Who Thinks Jack Johnson Could Step Out Of A Time Machine And Fight For A Belt?

Excellent post!

 

I really dont see how Johnson could do anything but be spectacular, straight off the time machine. Unlike todays fighters, he would have no fear of the Don King Factor. The politics of earning the title fight are nothing to what he faced. Physically, Johnson might not be a super heavy but he matches up well still. The worst he could possibly be would be a combination of Chris Byrd and John Ruiz, but with a big punch. And both those guys were world champions. Imagine him Toying with the fat middleweight contender James Toney the same way that he did with Burnsl and others. Old Holyfield would have far less chance than old Jeffries. I see the massively big Klitchsko dropping to the one punch knockout the same way that Ketchell did, as soon as he annoys jack and knocks him down. Vitali might be an intersting chance to pull a willard but sadly, he wouldnt have the 60 rounds to wear him down, so jack could conceivably survive until his 50s or later. I mean if Larry Holmes was competive that long, why not jack, who was arguably far more dominant in his prime.

In reality, i see Jack creating a massive stir, chasing every abc belt holder around the globe until they defend, and knocking out every half decent challenger who tries to claim the rigged mandatory spot. He d then probably knock out the MMA fighters or whatever they are because they dare to try to suggest they are better than him and then hed melt his alph belts into one and sit on his title until the political correct politicians eventually find some law to put him in jail just like those of his own time.

 

Incidentaly Jack Johnson like both Joe Gans and George Dixon before him utilized a strategy based primarily on alowing an oponent to throw a jab first and then countering off it.

This is exactly the strategy that Max Schmeling used to defeat Joe Louis. When Johnson said that Louis was a sucker for a right hand it was a verry valid criticism in terms of his own era.

Those who think that a good jab is the key to defeating Johnson might just be verry misguided.

 

In fact, Johnson may have gone on public record as picking Schmeling to win before he matched Louis. Nat Fleischer reported that Johnson told him how Louis went off-balance as he delivered his jab, and would be susceptible to a counter right. (I'd have to dig out my copy of 50 Years at Ringside to recover precisely what Fleischer quoted Johnson as telling him, but I'm sure plenty of you already have more immediate access to Fleischer's autobiography.)

 

Yeh, in unforgivable blackness they touch upon Jack Johnsons offer to train Joe Louis, which Joe Louis turned down to preserve his "squeaky clean" reputation.

Jack Johnson then went on to predict Schmeling would defeat Joe Louis, and outlined just how.

I find it difficult to fathom people watching Jack Johnson on film and not being impressed - He's the real deal. Fleishcher saw pretty much every significant boxing event from 1899 onwards and rates Johnson as the best heavyweight ahead of Ali.

I'm wondering what footage the detractors have actually watched?

Boxing has evolved to some extent to include the jab as a more frequent auxilliary weapon, but Jack Dempsey suggested in his book this was to the detriment of the effectiveness of the jab - Because it's potentially a damaging weapon when used correctly, not merely a means to score and keep the opponent off balance. There are two sides to the coin.

 

Well, Sizzle, if they're viewing footage on youtube, or other internet services, they are missing a great deal of detail, like a clip of Johnson pounding Flynn with several consecutive jabs in rapid succession. (Only a frame by frame viewing of the movie film would reveal this clearly.)

 

Fedor Emelianenko d Jack Johnson, R1, 2:10

 

Another Great White Hope. atsch

 

Johnson did win a boxer vs. wrestler encounter, although it may have been fixed. Nevertheless, Fedor soundly defeats him. Might be interesting while it lasts, especially if Fedor elects to keep it standing or can't take Johnson down immediately.

 

Johnson has about as much chance of stopping Fedor's takedown as he does of growing a second head.

Quinton Jackson d. Jack Johnson, R1, 4:30, via "whoop that ass"

C'mon, Fedor walked away from THIS:

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60 seconds later he had that guy begging for mercy. Jack Johnson would poop his purple pants if he had to fight Fedor.

 

i agree with this :good

 

I think there is a fair argument to be made that Johnson couldn't handle a modern jab. Let's not forget that that punch has evolved more than any other. Johnson faced it against people like Jess Willard, who I don't think had a capable modern jab.

Johnson didn't face any fighter with a piledriver jab like Wladimir Klitschko, Mercer or Holmes, so it's hard to say how well he would do.

 

The sophisticated clinch-fighting and more frequent boxer/wrestler matches of that period lead me to wonder whether Johnson might do better than we think in MMA. Consider how recent boxer/wrestler bouts turned out compared to the boxer/wrestler bouts in the turn of the century (Jeffries-Roeber, Fitz-Roeber, Sullivan-Muldoon, and Johnson-bunch of French wrestlers). The boxers were more successful then than they are now.

 

I think he could, but 90% of the guys on this forum would cuss him out daily for holding or for not taking chances in the ring or for fighting easy opposition, and the remaining 10% would say that he'd never win a belt because he's too small.

 

Amen Brother!

After dominating boxing and MMA, he'd have to move on to basketball and football, since the press always says that's where the Real Heavyweight champions are.

First he'd put on the purple trunks and a wife beater shirt (you are what you wear) and top Wilt's 100 pt. game. In football he could use his fast footwork, incredible reflexes and strength to run all over the NFL.

All he'd need is a leather helmet and a wool sweater.

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