


And in this film, is Ruhlin trying to hurt Martin or are they just putting on a show for the camera?


The film was released in December, 1901. It seems odd to me that the Edison co. wouldn't also have filmed Jim Jeffries sparring and put it on the film. Jeffries also sparred with his brother that day before a large crowd.

 

When did he decide to pick on guys his own size?

 

Perhaps he heard John Dino Dennis was his mandatory, so he ran.

 

and Dunkhorst was too big.

 

He was certainly too fat.

 

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They might well have contracted to spar a certain number of rounds, so neither threw punches with menacing intent.

Off what I know of this film, the full film has a joke ending in which Ruhlin presents Martin with a chicken. Doesn't sound like life or death.

My bottom line is that I wouldn't draw too many conclusions off a sparring match. Were Jeffries and Choynski putting it all on the line in 1910? Does Layne doing so well against Louis in the film of their sparring match prove he would have beaten Louis in a serious matchup?

 

I have the sparring between Ruhlin and Martin. They are not going at it hard. Martin is a little faster and longer, and get the better of the action, but its far from one sided. The sparring does not feature any hard shots at all. At the end of the filmed match, Ruhlin gives Martin a rubber chicken, and they all laugh.

I do think Martin had major durability issues vs. punchers. He had a long stick like body, and has quite a few early stoppage losses on his resume.