Jack Johnson Admits He Was Genuinely KO'd

[Bronson66]

Edited

[Marchegiano]

Was there a body attached to this fight?


Like how the IBU had a lot to say in 1913.

[BKM-]

Nice write up, I especially like the part that highlights Jess Willard's legendary durability and heart.

But I feel like they vastly overestimate how out of shape Johnson was, and I don't remember the story being that Johnson was completely dominating and winning every single round but one. The footage is very incomplete and what we have does not paint that picture, Willard looked formidable and a danger throughout before the knockout.

It's like they got rid of 1 excuse(it being a dive) and added 10 more to replace it. Also, Bert Sugar had to have known these pieces but he always incorrectly claimed Johnson could have gotten up and just let himself get counted out because he knew it was not his day.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Johnson was actually in fantastic shape at 225lbs. He fought at a high pace. The photo don't lie.

Problem being Willard set him up for BOOMsky after taking what would normally be a beating.

[Nash out]

Nash was there in the audience. It's true. Nash out - His Majesty

[solidman]

Yes I think the fight was on the level. I wish Johnson won though.

[them_apples]

"It was a clean knockout and the best man won. It was not a matter of luck. I have no kick coming." Jack Johnson after he lost his world heavyweight title via 26th-round KO to the massive hard-hitting 'Pottawatomie Giant' Jess Willard in Havana #OnThisDay in 1915.
The once-invincible Johnson appeared far older than his 37 years. “Time had done its work,” the Associated Press reported. “It had been the opinion of Johnson and many of his friends that he did not have to be in the best of condition to whip Willard, underrating the latter’s splendid condition and youthful stamina.” After the fight, referee Jack Welch said: "If I had been compelled to give a decision at the end of the twenty-fifth round, it would have been Johnson's by a wide margin. Up to the twentieth round, Willard had one won only one round by a real margin and two or three others by the slightest shade. In the thirteenth and fourteenth, I was almost sure Johnson would knock Willard out, but Willard showed that his jaw and body were too tough. Johnson put up a wonderful fight to the twentieth round, but age stepped in then and defeated him."
Johnson initially handled the defeat with grace.
Nine months later, however, Johnson dramatically changed his tune and controversially claimed he had thrown the fight.
“Nobody ever took Johnson’s charges of fakery seriously,” promoter Jack Curley said years later. “He was well past his prime, fat and dissipated, and he was worn down and knocked out by a strong, game and well-conditioned opponent.”

It looked like a clean Ko. He got stretched and the shot looked hard too. It was also very late in the fight. Why would someone wait that long to throw a fight

[Anomalocaris]

I believe it was a legitmate knockout.

Johnson was dog tired.

[BKM-]

Johnson said his best conditioning was for Jeffries for which fight he was 208lbs .Seventeen pounds lighter than for Willard,plus he was 5 years younger when he fought Jeffries

Pictures of Johnson in both the Willard and Jeffries fights emphatically show the difference in conditioning and fitness of Johnson in both fights. Anyone who thinks Johnson was half as ripped for the Willard fight as he was for Jeffries,needs to follow another sport,wrestling perhaps?

Is it fair to say Johnson was about as good a shape he could have been in at that stage in his career? I agree he was past his prime, he had the milage and age going against him plus his style relied on reflexes, hand and foot speed. That would go in line with the story of the fight, with johnson outclassing Willard early to mid fight when he was full of energy and his quickness and athleticsm carried him. Then age made him slow down and he started getting hit, tired out and got clipped by the younger, bigger man.

It's just that the OP makes it sound like he didn't train and got off the couch straight into the ring which is pretty much impossible considering his performance.

[travestyny]

I don't think anyone really believed Johnson threw this fight.


I do believe he faked the Ketchel knockdown. You can see him begin to go down before the punch reached the mark.