Prime Jack Johnson VS Willard

He was 31lbs heavier than when he won the title.

 

He was 208 for Jeffries,17lbs lighter than for Willard in which fight he had a roll of suet around his hips and a big ass!

 

Yeah, it's clear that Johnson was in bad shape when you look at him.

To be fair, Johnson carried 220 lbs well against Moran. He looked more ripped in that fight than against Willard though.

 

Around 09/10, all in all, I would say Johnson was in the absolute best shape of his life. At 31/32, he might’ve already passed the age range at which one could potentially reach their best ever physical shape in their whole life but the younger Johnson was often underfed, inadequately trained and conditioned.

Johnson was everything that he could subject to the physiological limitations in play at ages 31/32 and in net terms I think that was somewhat more than he was during his otherwise deemed “prime” years when his true physical potentials were not necessarily reached.

Johnson understood the likely deteriorations in Jeffries, stating as much in the press leading up to the Reno. However, Johnson had waited years for the fight and left no stone unturned in his preparations, taking no chances but also ensuring as comprehensive a victory as possible.

Though basically overweight thereafter, Johnson evidently still took some measure of fitness into the ring with him to hang for 20 and 25 rds but he was obviously still well off his best condition.