The most impressive, evolved modern heavyweight might be James Jeffries!
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Bare with me on this one... Let us be concillatory towards the size queens and say "Ok ok... the older guys were just toooo smalllll...." Just to play devil's advocate.
When we look at the athletic talent of "evolved" athletes, including athletes that benefitted from supplements, including hormones, etc... Can any of them match jeffries? The guy was a phenom! He was gigantic, all muscle, could jump, sprint, do it all... Given his size he could easily even lose a few pounds and measure up to any modern heavyweight's size, and had phenominal endurance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_...2014688030.jpg
check out the size of Jeffries in this pic. If Jeffries were competing today would he not be considered in a class by himself?
Jeffres was a physical marvel. In his last fight he was 227 pounds. If he was around today he would be 230+ with better training techniques as the somewhat archaic techniques in his time were not as fully developed as today.
Ah , but what would he look like? Given he was a world class athlete, I say he would take to modern boxing like a fish to water.
Here are his training clips, first in 1910 as an old man. Focus on his footwork, not him being out of the ring for 6 years. Stick around later as for his 1901 training clips. Here he shows amazing strength -- enough to toy with a 200 pound man and spin him around like a top, quickness on the jump rope, hand speed with ( while holding dumbbells ), flexibility enough effortlessly to bend down and touch his toes, and in sparing, ability working in his defense like well you insert the name. And great strength. He makes his man miss with ease duking and stepping back with speed and athleticism. And mixes in some fine counters. One has to know what they are watching and thankfully this film is up close, clear , and runs at close to a good speed though as you can tell the people walking around a bit too slowly. But Jeffires is not. He must have been a marvel in his prime and his you read some of his reports, he was. Unfortunately for us, his film in his prime runs very slow, is blurred, and is basically all but unwatchable. You can see his full five rounds vs. Gus Ruhlin if you are a known film collector, but that film is not shared on the web! What's available if Sharkey again runs slow very slowly and it is grainey for a few minutes or so. That is all that is known to exist today of Jeffries in the ring in his prime.
An excellent body punch, who stood" 6'1"1/2 inches tall with a reported 76.5 of 77" reach.
I picture him as a power puncher with a great hook, very good body punching, good power and stamina to spare. And of course a great chin. And the will to win. A boxer in his prime who had a good slip and duck movement with his head. His lighter opponents with good footwork , speed , and defense did not last as long, but Jim Corbett did. I have noted his heavier 190+ pound opponents did not last as long. In fact none of them made it past 11 rounds. Jeffries produced at least one knock down in all of his fights save his last one where he was old and rusty. Today he would be a monster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhBbdxIGvU
And here is box rec link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhBbdxIGvU
Last edited by Dr. Z; 09-08-2023, 11:26 AM.Comment
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Jeffres was a physical marvel. In his last fight he was 227 pounds. If he was around today he would be 230+ with better training techniques as the somewhat archaic techniques in his time were not as fully developed as today.
Ah , but what would he look like? Given he was a world class athlete, I say he would take to modern boxing like a fish to water.
Here are his training clips, first in 1910 as an old man. Focus on his footwork, not him being out of the ring for 6 years. Stick around later as for his 1901 training clips. Here he shows amazing strength -- enough to toy with a 200 pound man and spin him around like a top, quickness on the jump rope, hand speed with ( while holding dumbbells ), flexibility enough effortlessly to bend down and touch his toes, and in sparing, ability working in his defense like well you insert the name. And great strength. He makes his man miss with ease duking and stepping back with speed and athleticism. And mixes in some fine counters. One has to know what they are watching and thankfully this film is up close, clear , and runs at close to a good speed though as you can tell the people walking around a bit too slowly. But Jeffires is not. He must have been a marvel in his prime and his you read some of his reports, he was. Unfortunately for us, his film in his prime runs very slow, is blurred, and is basically all but unwatchable. You can see his full five rounds vs. Gus Ruhlin if you are a known film collector, but that film is not shared on the web! What's available if Sharkey again runs slow very slowly and it is grainey for a few minutes or so. That is all that is known to exist today of Jeffries in the ring in his prime.
An excellent body punch, who stood" 6'1"1/2 inches tall with a reported 76.5 of 77" reach.
I picture him as a power puncher with a great hook, very good body punching, good power and stamina to spare. And of course a great chin. And the will to win. A boxer in his prime who had a good slip and duck movement with his head. His lighter opponents with good footwork , speed , and defense did not last as long, but Jim Corbett did. I have noted his heavier 190+ pound opponents did not last as long. In fact none of them made it past 11 rounds. Jeffries produced at least one knock down in all of his fights save his last one where he was old and rusty. Today he would be a monster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhBbdxIGvU
And here is box rec link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhBbdxIGvU
I have photos of Jeffries next to the following, six feet one Corbett,Corbett is taller.
Tunney six feet Tunney looks taller
Fitzsimmons no difference Fitz was slightly under six feet
Johnson six feet and one quarter inch,no discernible difference.
The film of Jeffries training for Ruhlin in which he swings his brother around is not shown at the correct speed.lol
His brotherJack by the way was not 200lbs.There is no film of Jeffries fighting in which he remotely resembles those training clips,against Ruhlin he plods after him,his left arm down at his waist chin slightly tucked into his shoulder.He looks wide open to right hands .
Here we can see Jack Johnson filmed at the correct speed,note the crowd. Johnson is nimbly dancing around showing speed of hand and foot,but he did not fight like that,he stood flat footed and waited for you to come to him.the point being training clips are very often very misleading.
Jeffries today? Add weight to him if you wish make him 230lbs, he would still be 6 foot tall and he would not be any faster and with the extra weight , in all probability slower.
He would be facing men six inches taller and up to 30lbs heavier
something totally outside his experience as a boxer in which he was always the bigger man and in most of his big fights considerably younger.
If Corbett 188lbs giving Jeffries 30lbs, could outbox him for 23 rds, one wonders how he would fare against Usyk, a 6ft 3 in 221lbs southpaw?
Last edited by Ivich; 09-11-2023, 05:25 AM.Comment
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Jeffries was measured at 6'1 1/2" numerous times. He is standing with famous men, such as Babe Ruth as an older man and Ruth is 6'1" The height is even. And Jeffries was a older man. Human tend to shrink a bit as they age. Maybe you should know that.
Who would he be facing over 260?? Examples please. And Usyk who is lighter than Jeffries at 230 can't take a body shot , which Jeffries if good at. If you go by a detailed round by round report the fight with Corbett was even in rounds scored until the KO.
Here you go, dolt
https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/9022
My last post here was accurate.
Jeffres was a physical marvel. In his last fight he was 227 pounds. If he was around today he would be 230+ with better training techniques as the somewhat archaic techniques in his time were not as fully developed as today.
Ah , but what would he look like? Given he was a world class athlete, I say he would take to modern boxing like a fish to water.
Here are his training clips, first in 1910 as an old man. Focus on his footwork, not him being out of the ring for 6 years. Stick around later as for his 1901 training clips. Here he shows amazing strength -- enough to toy with a 200 pound man and spin him around like a top, quickness on the jump rope, hand speed with ( while holding dumbbells ), flexibility enough effortlessly to bend down and touch his toes, and in sparing, ability working in his defense like well you insert the name. And great strength. He makes his man miss with ease duking and stepping back with speed and athleticism. And mixes in some fine counters. One has to know what they are watching and thankfully this film is up close, clear , and runs at close to a good speed though as you can tell the people walking around a bit too slowly. But Jeffires is not. He must have been a marvel in his prime and his you read some of his reports, he was. Unfortunately for us, his film in his prime runs very slow, is blurred, and is basically all but unwatchable. You can see his full five rounds vs. Gus Ruhlin if you are a known film collector, but that film is not shared on the web! What's available if Sharkey again runs slow very slowly and it is grainey for a few minutes or so. That is all that is known to exist today of Jeffries in the ring in his prime.
An excellent body punch, who stood" 6'1"1/2 inches tall with a reported 76.5 of 77" reach.
I picture him as a power puncher with a great hook, very good body punching, good power and stamina to spare. And of course a great chin. And the will to win. A boxer in his prime who had a good slip and duck movement with his head. His lighter opponents with good footwork , speed , and defense did not last as long, but Jim Corbett did. I have noted his heavier 190+ pound opponents did not last as long. In fact none of them made it past 11 rounds. Jeffries produced at least one knock down in all of his fights save his last one where he was old and rusty. Today he would be a monster.
And here is box rec link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhBbdxIGvUComment
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Jeffries was measured at 6'1 1/2" numerous times. He is standing with famous men, such as Babe Ruth as an older man and Ruth is 6'1" The height is even. And Jeffries was a older man. Human tend to shrink a bit as they age. Maybe you should know that.
Who would he be facing over 260?? Examples please. And Usyk who is lighter than Jeffries at 230 can't take a body shot , which Jeffries if good at. If you go by a detailed round by round report the fight with Corbett was even in rounds scored until the KO.
Here you go, dolt
https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/9022
My last post here was accurate.
Charley White the referee of the Corbett v Jeffries fight said after 22 rds Corbett was in front.
Here is a ringside report.
"The finishing blow came suddenly and was a startling surprise. Corbett had been making a wonderful battle. His defense was absolutely perfect, and while he was lacking in strength, he had more than held his own and stood an excellent chance of winning the fight had it gone the limit. He had not been badly punished and had managed to mark his man severely. The winning punch was a short left to the jaw. Corbett dropped like weight and was clear out. Jeffries showed his ability to take punishment at any distance and hard. He was clearly outboxed and at times was made to look like a novice. The crowd, which numbered fully eight thousand, was with Corbett and his defeat fell upon a silent crowd. There were cheers for him when he revived and left the ring, and he was generally given more consideration than the victor. Corbett is still a factor in pugilistic fame. He has regained much of his old time form. The battle was clean and it is doubtful if there was a single infraction of the rules." (Durango ********)
Corbett had not won a fight in 6 years!
When the two champions finally stepped into the ring, Jeffries outweighed Corbett by at least 30 pounds, and most observers were curious about the outcome more out of a sense of morbidity than from interest in a good sporting contest. But the challenger astonished everyone by turning the tables on his younger, bigger adversary. In front of an awestruck audience of over eight thousand, the veteran Corbett put on a boxing clinic worthy of remembrance.
For 22 of the scheduled 25 rounds, he boxed circles around the younger champ. He danced, weaved, ducked and moved and made Jeffries look like a fish out of water. “The Boilermaker” chased after Corbett the way a poker player on his last stand chases after the river card, but he didn’t seem to even belong in the same ring as Corbett. No matter how hard he tried, Jeffries’s bombs kept hitting air, while he received constant punishment from Corbett’s precise and perfectly timed blows.
By round 20, the Boilermaker’s corner had worked itself into a panic, warning the champ he needed a knockout to win. Jim was well ahead on the scorecards, and showed no sign of losing steam as the fight neared its end. But what could the champion do except keep pursuing “Gentleman Jim,” doggedly stalking Corbett in the hope of landing the one big shot that could turn things around?
And land it he did. In round 23, he caught Corbett with a short, stiff right hand just as the challenger, having avoided a left hook, bounced off the ropes. The blow landed flush and put Corbett’s lights out, the former champion sunk into unconsciousness before he even hit the canvas. Jeffries had caught his river card, big time, at the same time giving boxing one of its truly legendary one-punch knockouts.
So badly outclassed was Jeffries at the end of the 19th round his manager climbed up into the corner threw his trainer out and shouted at Jeffries , " you are losing your title you've got to knock him out!"
Then again I remember you stating that at the end of ten rounds the Jeffries v Johnson fight was level! Jeffries was an old man i1910? He was 35!
How old was Fitz for his two fights with Jeffries?
How old was Jackson?
How old was Corbett for the second fight? Were they all older than Jeffries was in1910, or does it only count when its Jeffries? lol
PRODUCE ONE VERIFIED ACCOUNT OF JEFFRIES BEING MEASURED AT SIX FEET ONE AND A HALF INCHES.YOU SAY HE WAS MEASURED AT IT LOADS OF TIMES .WELL PRODUCE ONE EXAMPLE.Last edited by Ivich; 09-11-2023, 07:26 PM.Comment
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Ivich
You have one source, and I'm not so sure Pollack believes it. I have many. They all say 6'1" or greater.
Corbett did not even win the majority of rounds called here on a detailed round by round description. Do you have any source such as this with a detailed round by round description? Well?
Prior to Jeffries knock out of Corbett , Pollack, who you love to quote when it suits you says it was anybody's fight.
Here read and learn:
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/tim...rect=true&ip=0Last edited by Dr. Z; 09-11-2023, 07:51 AM.Comment
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Ivich
you have one source, and i'm not so sure pollack believes it. I have many. They all say 6'1" or greater.
Corbett did not even win the majority of rounds called here on a detailed round by round description. Do you have any source such as this with a detailed round by round description? Well?
Prior to jeffries knock out of corbett , pollack, who you love to quote when it suits you says it was anybody's fight.
Here read and learn:
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/tim...rect=true&ip=0
I have the referees opinion too.
I have the account of Jeffries own manager telling Jeffries he needed a knockout to win.
You're not sure Pollack believes what he wrote?
Are you sure the anonymous writer you posted believed what he wrote?lolLast edited by Ivich; 09-11-2023, 10:00 AM.Comment
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I just read the round by round - thanks Z for posting it.
It must have a great fight - too bad it is not often written about.Comment
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- James J. Jeffries
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffries stood 6 ft (1.83 m) tall and weighed 225 pounds
Brady to Jeffries,in the corner after the 19th round.
"YOUR ONLY CHANCE IS TO KNOCK HIM OUT,FORGET EVERYTHING ABOUT BOXING AND GO OUT AND FIGHT" JIM JEFFRIES IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. "
"Corbett bore no marks save a slight cut over the left ear
Both of Jeffries eyes were black and swollen.His right ear was badly swollen and his lips were bruised and puffy,almost level with the end of his nose"
The New York Tribune."Corbett had an excellent chance of winning if it had gone the distance.Jeffries was clearly outboxed."
The New York Clipper. "had a decision been given on points Corbett would in all likelyhood have received it received it"
The Journal ,"up to the 20th rd ,no one inJeffries corner thought he would win."
Brookly Eagle.Staff Writer, " barring a knockout blow it was a certainty that Corbett would receive the decision."
The National Police Gazette."Up to the time of the knockout ,no one would dispute that Corbett had the best of the battle on points".Last edited by Ivich; 09-11-2023, 02:43 PM.Comment
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image.pngThirty pounds size difference.Jeffries arms look as big as Corbett's legs"- James J. Jeffries
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffries stood 6 ft (1.83 m) tall and weighed 225 poundsComment
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