Jim Jeffries v Rocky Marciano 15rds

"a top ten contender"

But I don't know the point you are making. I compared men who were heavyweight champions and how Louis stacks up in size against them. I think that is apples and apples. Some rater considering a fighter top ten for a year or two is not for me the same as being champion and we should then go into how many small men had brief appearances in The Ring ratings.

But it did occur to me, what about the contenders? Well, from 1892 to 1962, there were 83 men who fought for the heavyweight championship. The weights are given in the old Ring Record Book. Louis at 218 for his highest weight would the 8th heaviest man to fight for the title during those 70 years, behind Jeffries, Johnson, Willard, Carnera, Galento, Simon, and Buddy Baer. (I note here that he KO'd the last four of these heavier men)

In fairness, two other men, Firpo and Max Baer, were slightly bigger even if their weights were a bit lower in their championship fights. (I note here that Louis also KO'd Max Baer)

But, also in fairness, Johnson & Galento were not really bigger than Louis. Johnson was slightly smaller, I think. Galento quite a bit smaller, with their heavier weights being due to being out of shape.

So how many men fought for the heavyweight title during those 70 years who were both taller and heavier than Louis? Four. Willard, Carnera, Simon, and Buddy Baer. Louis KO'd the last three. If anyone wants to add Firpo & Max Baer, okay. But the bottom line is that Louis was a big heavyweight in that era, and for me clearly the greatest big man of that 70 year period.

 

Just on the fix rumors.

It seems to me, although I am not expert on American libel laws now or then, that this newspaper was wide open to be sued by Corbett and/or McCoy. This article specifically states that Corbett gave his share of the purse to McCoy as a bribe to throw their fight. Well, it would seem to me this is a factual matter which Corbett could rebut with bank records and the like.

Does anyone know if he ever tried this sort of rebuttal? Or if either Corbett or McCoy raised slander issues in court?

 

"If we pick Rocky it really is an indictment of the entire era Jeffries fought in."

I think boxing evolved a great deal,

but I also think Marciano simply has the better record. For example, Jeff beat two heavyweight champions who held the title for 7 years and made 1 successful title defense. Marciano beat 3 champions who held the title for 15 years and made 34 successful defenses. And he also defeated the longest reigning light-heavy champion.

Certainly there are criticisms to make of Marciano's resume, but it seems to me the same points (age of opponents, relatively short career, struggling in this or that fight) can be made against Jeff, while Jeff also has the resume weakness of some of his biggest names having gone a long time since beating a top heavyweight (Jackson & Corbett) and/or coming off long layoffs.

And Jeff failed to win three fights while Marciano won all his.

If one thinks size wins this fight, okay. Who knows? But I don't think so.

 

Certainly looks like it evolved a great deal. You watch the turn of the century fights and it’s so much different. Lot of posturing, lot of waiting, many don’t impress me. The rules evolved and so did technique. Rocky May have never lost but he has debatable win in Lowry- I think too many ppl make too much of this to try and knock Rocky - but if we give him that most ppl feel Jeffries beat Choynski and the draw was kind of a reward for his game Choynski was.
Jeffries resume is quality he beat top guys 2x apiece. Sharkey, Corbett, Fitz, crossed the color line too. Similar in ways to Rocky.
Good fight. I go with Rocky too

 

I think Jeffries batters Marciano. 30-40 pounds bigger, more experienced grappler, probably much stronger if the San Francisco reports were accurate in reporting the Munroe training regiment. He’s also arguably the faster man here despite being so much bigger which is never a good sign, and Jeffries looks accurate with his shot selection in the Ruhlin footage which is something Joe Gans also attests to. You can also argue the chin of Jeffries has been tested by fighters with power on a similar level to, or even greater, than Marciano’s like Fitz, Choynski, Sharkey, Griffin.

Marciano would be rushing unlike Fitz, Corbett and Choynski and against Jeffries that feels like a recipe for disaster if you’re a smaller man. Sure, Sharkey did well rushing against him, but that mainly had to do with Jeff’s (proven) poor hand and arm conditions in those fights. In the first 2 rounds of their rematch Jeffries seemed to have his way with the Sailor.

 

I suspect Jeffries wins this but it’s always hard to pick him.