What's the truth behind Jeffries' weight loss?

This.
"others claimed 70 pounds and made said weight comfortably a year prior to the fight."

 

We have some images and footage from the fight. He looked very fit. He wouldn't have looked like that if he'd lost 100+lbs in a rush. Seems much more likely that he lost the weight and got back in shape a year before the fight.

 

How do people think Mayweather would do against Terrence Crawford if he came back to fight him now?

Mayweather has been retired as long as Jeffries was when he fought Johnson. Yes, he was younger when he fought Johnson than Mayweather is now, but consider that - 1) Mayweather is greater than Jeffries; 2) Johnson is greater than Crawford; 3) 35 then isn't that different to 44 now; and 4) Mayweather hasn't "balloned" up in weight at all.

I rank Johnson above Jeffries because he has the better win resume. Gun to my head and I'd pick the best version of Johnson to beat the best version of Jeffries. However, the Johnson fight is as irrelevant to Jeffries ranking as the Holmes fight is to Ali's, imo.

 

I'm going to say fifty pounds from about 275 to 225 to over sixteen months as he sparred and traveled ...

 

I agree. I think Jeff lost the weight over a reasonable amount of time.

He did look haggard in the ring though - but that can also be put down to his psychological angst as the fight drew nearer - and per reports, he basically couldn’t sleep the night before the fight.

It seems Jeff had a virtual breakdown - the weight of the White Race’s hopes would’ve been impossibly heavy.

Helluva way to be before facing a near prime Johnson who was in perfect condition - mind and body. Johnson had been waiting 6-8 years for the chance - he left no stone unturned in his preparations.

I personally feel that Johnson could’ve stopped Jeff as early as round 4 - but of course, Jack wanted to enjoy himself, twist the knife and make the films worthwhile.

 

I’d have to look at the footage again - but perhaps Jeff was, or was close to his biggest when refereeing the Burns vs Squires match - he looked absolutely huge compared to the combatants, particularly as compared to Tommy, of course.

 

As someone who once lost 50 lbs in 3 months in order to win a work competition, I can say that Jeffries did himself no favors if he dropped that kind of weight in a short amount of time. So I hope for his sake that he did it wisely and took his time in preparing. Not that it changed the outcome of the fight of course…..

 

Jeffries was down to weight when he came back from Carlsbad.

 

Does anything exist on Johnson's training routines? I'd be very interested to see.

 

There was certainly nothing rushed about it. Jeffries started boxing exhibitions in January 1909 weighing an estimated 260, and reduced his weight steadily throughout the year. By the end of the year he was looking in pretty solid shape.

This is a posed picture of him from November 1909.

https://ibb.co/chW8Z16

 

Looks in very good shape considering, has there ever been a HW with bigger legs, Jack London " Bob entered Jeffs dressing room to see his hands being bandaged, big Jim was on the rubbing table, Bob walked up to Jim to shake hands, lazily and with little effort Jeffries rose from the table to meet Fitz head on, oh what a site he was, huge chest covered in a forest of hair, arms like thick steel cables, hands knurled and rough as sandpaper, brown as the soil due to years of leaving them out in the sun after being soaked in salt brine, then the legs, they looked like the pillars holding up the temple of Zeus , I don't know what Bob must have been thinking, but they cant have been good thoughts" nuff said.
stay safe Solomon ( if I may )

 

I think it’s been touched on in various threads so you could try and search for same. Otherwise, Adam’s books on Johnson give some details as to his training on a fight by fight basis. I’ve read that Johnson expressly built himself up but I haven’t read details of any specific “weight” training or the equivalent of same that Johnson might’ve done.

 

This thread reminded me of the following:

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/jim-jeffries-drying-out-before-the-jack-johnson-fight.608411/

Some good posts in there, I recommend it for further reading/research.

 

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