Im putting this on the forum,not to keep the recent debate about Jeffries and Jackson going ,but to share something I only just found out. This is from a site called The Australian Biography. "After 1892 Jackson was unable to obtain fights.Past his prime,he was debilitated by fast living and probably even then tubercular.He taught boxing ,worked as a publican,toured as an actor in Uncle Tom's Cabin,and boxed exhibitions.In March 1898,he was sacrificed to Jim Jeffries,who flattened him in 3 rds,and next year he suffered the 3rd of his losses in 37 fights,at the hands of a 4th rater in Vancouver.Money was raised to send him to Australia,where he toured with Fitzgeralds Circus,but was too ill to box." This piece is an extract from Nat Fleischers "Black Dynamite". "Regarded as the greatest boxer of his era, Jackson had met ,in Corbett,his equal,at least in cleverness.Those who witnessed the affair,were unanimous on two points,.Corbett was a far greater fighter than the American public had credited him with being,and that , Peter Jackson,had passed the meridian of his fighting days,success had gone to Peter's brain,he had been living the life that an athlete could not afford to go through,without injury to his body." I took this from Boxing Scene.. " Jackson stopped Jem Smith in 2 rds for the British Empire Championship,after this, in ,1892 he fought Frank Slavin,stopping him in 10rds,during this fight,however ,he suffered 2 broken ribs,which punctured his lung,this led to his tuberculosis." I was totally unaware that Jackson suffered such an injury in his fight with Slavin,though I knew it was a bitterly fought contest with no love lost between them. Ive no agenda in posting this ,just thought it was interesting .,as I didnt know it ,maybe others didnt either.
I didn't know about the punctured lung, although I read a biography of Jackson. I think a lot of fighters died of tuberculosis in that age.
Jackson's career is a little similar to Dempsey, in that everyone who fought with him rates him a lot lighter than his accomplishments actually seem 100 years later. Most people thought him past prime by the time he fought Corbett, even though he went on to some good wins. Given that he was clearly pre prime when beaten by Bill Farnan, it is a short prime if this is the case.
When exactly was his prime? I have usually heard 1889. Either way, those who saw him against Corbett said neither were worthy of championship contention even tho Sullivan, the champ, was well beyond his best. And remember that drunken Joe Goddard more than held his own with Jackson.
The Goddard fight was a draw with Jackson being down once and Goddard twice.Have you a source that Goddard was a drunkard when he fought Jackson?
