John L Sullivan Enters The Ring Prior To Willard v Moran

Damn, Willard’s jab stretched half way across the ring.

He looks defensively open at times, and at other times he seems to have fast reacting feet, and a useful guard. His power and punching technique, combined with his size and form, make for a scary looking fighter.

 

Jess Willard highlights would be interesting to see.

 

There is more of this film out there on this fight. IMO Willard looks better vs. Moran than Johnson did. Moran can't seem to get past Willard's range and doesn't want to trade with him either.

Willard was 34 the Moran this fight in 1916.

Its too bad Willard didn't fight in 1915 or 1917, and 1918. He could have made some money and enhanced his legacy. He was very rusty and old ( 37 ) for Dempsey in 1919.

To be honest, Willard looks more formidable than any version I've seen of Harry Wills on film. A Willard vs. Wills, or Willard vs. McVey would have been interesting. I think Willard would have beaten McVey. Wills vs. Willard? I might side with Jess in a 20 round match in 1915, or 1916.

Did Willard improve greatly in 1915-1916? I'd like to see the film of his match with GunBoat Smith and George Rodel to judge, but my hunch is yes.

 

Willard rose through the ranks as quickly as anyone has in the sports history.

I believe it was less than a year training until he was fully incorporated into the Carl Morris camp. His size and power were obviously huge initial assets.

Here is a great quote about Willards improvement in boxing:

He's about the best there is right now, through still green. I was in the ring and right close to the men all the time and will say that Willard hits harder than any heavyweight in the game today. Fitzsimmons, when his hands were good, could not hit with more pile-driving force than this fellow. Jess was under wraps all the way with Bauer for fear of injuring him, but at that he shot over a couple of right-hand uppercuts that would have stopped less gamer ring men than the St. Charley heavy.
I never saw a boxer improve as fast as Willard. He's got a nasty left hook developed, the short kind, you know, that does not have to travel far to hurt. And his right uppercuts and crosses are stunners. He does not waste punches either, and when he starts one, it's a good bet it will land. There is none of the old-woman milling style with him. He did not pull a punch from his hips in the fight. All of them were the snappy kind that you see champions use.
I do not hesitate to say that I think Willard can trim Jack Johnson in the latter's present condition.
I saw McCarty fight a couple times, and if Willard can't beat him, then I never had a boxing glove on. Willard is bigger and tougher and a harder hitter than McCarty, and I actually believe he can out-box him too.

- Fort Wayne Referee of Bauer Fight

Being under wraps was a common occurrence for Willard. After killing Bull, managers would take advantage of the tragedy to convince Jess to take it easy on their man.

Furthermore, Willard inactivity was due in part to external factors.
His fight with Fulton probably would have been awesome, had it not been for a backlash represented by this political cartoon: https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...ended-the-willard-fulton-bout-picture.602678/

 

" a strawberry blonde from Pittsburg".....

 

Willard looks best with his knees bent, using his balance, form, height, and reach, to stay rangey with his jab. When he does that, he truly looks like a damn hard person to fight.

Obviously ones ability to keep their knees bent the entire fight lessens with age. And I presume all the post-Johnson fight footage shows a Willard forced to rely more on his power and strength.

 

"There is none of the old-woman milling style with him".
Classic statement heard about the "Oldtimers".

 

I was always impressed with the speed and delivery of the finish blows that he landed on Johnson, he could clearly bang and had a surprising amount of snap in his lunches even 26 rounds deep in the Havana heat

 

Willard was not like the modern skilled super heavyweights

Fury would have clowned him 12 rounds to 0

Lewis, Bowe, Klitschkos, Joshua knock Him out


Willard was very unathletic. No use of upper body movement to avoid the long hooks of Moran. His feet were stuck in the mud at times. He looked clumsy moving in and out. His defense was porous. A tall skilled giant would have tattooed Willard’s face with jabs all night. His speed and reflexes weren’t impressive here, he would have looked painfully slow in the ring next to a Tyson Fury. He throws too many arm punches, especially the uppercut...no leg drive or torque in his punches

 

Willard's height and reach covered a multitude of sins, but his style was very effective.

He could hide behind his guard tower.

It would have been interesting to see him in with Fred Fulton, where he would not have had the range advantage.

How would he have handled that one?

 

I have to agree with this. No defense, and just all right skills might be okay vs. smaller men who don't hit hard, but not vs. guys his close to his size or larger who can box or punch,

Willard however is durable and has that puncher's chance to upset fighters if higher achievement. His stamina for the later rounds is excellent. As such he's much better off with 15-25+ round matches, as opposed to say 12 round matches.

 

Fulton is taking the count.

 

I get the idea that Fulton would win every round, until a crashing punch from Willard put him on ***** street.

 

Fascinating piece of footage good quality too