The ESB Fitzsimmons Project

When did you return to ESB? :yep :good.

and Thanks for the links cross :good.

 

Corbett's attire always gets me :rofl.

 

Fitz-Lang. meaningless. He was WAY over the hill, inactive, and 46 years old.

The Fitz-Jeff recreation is even more meaningless because that's NOT either of them. It's a couple of actors. The footage is a fraud.

 

From what I've seen and read of Fitz, he appears to be some form of technician or counterpuncher. He seems to have been at his most comfortable against opponents who came at him, like Tom Sharkey. Against opponents who made him come forward, like Corbett, he seems to have been less comfortable and perhaps open and vulnerable.

 

Looking at that Fitzsimmons-Lang footage, it is interesting to note, that i think it is the first or second time that Fitzsimmons was Knocked down by Lang, it took about a 5 or 6 punch combination to knock him down. Then in the final knockdown, while it is the last punch that does most of the damage, it is a 4 punch combination shortly before this that seems to set Fitzsimmons up for the KO. I thought i was told that combination punching did not exist in these days. WAs Bill Lang ahead of his time?

Fitz did look old and tired. Saying this, it also shows us what Fitz does when he is in trouble. You can see that Fitz had the whereabouts to clinch when hurt and in trouble. Very Smart. Also, there is one point where it looks like Lang is chasing Fitz for the KO and Fitz seems to stop him dead in his tracks and make him retreat with a big left hand.

One of the amazing things about this performance, which i just realised is that he is not totally outclassed and he is well in the fight, although it is a fair win to Lang. Shortly after this fight, Lang went the distance with Tommy Burns and also later beat Arthur Pelkey by KO, as well as Squires and others. He was well in the Kaufman fight also. Amazingly, even at this advanced age, Fitzsimmons could have very easily landed another world title shot against Tommy Burns at a ridiculously advanced age, if he had won this fight. That is something i only just realised. It is astonishing that he was so competive for so long.

I would love to see the full film of this fight. it is bad enough to have only past prime footage of fighter, but here it is only the round where Fitz was KOd. I would like to know how the fight went up through the first 10 or 11 rounds.

 

interesting point.

This film is pretty good quality and almost in normal speed so we see every punch and movement.

Afew days ago i sat on the remote while watching Rose vs Limon and if it was black and white it could have came out of the 1890s. You seen no combination punches just single shots where i knew for a fact there was a combination as i rewatched it. So perhaps the speed of the films hide the combinations.

Also yes i am interested ill help out with the research and ill try out the techniques for you guys.

 

Excellent, If you can just jag a WBC title, we are going to revolutionise modern boxing and nutrition theories. I cant wait for you to test out the good middleweight beats a heavyweight theory like fitz did

In all seriousness though, this does sound like an interesting project.

 

yeh it sounds really interesting and sounds good fun aswell.

Im just trying out his style. I'd have to bulk up to try out the middleweight theories, im a featherweight haha

 

Although I've never heard that combo punching didn't exist in the old days, check out this fight (if you haven't already) with Willie Ritchie posted here:

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159892

I was very impressed with Ritchie's combo punching in the late rounds. Then again, it's possible he was ahead of his time too. :conf

 

I will dig through some contemporary articles and try to pick out certain aspects of his style.

One thing that the articles are usualy prety specific on is what combination of punches was used to end a fight.