Lewis v Jeffries?

Some news paper measurements:

The newspaper tales of the tape tell a different story, though.

San Francisco Chronicle 7-16-1897, tale of the tape on Jeffries-Ruhlin fight:

Jeffries 6' 1 1/2" -- 212 lbs --76 1/2" extension

Ruhlin 6' 2 1/2" -- 198 lbs --79" extension

The tale of the tape for Jeffries-Choynski in 1897 is similar

Jeffries 6' 1 1/2" -- 217 lbs

Choynski 5' 11 1/2" -- 165 lbs

^^ Two primary sources.

Perhaps the most interesting article on Jeffries was written on 5-22-1896 in the San Francisco Chronicle. This article was BEFORE Jeff's fight with Dan Long.

Excerpts:

"Muscled like Sandow, with a frame like a youthful Hercules, and quick-footed as a cat, James Jeffries is put forward as a man who will some day be the champion of the world."

"One has only to see him in training punching the bag or sparring to be willing to believe that he is in the legitimate succession to the wreath that so long adorned the brow of John L Sullivan."

"Jeffries has fought not a few men, and has won every battle he has had, though some antagonists had nothing better than local reputations at most."

"Jeffries has bested his opponents in short order. Two rounds, three rounds, five rounds is the history of his fights. He put George Griffin out in eleven seconds. Frank Childs, the 'colored cyclone' of Los Angeles went out in two rounds, and Childs had bested LaBlanche and 'Billy' Smith. It took the young giant the same length of time to put out Joe Cotton."

Within this article, Jeffries is described as 6' 1" and over 200 lbs.

This 6 feet listing from box rec is not correct.

 

No matter how you look at it, weighing under 220 and having at least a 3.5" height disadvantage and an 8" reach disadvantage is pretty hard to overcome, especially if he's used to fighting fighters under 200lbs. That's really all there is to this.

 

But that has to be from wrestling in training camp no?

 

Jeffries, Johnson etc were all ATG fighters and all great athletes. Degrading their worth all time is a poor practice. Taking their abilities in today's world who is to say how well they would do? These men were used to be hit with 3-4 oz brick like gloves. They would probably laugh at the pillow gloves used today. Can you imagine beasts like Johnson and Jeffries on roids? Today's fighters fighting then also would need to adapt to brick like gloves, large ring size, poorer living standards and NO roids.

 

cauliflower ears are not a sign of bad defensive ability. One hard blow can do it.
The gloves were smaller, the impact harder, in those days, so ear were getting busted easier.
I don't know whether the draining of the cauliflower ears was as simple as procedure, or possible or routine, and I doubt those old-timers cared much.

 

How are they opinion? :huh They're heights.

 

Geez, yes they are. The home town paper says so. Did you measure them? LOL.

Your keep moving the goal posts back. Like I said you shoot first, then aim later. As stated guys near 6'2" tall ( McCall, Mercer, Rhaman ) gave Lewis the most trouble. Lewis by the way by his own admission is close to 6'5", not 6'5" tall

 

FFS man it's not about their sizes or their gloves or ring size or toughness. It's about their primitive style of boxing. Pre-1920's guys fought like apes. Grab, hold, waltz around the ring, throw a couple punches per round, no (or very few) jabs, little head movement, stumble-bum footwork from most of them.

And not all of the bouts were scheduled for 30-40 rounds so you can't use that excuse (they were conserving energy).

Bring almost any of these guys up today and have them fight the same way and they get beat. Period. Some of them did fight in what we'd call a modern way or had great defensive skills. I'd put Sam Langford and Joe Gans in that category. The others...like Jeffries....or Ketchel....or Burns...would be better off in UFC not boxing.

 

This is true, but it still puts him in the size range where he would have a chance, even if he were not a great fighter.

 

Wait is anyone other than that spastic Mendoza under the misapprehension that Jeffries would even beat a semi decent amateur today? The man couldn't box his way out of a paper bag.

EDIT it seems like we have a new spazzo in Perry

Listen anyone in my boxing gym would spank Jeffries, WWs/MWs anyone, maybe even FWs, he's a bum.

 

Correct. And the gloves back then were brutal. Light, and made of horse hair that often spilt creating cuts and nicks.

Since McVey is adamant of not allowing Jeffries modern training or nutrition, I wonder if he'd allow Jeffries to use the 1901 gloves?

Lewis would not! The man worried about Tua's hair.

 

LOL, the funny things here are you score cards.