Sonny Liston vs. Jim Jeffries

Then you have not read the right stuff. Many reports and fighter refer to Jeffries as a good boxer from 1899-1904.

Here are some tid bits from Cox's corner

Eyewitness referee Billy Roche concurred saying Jeffries had the "acrobatic springiness of a circus tumbler in his legs. He was no lumbering ox, anchored to one spot, but a natural athlete."

At his peak, however, Jim actually developed good, solid boxing skills. In the second Corbett fight the Chronicle, Aug 15, 1903, said, “In the third (round) Jeff’s new born cleverness began to assert itself.”
Referee Ed Graney commented, “I was not prepared to see Jeffries outbox Corbett…I doubt the equal of his present self will ever exist.” This proves that Jeff had developed into a good all around fighter, that he was not just a big lumbering oaf with a punch. He was a skilled athletic heavyweight with boxing prowess who could slip inside and bang away at the body and take his man apart over the course of a fight. Jeffries knocked out Corbett in the 10th round. It was a systematic destruction of a very fast and skillful boxer. The Jeffries of this fight would be a threat to any heavyweight who ever lived.

 

good point LOL. I am not trying to critisize marciano either, he is one of my favs but just trying to show its not fair to nitpick at things like some people(not you) do with liston

 

No Old Fogster, not just under 200lb. I dont care about that, its the sub 170lb fighters that jeffries fought, or the 5'8 heavyweights jeffries fought that I had a problem with. thats just too small. not to mention there limited modern styles. as a 220lb "ATG heavyweight puncher" surely jeffries should habe been able to dominate these men in 1-2 rounds the way tyson foreman and liston would have

 

Have you any report that describes Jeffries as a boxer mover? If not ,whats your argument? It was the systematic destruction of a man who was 37 ,had had ONE fight in 3 years and that ,a dubious ko of Kid Mcoy ,was considered a fake,a ko over a man 30 lbs lighter,Nine years older and well past his best.Ive read several accounts that say Corbett did ok ,till his legs gave out

 

Good Post. I still dont understand how a 6'2 220lb Jim Jeffries "one of the greatest athletes ever, strength of a bear" as some people say, struggled so much with 5'8 or sub 165-185lb men. just doesnt make sense if he was this giant man killer people describe.

 

This quote is from 1903? If so, of course Jeffries would be a threat to any heavyweight who ever lived pre-1903....ater all, there were only three champions preceding him, one of which was a supermiddle!

6'3 225lbs Jeffries was a man among boys compared o other heavyweights pre-1903.

 

LOL

jeffries looked more like 6'0 than 6'3.

 

You can read the first Corbett fight. I posted it a while back. Or read Guhillah's round by round scoring.

Corbett was a master boxer with a record close to 60-1-3 when he first meet Jeffries at age 33. The round by round reports indicates an even fight before the KO, and Jeffries in 1900 was not at his peak.

The fight report, which is detailed, said Jeffries ducked and moved well vs Corbett. I also have the first Fitz vs Jeffries report and the news report said Jeffires was moved as quickly on his feet as a lightweight.

Unfortuentley neither fight is on film. The only clear film on Jeffries can be seen on you tube when Jeffires was training in 1901 for Ruhlin. He looked very quick on his feet, blocked well, and countered beautifully.

Judge for yourself.

 

If the rumours are accurate, Billy Conn came into the first Louis fight at 169 lbs. He gave Louis a very tough time, and Louis was at his absolute peak, an experienced champion. Is it so awful if the very green Jeffries struggles with the 165 lb Choynski, a respected fighter of his era?

Sharkey was 5' 8" but built like a brick outhouse. He looks like he was strong as a bull, and who's to say he couldn't punch as hard or harder than someone like DeJohn.

 

Jeffries was fast as a lightweight in the Fitz fight? Then how come this boxer/ mover' s face looked like hamburger after the fight? And this was caused by a man not in shape,a super middle,who at 37 was conceding 13 years and 39 lbs.If you think Jeffries looks agile on film ,catch Jack Johnson training on you tube .Thats agile.

 

Corbetts record at the time of meeting Jeffries 60-1-3 is total bollocks.Show me a source or post these fights .Corbett had 26 fights when he met Jeffries,and only one in the 2 years before the match ,and that one a losing one.If Jeffries was a boxer/mover ,and as fast as a lightweight ,how come a 37 year old supermiddle whom he outweighed by 39 turned his face into hamburger? Corbett told Tommy Loughran in a taped interview." I only had 39 fights in my career".Inflating opponents records to boost your idol Jeffries again Mendoza,you naughty boy!

 

Liston UD.