Re: Footage of legends/disappointment etc

Corbett,Jeffries, Dixon.

 

Fitz, Jeffries, Ketchel, Firpo

 

Primo Carnera his chapters in the book Preemus the writings of the mad sage Greb said he was taller.

 

Greb

 

The footage of Jeffries shows him as having good footwork and reasonable defence, although most of it is training with his brother who he sparred with for many years. Certainly his training was very intense; miles of running, sprinting, sparring every day. His problem, IMO, was that he was a one handed fighter. He was a natural left hander, so he relied on the left way too much...barely threw his right hand. Johnson knew this and was quoted as saying he knew he could neutralize the left and not be afraid of the right. Plus, of course in those days the fights were 20-25 rounders and they couldn't go crazy early on. Still, his 25 round fight with Sharkey under blazing lights on a hot day shows the both of them very active in the last couple rounds. So personally my opinion of Jeffries isn't denigrated by the existing film. I realize he was a considered a god in those days, and Pollack's book continues that message. I think of Jeffries as the Chuvalo of his day...very strong and could take a punch. He was fighting against what we'd consider UFC guys now, except for maybe Fitzsimmons.

Now Jack Johnson is another story. He looks like Wilder sometimes...throwing winging wide punches. We know he carried opponents, especially the white contenders, and we also know many consider him an ATG for his "modern" fighting style. I don't buy it. He was defeated enough times ( I don't mean when he was an old man) to see that he wasn't invincible. The white hopes he fought were frankly AWFUL and the existing film shows that clearly. Even in his day he was considered both boring and likely to avoid hard fighting. If he hadn't won the title...lets say Sam McVey defeats Tommy Burns...we may never have heard of him.

 

We don't have any fight footage of Greb.

 

Dempsey. I was told he was Duran-escque; immaculately skilled to go along with his ferocious physicality. In reality he's a crude brawler with above average reflexes, power and speed.

Another big one is Beau Jack. He looks a mess vs Williams.

Corbett, Dixon, Ketchel, Jeffries ect; are good shouts.

 

I think all the boxers pre-Louis were pretty darn crude. Dempsey was just the best of the bunch. Plus his greatness, or public consciousness, comes from the fact that we was probably, along with Babe Ruth, the biggest media sensation of the day.

 

None disappointed me tbh.

The boxers of yesteryearook as good as the boxers of today.

The brawlers of yesteryear look as good as the brawlers of today.

 

Where are people getting the footage of Dixon from?

Please tell me they aren't talking about the obvious fake fight.

Sam McVea is probably the most disappointing I've seen.

 

There is footage of him training. He looks terrible.

 

Sam "Mike Tyson" McVea

 

Training for what?