The evolution of the style of Jim Jeffries.

I think there is a much greater difference between 165 to 205lb than their is from 190 to 230lb, Despite both being the same 40lb differencial. The higher you go in weight, the less weight matters. Its physics. If you go down to 120lb, 5lb means a lot to those little guys. When you get higher in weight, the less it matters. There is a reason after 1930, no heavyweight under 170lb managed to have a succesful campaign into the heavyweight division..however their were several 190lb heavyweight contenders/chamions all the way until mid 1970s.

I mean this Jeffries is some big bad ass 220lb heavyweight in the mold of Tyson, Foreman, Liston right? At least that's what I hear from some people. If this is the case, then I would like to see how his chin stands up against punchers who are at least near his size. Liston, Tyson, Foreman all proved their chins by taking hard punches from men their OWN size. Did Jeffries?

 

Well, going by his career you could make a case that Fitz despite beeing lighter was in the same mold as Liston, Tyson, Foreman in effective punching. I certainly think so. They are probably harder punches but not more effective.

I agree with the first part btw. I think from around 180 pounds on weight loses it´s importance drastically and from 220/230 pounds on weight doesn´t mean anything.

 

The two did not always click. A top trainer knows his fighter, and offers some give and take during training. Delaney was an old school disciplinarian type, even for his day. A bare knuckle guy working in a gloved world. Once Jeffries gained skills, the two had a falling out.

Had Jeffries had a better trainer from the get go, I do think he would have developed quicker.

 

How hard did Dempsey hit? How hard did Louis hit? How hard did Marciano hit? Close to Tyson, Foreman, and Liston's class? Close enough.

No less authority than Nat Fleisher himself said Fitzsimmons was the greatest KO puncher he ever saw, and he said this post Marciano. Maybe he's wrong by a little. Maybe he is not. At the very least such as testimonial places Fitzimmons in the class of an all time puncher.

 

The best to go by are the written reports of the men that fought Fitz and the men that saw his fights ... everything I have read supports the fact that Fitz was a murderous puncher. I can appreciate arguments that styles have evolved over the generations, often for the better. However, power is power, in 1900 or 2010 ... Fitz appears to have had it in spades.

 

Did he? As fast as Tyson or Patterson? :shock: My comment was he and Delaney did not click, and Delaney teachings were in part old school bareknuckle in a gloved world. Jeffries advanced to the title on physical gifts alone. He did not become a complete fighter until Ryan worked with him.

 

Ryan was the one who taught Jeffries defense and movement.

What was Delaney's philosophy?

 

Jeffries was probably the most precocious of the heavyweight champs, I don't see how he could have developed quicker.

 

Ryan had the bright idea of putting Jeffries ,one of the tallest heavies around at the time ,into a crouch.:huh