John L Sullivan vs Bob Fitzsimmons

Fitz didnt have a particularly good chin, Choynski and Maher (admittedly great p4p hitters) had him on ***** street. He had however great recuperative ability. John L was probably on a par with these two as a hitter but a far better executer that either. I believe he was no swammer but a lighting fast two handed ko merchant. I really rate Fitz as a boxer, one of the cleverest and mentally tough of them all but I dont think he could take the power and speed of Sullivan. He was no Sharkey, not at all like him, more of a Maher with confidence and greater physical toughness-maybe more Tyson that we imagined.
BTW I can except the senario that Fitz times Sullivan as he did Maher in their second encounter but I see a more likely result similar to the first round of Fitz-Maher 1, except that JLS finishes the job.

 

OK, more a predator who stalked then sprung forward after a series of feints used to get in position. If the lunge failed he would then revert to stalking again and try and use his speed to capitalise on the pressure his style imposed on his opponent to force an error. I hope that is a clearer post. From what I have read John L didnt throw a big volume of punches.

 

More Tyson than Louis, more Dempsey than Frazier, more lightning than storm, Sullivan's stylistic problems would be a supreme boxer/mover, a clever big hitting counter /slickster (Fitz?) or someone that could meet him head on, IMHO.

 

In general, I agree with Matt Donnellon. I'll add something, however:

There were no swarmers in the modern sense of the term in top-level 1890's boxing. They had very little high-volume combination punching. Sullivan was a swarmer by his own era's standards, but closer to a pressuring stalker-puncher by ours. He used feints a lot more frequently than modern fighters, and was probably better at them as a result, but he may not have been a great feinter by his own era's standards.

Boxing was almost as much of a one-punch guessing game as modern point karate, with the caveat that they made heavy contact.

That's one of the things that makes the comparison difficult. My guess would be that Fitz--a master counterpuncher--can out-time and outguess Sullivan. But few modern fighters could.

Probably.

 

Fitz UD.

If it's a prime Sullivan, Sullivan by KO.

 

This is my idea also, and in a way it's silly to compare them to modern fighters. It's almost like comparing a fencer to a boxer... just such different sports.


That's why i find the comparison of Fitzsimmons to be a giant Marquez rather ridiculous (sorry, McGrain). Marquez is a modern day gloved boxer who throws combinations, has a high guard, can keep his distance, doesn't wrestle too much and throws 70 punches per round. Fitz is the opposite of nearly all of those.

 

Alright. Still, i think it's wrong. Wrong!

 

Just reading Boxing News today

and theres a new book out about Bob Fitzsimmons called 'Lanky Bob - The life, times and contempories of Bob Fitzsimmons' by K.R Robinson

According to the review it is a very well researched book and goes into great detail. Thought this might interest some of you guys.

 

It’s a shame this fight didn’t happen when it almost did in 1897-98, it would’ve finally given us footage of Sullivan as well as a pretty damn good fight on paper. Who knows how much speed, finesse and power Sullivan still had at 38 considering how much he still had at 46 against McCormick, he probably would’ve knocked Fitz down early and hurt him but around rounds 8-12 Fitz finished him.

 

Prime for prime I would choose Sullivan. By time fight was intended to happen I think Fitz stops him

 

The Fitzsimmons height advantage is more than negated by Sullivan's reach and weight advantages. Sullivan only had one loss in his career (stopped by Corbet in round 21, past his prime). Bob Fitzsimmons had many losses, in more than one weight division, and he was stopped seven times (some past his prime). It is amazing what Bob accomplished in the Heavyweight Division, as a natural Middleweight. Bob has a stylistic advantage over Sullivan, but, in this case, I do not think it is enough to prevail over John L.

Prime vs. prime, I believe we would see a good, interesting scrap, for as long as it lasted. I am picking John L. Sullivan to stop Bob Fitzsimmons between rounds seven and twelve.

 

Good post as always.