Langford on facing Jeannette n Johnson

I'll see if I can find any more info on these fights. I thought Baker had a good rep. Thanks for your input.

 

I'm still waiting on HOW exactly Sam was going to beat Jack Johnson

 

Okay, but was that probable is the question. I'm not looking for anyway Sam could beat Jack, as you could list every possible way to win. What I'm saying is, how can anyone make Sam the favorite to do any one of those things.. well clearly he shouldn't be. Is is possible, sure, probable.. no way.

 

but that size difference NEVER changed. EVER. As sam moved up in weight.. so did Johnson. Thus it wouldv'e always existed and been a major factor that sam imo couldn't overcome. The point is, Johnson DOMINATED WITH EASE Sam like he never was before or since (by his own testimony) So, in order for it to become probable he wins, there must be a drastic change in the combatants or the strategy. I see neither one of those things being the case. So, I'll ask you buddy.. was it probable sam would beat johnson or just possible?

 

Just my opinion, but I believe Johnson would have been a clear favorite had they fought again and in all likelihood would have boxed cautiously and very likely earned a decision victory. But, I also believe Langford would have had a better chance against him after growing into a light-heavyweight and that he packed a greater punch at that weight. So, even though Johnson would have still had a large weight advantage on him Langford would have had a better chance of taking him out with a punch. Now, whether he could have landed that punch, who knows. I envision a much better and closer fight a second time around.

 

As you have obviously the inside track on info concerning Langford.
At what stage of their respective careers would you make Langford the favourite in a match up between them?
Given that Johnson was living his life in a goldfish bowl, and under many pressures from different directions, neglecting training , drinking, and fornicating to exess.

Which year would you say would be the "cut -off point",when Sam could reasonably be looked upon as the favourite, or at least an even money bet with Jack?

 

I don't know that I would ever make Sam the favorite or even an even-money bet against Johnson at any point during their careers. But, if I were to pick a period of time when I Sam might make his best showing against Johnson I think I would go with sometime during the years 1909 thru mid-1911. I think that's when Sam was at his best, but he looked pretty darn good on film against Jeannette as late as 1913 and given that Johnson seemed to be declining by then maybe that's when Sam would have had the best opportunity to defeat him.

 

Apart from a one-punch KO out of nowhere, I can't see it happening. Johnson has to be favoured, IMO.

I'm always somewhat confused as to how big Langford really was. I know he ended up weighing 190 or 200+ pounds but I'm not convinced this was a good thing for him. I doubt he was ever much bigger than a middleweight, a full-blown light-heavy at most.
He was fighting within the 158 limit as late as 1907, and talk of him and Ketchel fighting for middleweight title as late as 1910.

 

I should think Johnson has a good chance of being the best ring general Langford ever met, but Sam met better punchers than Jack.
The fact that he was dropped at least 22 times attests to this.
Dropping him and keeping him down were not quite the same thing however, in his wonderful career ,he was only stopped 9 times.

 

It's impossible to say what pundits of the time would have said on the eve of the fight (that never happened).