The Effect of Jeffries 6 yr layoff

i would say it is one of the hardest to lose that weight at any age is rough but at 36 im surprised it even happend but it was a useless comeback because he had no chance with johnson and even though he went 15 with him johnson was prob told to carry him or he wanted to humilate the great white hope as much as he could so going 15 doesnt mean much to me but the effects of this layoff had to so much..he was a shell (literally) of what he was

 

the effects had to be immense. in his time, 36 was considered ancient (i know fitz and some others fought late into life) and they lacked the real science of nutrition and training. i think any version of jeffries has trouble with the 1910 version of johnson. however, he would have had a far better chance than that shell of a fighter who entered the ring.

 

i agree 36 then was realllllllllllly old and he prob lost the weight in a very unhealthy power sapping way to boot

 

Yeah, Jeffries didn't have the benefit of stimulants and other supplements to help him loose weight easier.

Must of killed himself losing all that weight.

 

Johnson let Jeffries get to 15. He didn't want to finish him too early but could have if he wanted.

 

The weight and age was an issue to a point, but the pressure on Jeffries was the main reason Jim stood no chance.

The hate for Johnson and expectation for Jim to win one for his race would of been too much for prime Boilmaker IMO, let alone a 36 year old lucerne/alfalfa farmer.

 

Actually he was 35 (Johnson was 32), what proof do we have of the 110lb weight loss, he looked in amazing shape in training pix

 

Did you ever seen the fight besides the 15th round? Johnson did not want to mix it up early. He clinched a lot in the early rounds. The first four rounds were about even 2-2 on the cards. When Jeffries began to tire, and lost his steam Johnson upped his ante. I do not think Johnson could have won early, and it was certainly not in his game plan.

Jeffries was on steady legs until the end of the 14th. Regarding the comeback, it was a quintuple front. Age, in-activity, immense peer pressure to come back, being viewed as the favorite, and 100 pounds of living it up needed to be shed. To make matters worse, Jeffries career trainer, Delaney was not invited to work with him. Johnson hired Delaney instead. Delaney knew Jeffires like a book. Johnson’s hire created seeds of doubt.

Corbett’s camp was a failure. It was full of sparring partners older than Jeffires was for the most part, was a failure. Had Jeffires had Delaney, and Ryan working with him, I think he would to a little better, but as it was he had a falling out with these two a few years back.

 

People seemed to get caught up in a tide of White supremacy ,they saw Jeffries as he had been not as he now was,the pressure on him must have been intolerable,and the expectations about his performance totally unrealistic.The constant exhortations from Corbett"Jim you must win ,you must! For the White Race."would have been a burden for a young fit man,let alone a fighter who hadn't engaged in a contest for 6 years,and had to lose 100lbs of suet from his frame.Jeffries did not sleep the night before the fight ,he could be heard pacing his room,when his Wife ventured to his door he curtly told her to go away he was under tremendous mental strain.Floyd Patterson caved in under pressure much less intense than this in the prelude to the Liston fight ,Jeffries did his best,went down to honourable defeat ,after taking severe punishment,the fickle public then turned its back on him ,after dragging him out of retirement,for a fight he did not seek,he deserved better.

 

i think we all know this fight wasnt a fight about who was better. it was basicly seen by the media as the "last line of defence"
there would be very few fighters who had the size, strength and abillity in the division to beat johnson.

so out comes the retired champion looking to upset jack.


this is not a super fight this is a passing of the torch as they say.


im surprised jim could go such a distance but johnson wasnt known as a swarmer or slugger, he was a boxer-counterpuncher (in his era). and in those days these boxers were immensly negative and timid to throw becuase every punch could cost you the fight. it isnt like now in that you have to impress th ejudges yo ujust have to tire your man down and use your tools.

johnson pulled them off superbly and took him 7 round too many...just to kill what ever he had left inside him.

 

I personally feel the hundred pound weight loss stories are blown out of reality as I have never seen 1 photo where Jeffries looked that heavy or even close to it. I think it's a myth .. He did not take off the weight in weeks but over the course of a year as he started training again way before agreeing to the fight. He wisely wanted to see how he would feel ....

All that established, he had zero chance against a active, exceptional fighter after so long a layoff ... it was stupid to take the fight as he did, he bought into his own press and took his lumps ... if you look at his body even though he looks good from some angles he looks flabby from others ....

He gave a courageous effort but it was foolish and as the fight approached he knew it ... he lasted as long as he did because Johnson choose to dissect him rather than go out and pound him out of there as he likely could have ...

It was a very sad way for Jeffries to go out ....

 

have you seen him in some of the fights he Reff'ed he is like 3X

 

Jeffries can be seen in Burns vs O'Brien. He makes them look like flyweights. Agreed, he was 3 bills in retirement.