Wrestling used in training for old school boxers.

Im not sure about wrestling or any of this i just really know Jeffries did quite a bit as ive seen a lot of pictures of him doing it, its usually just him lifting guys up never seen him on the floor or anything like that, dont know if hes doing any version of wrestling or just picking guys up

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Pro wrestling and boxing were inextricably linked around the time of Jeffries and Johnson for a few reasons. There were promoters (Jack Curley being the obvious and most famous example) who would do shows in both fields, and also a lot of the theatrical tours that were popular at the time would have wrestlers and boxers both on board; I know Jeff toured with a travelling troupe of boxers and wrestlers pre-Reno. I guess friendships were forged along the way and that's one of the reasons he had Martin 'Farmer' Burns as one of his main trainers for the Johnson fight, plus, depending on who you listen to, William Muldoon as well.

Muldoon, of course, did give an in-ring speech prior to the Jeff/Johnson fight about fair play, etc., aimed at calming the crowd down. But I've heard contradictory things about whether he was a bonafide part of the Jeff camp or not.

This was around the time pro wrestling was becoming a bit of a mystery to the public in terms of how 'real' it was, but I don't think there's much doubt that wrestlers were all legit tough guys back then and did command fairly universal respect. Many were seen as pioneers of conditioning and physical fitness which again must have appealed to boxers, particularly to someone like Jeff who had such an incredible amount of weight to lose in the buildup to Reno. Burns and Muldoon both had terrific and long-lasting reputations as far as personal fitness and resistance training goes. Off the top of my head I know Gene Tunney regarded Muldoon as a mentor and credited him hugely for helping his career, I'm sure there's a fair few other examples too.

In terms of tactics for the Johnson fight, it isn't hard to imagine Jeff was hoping to outmuscle him in the clinches and stay clear of Jack's uppercuts, so training in wrestling would be a logical move. Didn't work out too well though...

I am 99% certain that any wrestling match Jack did will have been worked/faked, would be absolutely amazed if not. Some pro wrestling matches had predetermined endings as early as the 1880s (there's evidence to suggest the majority did), and it's super hard to believe Jack would agree or even be asked to do a shoot/real bout when it'd be easy, hassle-free money to have a standard worked match.

 

i think understanding leverage and head position and how to tie up and get out of tie ups would serve most boxers especially today very well

some of these guys look inept up close

 

Clinching didn't used to be frowned upon.

Grappling without the takedowns scoring points used to be a pretty accepted part of boxing. Knowing how to manhandle a guy is such a great tool.

See Jack Johnson.

 

i agree and i think most guys now are inept in close and clinch or oblige to be clinched because they dont know or understand how to get positioning inside

 

I don't hate on huggers. If you aren't man enough to outfight a guy while he's climbing your back, you aren't the better man.

I don't like John Ruiz, but he was rugged, strong, and his own type of skilled. Don't like what he's doing to ya? Stop him.

 

maybe my post didnt explain what i meant but what im saying is many guys dont get how to not be clinched

lots of guys accept it and wait to be separated not wrestle out and fire away

clinchers wont clinch or will be deterred if you dont let em

 

I agree 100%.

Don't fall in. Use a jab. Learn how to shed. Place your shoulder by his chin and hop up and down. Push for separation, and place shots. Use your head!

Guys only want an ugly inside fight if they think they win. Make it just as uncomfy for them as you, and the match cleans up. We're in agreement.

 

i was a wrestler but a boxing fan and sometimes it amazes me how some of these guys just dont get how to position their head and use their hands to get inside control to use their hands

im no experienced trained boxer but i think lots of wrestling knowledge can help a boxer

 

I gave that MMA and that K1 stuff a shot briefly, and I learned a whole lot.

If you ever tried boxing, your knowledge of positioning, how to explode, and how to shed would be real assets.

 

what i find interesting is that i feel both sports require similar disciplines of footwork hand eye coordination mental toughness and weight cutting

also both are 1 on 1 sports where you can win on points or land a big punch/pin an opponent to come all the way back

i think many can benefit from understanding both

 

Paul Berlenbach was a AAU wrestling champion before winning the World light heavyweight title, so guess a lot of his attributes in boxing could be said to come from his wrestling background.