Can somebody explain to me why Wladimir Klitchsko is better than Jess Willard?

[StarshipTrooper]

The fight was not a fix. The myth stems from Johnson himself who said it for financial purposes when he was near destitute and sold an alleged confession where he stated that he threw the fight.

BTW let me quote Gunboat Smith again (from "In this corner"):

"That fight with Jess Willard, that was on the level. Dont let anybody tell you it was a fixed fight in Havana. Well you can take my word for it.....

...

Jack Johnson couldnt hit like I could and he hit Willard with everything...

...

Now get this, he went 26 rounds. Now when you are faking a fight, you don't go no 26 rounds. You're going to call a halt in the third, fourth or fifth."

Context. You didn't read my subsequent post:

For your first scenario are u assuming that Johnson threw the fight? the referee confirmed that Johnson as genuinely knocked out

No, but it WAS widely believed at the time.

if Johnson didnt bother to get up it would be in his best intrests as he would have beeen koed anyway

An assumption for which there is no evidence.

and tiredness definetly played a role, but then again why wasnt Willard tired?

Because Willard was the younger fresher man maybe? It couldn't POSSIBLY be that could it? A younger, better conditioned fighter outlasting an aging past-it fighter? Naw, that NEVER happens :rolleyes9:

Willard had extraordinary stamina.

And at that point in his career Johnson did not. Case closed, you've proven my point for me.

As I pointed out, I'm NOT saying the fight was fixed, I'm pointing out that it was widely believed at the time. I think I made it pretty clear that I believed Johnson went down from exhaustion.

Poet

[BattlingNelson]

Context. You didn't read my subsequent post:


As I pointed out, I'm NOT saying the fight was fixed, I'm pointing out that it was widely believed at the time. I think I made it pretty clear that I believed Johnson went down from exhaustion.

Poet

You used it as an argument for saying that Willard wasn't powerful even though you knew it was false then.

Anyway I agree that exhaustion was probably the deciding factor in him going down. He was also pushing 40 at the time.

[StarshipTrooper]

You used it as an argument for saying that Willard wasn't powerful even though you knew it was false then.

Anyway I agree that exhaustion was probably the deciding factor in him going down. He was also pushing 40 at the time.

I was using it as an example of an alternative to the theory that Willard was some huge puncher. You have to also ask why it WAS widely believed at the time.....It's precisely because even his contemporaries didn't regard Willard as a big puncher.

Poet

[Jim Jeffries]

I was using it as an example of an alternative to the theory that Willard was some huge puncher. You have to also ask why it WAS widely believed at the time.....It's precisely because even his contemporaries didn't regard Willard as a big puncher.

Poet

Yeah, that and Johnson hadn't been stopped in over 14 years and had been pretty much toying with opponents ever since.

[BattlingNelson]

I was using it as an example of an alternative to the theory that Willard was some huge puncher. You have to also ask why it WAS widely believed at the time.....It's precisely because even his contemporaries didn't regard Willard as a big puncher.

Poet

If it was 'widely' thought off I think the reason was the very famous photo where a downed Johnson looks to be shading his eyes from the sun. I doubt that those guys believing the fix-rumour ever saw the film.

[Greatest1942]

If it was 'widely' thought off I think the reason was the very famous photo where a downed Johnson looks to be shading his eyes from the sun. I doubt that those guys believing the fix-rumour ever saw the film.

I agree that punch was a real one that knocked out Johnson. To qoute willard "If he was going to throw the fight, I wish he'd done it sooner. It was hotter than hell out there." I am quite with Willard on this one.

Willard definitely had a very good uppercut. You just dont break a neck with soft punches. He want a great puncher overall though. But he had amazing functional strength. I think his late start in boxing hampered him. Other wise with his functional strength I see him doing more damage.