Johnson vs Jeffries 24/7

Considering Jeffries went from 300+ pounds to a trim 227, I am sure the public believed truly that Jeffries was a phenomenon, and in a way he had to of been, considering he went 15 rounds, had more than a dozen cuts on his face, and after 6 years of inactivity and having to lose 110 pounds it was the only time he was ever down on the canvas, against arguably the best HW of all time.

Mind you, back then i dont believe the public or even the educated, truly knew how much a toll of losing that much weight and that long of inactivity could do to a person. These days we know, as we all have a basic knowledge of sports medicine. Ironically, the only man who seemed to know for sure, then, was Bob Fitzsimmons trainer, who stated that nobody could lose that much fat around the kidneys and be entirely healthy.

Going from a hog fat alfalfa farmer, to this:

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I am sure amazed and convinced the public and most boxing authorities that Jeffries was as fit as he ever was.

 

Let 'er go!!!

 

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Evidentially this was in the beginning of his training for the Johnson fight (on the right), and you would be amazed at the series of photographs I have found of him from beginning to end of him sparring and training. He loses the weight fast, and looks like a million bucks at the end. Unfortunately, it took too much out of him. He would have been best to have taken a series of tune up bouts before taking on Johnson. Maybe it wouldnt have mattered and the result would have been the same, but none the less.

 

way I look at it, whether it was 3 months, 6 months, or even a year, getting in shape for what was scheduled as a 45 round fight, losing 110 pounds, and getting in fighting form after 6 years inactivity, would have been too short, imo. Sure he looked like a phenom in the end of all that, and word is that he started man handling his sparring partners, but its a worlds difference between being in shape and fighting shape. Was too much for him.

 

The trouble was Jeffries was rusty in camp, and the camp did not offer much sparring. And the sparring partner Jeffries had were as old and as in-active as he was. And sometimes, these guys who Jeffries would barely crack a sweat to work over years ago were completive with him.

All Jeffries accomplished was shedding weight through hard work. His real stamina, reflexes, timing, and power were things of the past when he entered the ring in 1910. Corbett remarked that Jeffries did not hit nearly as hard as he did in sparring when the two fought years ago. Jeffries father, a man who told his son as a boy he'd make another John L. Sullivan saw him work out and threated to disown him if he fought Johnson!

There was a story that someone in Jeffries camp wanted Bob Armstrong to knock him out so he would not go through with the fight.

Apparently those close to Jeffries knew he was a shell of the fighter he used to be.

Things got worse when Jeffries old trainer Billy Delaney who had an acrimous split was in Johnson corner for the fight. The media pressure bothered Jeffries.

If there was a 24/7, on this fight, the PPV numbers would have been dimishned.

 

Yes, and Choynski was also old and in-active. The sparring is the lone boxing footage of Choynski. Joe Choy was still pretty quick.

 

I never heard Choynski vs Johnson was filmed. I think the footage you heard about is Jess Willard knocking Johnson out.

 

You guys are right. Six months is nowhere near the time required to get back into fighting shape after a six year layoff. And losing 100+ pounds in that short time is surely going to be draining.

In the end Jeffries got back into great shape for appearance purpose but surely not for boxing one of the best HW champs ever.

 

He looked fanstastic physically and in training camp. He was 35, though, which in those days was not as young as it is these days. One can only imagine the outcome had Jack decided to get serious early.

 

I am not.

I can remember the hype surrounding the Lewis Tyson fight and a lot of people in Britain thought it was the fight of the century.