Some nicely editted Corbett-Fitzsimmons footage that shows the solar plexus punch

Why wasn't he punished in his own age? You may be taken this a bit far as Fitz does it only at a distance on the brief film we have. I have seen plenty of leaning back in fights decades later. Ali, as has been pointed out, but Bugner leans back a few times when Ali attacks him. A flaw, yes. As fatal a flaw as you hold, if the fighter is quick and has a good instinct for distance and so does not do this within punching range? I don't think so.

 

1. The knockout comes when Corbett throws a classic jab which Fitz slips and counters to the body. I see no reason at all that this same scenario couldn't be played out against a modern fighter.

2. That era does not show much combination punching. Gilbert Odd describes Fitz as really opening up with combinations which dazzled the crowds against Ruhlin and Sharkey when he had them hurt. He was by reputation a great finisher. Hype? I don't know. We have only a few minutes of Fitz and there are long stretches when fighters such as Robinson, Ali, and Jones do not throw combinations. Doesn't prove they can't. At worst, Fitz did throw body to head combinations and they can be seen on the Corbett film. How he would react to opponent throwing combinations at him is a good question, but he was certainly a tough and durable man.

 

Interesting analysis. By the way, did you think that this film was projected at the wrong speed? It looked pretty good to me.

1. Fitz's foot speed. Fitz does not use lateral movement on this film and could be scored for it. I think he moves very well directly back and directly forward. He shows he was able to quickly press and catch a bigger and very fast man.

2. I agree generally with you on Corbett. He looks good.

3. You're evaluation seems to imply Corbett was actually better but lost somehow on a fluke and would have won the rematch. I disagree.

4. On a possible rematch--According to Gilbert Odd, Corbett brought the subject up while still in the ring after the match.

"You will have to fight me again," demanded Corbett heatedly. "If you don't I'll go at you in the street the next time I see you."
"If you do, I'll kill you," Fitz replied calmly.

Apparently talk didn't impress Fitz. He was a tough man.

 

It is almost certainly projected at the wrong speed because it is not a single film.

No single film of this fight survives. The one that we have all seen was peiced together from multiple badly degraded copies.

 

I disagree. he was too small, too chinny, had too lacking of a defense to ever hope to beat some of the bigger modern swarmers/punchers. Look what jeffries did to him.

 

On the flip side of the coin look what he did to Sharkey and Rhulin.

 

Sharkey certainly was a classic swarmer.

Ruhlin appears off surviving film to have been more of a boxer.

 

Glad you enjoyed the action on the footage I have.

 

I was talking about the film I have seen, here and on other venues, including my own footage of this fight.

Fitz was coming on in this fight. My take is he would have gotten to Corbett sooner or later and would probably win a rematch. I could be wrong.

 

This is how I see it. And Maher was a puncher. So it could be said that Fitz beat all styles in the ring.

 

I honestly don't know. All i know is that leaning back that way looked outright clumsy and by no stylistic means is a good thing to do.

I think it all comes down to glove size, or lack thereof. They rely almost entirely on upper body movement or intercepting to defend themselves. Which makes sense, because glove blocking isn't half as effective with those small gloves.

 

I agree with most of what you say, but the thing which confuses things, is that if leaning back is so bad, why did the man who is most considered the greatest fighter ever lean back religously. In fact i have heard commentators constantly refer to his elasticity, which is just a fance word for saying that he leans back and this makes it harder to land clean. Also consider that he controls the clinch, another thing which the leaning back apparently helps. I wouldnt ever use this style myself or teach someone to fight this way, but who knows, maybe it is the more effective style? In any case, i think i agree that the glovesizes has a massive effect on different styles. I dont think fitz would be as effective with the modern gloves, i could be wrong though.