James J Jeffries Best Wins

[Marchegiano]

I don't feel there's much need for introduction. Y'all know what to do.




As I see it:

Fitzsimmons - Was on the top of his game when Jeff beat him the first time. Personally, I appreciate that Jeffries fought the best of the best twice more often then not. Fitzs got some good wins between the first and second Jeff fight to prove both are valuable but the Fitzs Jim beat for the title was the man who had just KO'd Corbett and Maher and even though he did a number on Sharkey's nethers no one saw it that way and even today a lot of people feel Fitzs was cheated. In a way, a x2 champion when he lost to Jim, also he might have been considered the greatest in the world at the time.

Sharkey - Was doing well in his own right. Possibly the strongest claim in the history of unrecognized champions. Prior to beating Fitzs he had just beaten Choynski and drew with Corbett, after winning Fitzsimmon's title Tom draw Maher, the man Fitzs beat for the pretense title, Joe Goddard the Australian HW champion, and a draw with Choynski. between the two Jeffries matches Sharkey beat Ruhlin, Corbett, and McCoy. Top notch contender of the era and a champion who I don't quite understand why isn't recognized given all roads end in Jeffries anyway.

Corbett - Had lost twice just before fighting and losing a third time to Jeffries, but the two other men were Fitzsimmons and Sharkey, easily the two best men after the former champion himself. After he loses to Jeffries he fight one of the p4p atg contenders and beat McCoy to prove he's still a great HW, but of course loses again to Jeffries and packs it in for good this time. Corbett wasn't as good a win as either the Fitzs or Sharkey doubles but Corbett was definitely a logical threat worth putting down twice like Fitzs and Sharkey.

Jackson - Peter had vacated his Australian, Commonwealth, and Colored titles by the time Jeffries fought him, but, this is still the man Sullivan had refused to fight, he hadn't lost in a decade going into the fight, and had not been KO'd in nearly 15 years. A solid former champion win for Jeffries.

Joe Goddard - Joe was another pretense champion whose claim I don't understand as fully as the Sharkey claim. He beat Denver Ed for a version of world hw crown while Ed was Colored champion. South African and Australian HW champion. Tom Sharkey got him before Jeffries though, so logically, Sharkey had already inherited whatever world claims Goddard had.

Armstrong - Bob was in similar shape as Goddard. Not a as good as win as it could have been because Childs had KO'd him for the Colored title and when he was rebuilding Mexican Pete also beat him. However, he did pick up good wins after his loss to Pete and Jeff, including Mexican Pete himself. He was the colored champion after Peter the Great.

Ruhlin - Drew a green Jeffries and was green himself, as champion James would see the sponge thrown in on Ruhlin. Going into the rematch Ruhlin had lost to Fitzs in his last fight and McCoy, Maher, Yake Kenny, and Sharkey years prior but had also picked up wins over Sharkey, Goddard, Choynski, Dunkhorst, Jeffords, Yank, and drew Maher. A very good contender I think.

Mexican Pete - No a great contender, but a good won who picked up good wins and the timing for Jeffries was pretty good as well. Pete would beat Armstrong after Jeffries beat Pete.

Kennedy - Was a decent contender, he has wins over guys like Pete and Ruhlin and drawn Childs and Griffin but was KO'd quick and easy by Maher before Jeffries did it.

Griffin - Lost twice to Jeffries, once early in James' career and again after Jeffries was champion in a non-title match. Griffin has some good showings but hardly a win worth mention. He drew Childs, Johnson, Kennedy, and Munroe. Losses to Denver, Jeffries, Jones, and Russell. A solid win for Jeffries I think.

Munroe - Debutted to a draw against Griffin. Munroe entered a contest with Jeffries in a exhibition style tour. If a man could survive four rounds of sparring Jeffries would give $250. When the exhibition came to Munroe's town he signed up, survived, and got paid the 250. The press mislead the public into believing Jeffries had lost to Munroe. Jeffries proved it was just an exhibition sparring match by giving Munroe a title fight then flattening him with the first punch Jeff landed.

Honorable Mention to the Choynski draw. Draw's aren't wins but it's so early in Jeffries' career and Joe was such a good HW I respect the draw. Some sources report a Choynski victory actually, which i don't doubt may have been a rational perspective.

[billeau2]

I don't feel there's much need for introduction. Y'all know what to do.

As I see it:

Fitzsimmons - Was on the top of his game when Jeff beat him the first time. Personally, I appreciate that Jeffries fought the best of the best twice more often then not. Fitzs got some good wins between the first and second Jeff fight to prove both are valuable but the Fitzs Jim beat for the title was the man who had just KO'd Corbett and Maher and even though he did a number on Sharkey's nethers no one saw it that way and even today a lot of people feel Fitzs was cheated. In a way, a x2 champion when he lost to Jim, also he might have been considered the greatest in the world at the time.

Sharkey - Was doing well in his own right. Possibly the strongest claim in the history of unrecognized champions. Prior to beating Fitzs he had just beaten Choynski and drew with Corbett, after winning Fitzsimmon's title Tom draw Maher, the man Fitzs beat for the pretense title, Joe Goddard the Australian HW champion, and a draw with Choynski. between the two Jeffries matches Sharkey beat Ruhlin, Corbett, and McCoy. Top notch contender of the era and a champion who I don't quite understand why isn't recognized given all roads end in Jeffries anyway.

Corbett - Had lost twice just before fighting and losing a third time to Jeffries, but the two other men were Fitzsimmons and Sharkey, easily the two best men after the former champion himself. After he loses to Jeffries he fight one of the p4p atg contenders and beat McCoy to prove he's still a great HW, but of course loses again to Jeffries and packs it in for good this time. Corbett wasn't as good a win as either the Fitzs or Sharkey doubles but Corbett was definitely a logical threat worth putting down twice like Fitzs and Sharkey.

Jackson - Peter had vacated his Australian, Commonwealth, and Colored titles by the time Jeffries fought him, but, this is still the man Sullivan had refused to fight, he hadn't lost in a decade going into the fight, and had not been KO'd in nearly 15 years. A solid former champion win for Jeffries.

Joe Goddard - Joe was another pretense champion whose claim I don't understand as fully as the Sharkey claim. He beat Denver Ed for a version of world hw crown while Ed was Colored champion. South African and Australian HW champion. Tom Sharkey got him before Jeffries though, so logically, Sharkey had already inherited whatever world claims Goddard had.

Armstrong - Bob was in similar shape as Goddard. Not a as good as win as it could have been because Childs had KO'd him for the Colored title and when he was rebuilding Mexican Pete also beat him. However, he did pick up good wins after his loss to Pete and Jeff, including Mexican Pete himself. He was the colored champion after Peter the Great.

Ruhlin - Drew a green Jeffries and was green himself, as champion James would see the sponge thrown in on Ruhlin. Going into the rematch Ruhlin had lost to Fitzs in his last fight and McCoy, Maher, Yake Kenny, and Sharkey years prior but had also picked up wins over Sharkey, Goddard, Choynski, Dunkhorst, Jeffords, Yank, and drew Maher. A very good contender I think.

Mexican Pete - No a great contender, but a good won who picked up good wins and the timing for Jeffries was pretty good as well. Pete would beat Armstrong after Jeffries beat Pete.

Kennedy - Was a decent contender, he has wins over guys like Pete and Ruhlin and drawn Childs and Griffin but was KO'd quick and easy by Maher before Jeffries did it.

Griffin - Lost twice to Jeffries, once early in James' career and again after Jeffries was champion in a non-title match. Griffin has some good showings but hardly a win worth mention. He drew Childs, Johnson, Kennedy, and Munroe. Losses to Denver, Jeffries, Jones, and Russell. A solid win for Jeffries I think.

Munroe - Debutted to a draw against Griffin. Munroe entered a contest with Jeffries in a exhibition style tour. If a man could survive four rounds of sparring Jeffries would give $250. When the exhibition came to Munroe's town he signed up, survived, and got paid the 250. The press mislead the public into believing Jeffries had lost to Munroe. Jeffries proved it was just an exhibition sparring match by giving Munroe a title fight then flattening him with the first punch Jeff landed.

Honorable Mention to the Choynski draw. Draw's aren't wins but it's so early in Jeffries' career and Joe was such a good HW I respect the draw. Some sources report a Choynski victory actually, which i don't doubt may have been a rational perspective.

Some nice scalps. Corbett was excellent, Fitz was every bit a heavyweight from the waist up...

But Choyinski was fantastic and is often underranked. Great fighter. Jackson and Sharkey no slouches.

[The Old LefHook]

Tom Sharkey was much tougher than Jack. And he may even have had a milking muscle, from one grainy photo I saw.

[ShoulderRoll]

Fitzsimmons and Corbett were his best wins.

But he did outweigh them by 30-40 lbs. Yet despite that was losing handily to Corbett before eventually wearing him down, and took a beating against Fitz before getting him out of there.

Some things to consider when evaluating him. Especially for those that like to nitpick other resumes.

[Dr. Z]

On Jeffries, he took being the champion to another level, facing good opposition and not sitting on his title. From 1899-1900, a one year period he Ko'd Fitzsimmons, beat up Sharkey badly over 25 rounds, and Ko'd Jim Corbett. These were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd best in the division at the time, and he beat them all in one year. That is impressive.

Regarding the Draw to Choynski, Jeffries was green and according to him floored Choynski more than once. Choynski did little but run the entire second had. The decision had its share of boo's and hisses.

Best wins

Fitz 1
Corbett 1
Sharkey 2
Ruhlin 2
Griffin

[Dr. Z]

You have to see Jeffries training clips when he was in his prime. Yes, he was big and strong for sure, but he also had quick feet, a slip and duck type of defense, and good flexibility for a big man. It's a revelation.

Most boxing fans have only seen his 1910 comeback film when he was out of the ring for 6 years and had to shed a lot of weight to get back into shape. That was the shell of Jim Jeffries who would have lasted 5 rounds vs the below man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaP6Nulceik

[Marchegiano]

You have to see Jeffries training clips when he was in his prime. Yes, he was big and strong for sure, but he also had quick feet, a slip and duck type of defense, and good flexibility for a big man. It's a revelation.

Most boxing fans have only seen his 1910 comeback film when he was out of the ring for 6 years and had to shed a lot of weight to get back into shape. That was the shell of Jim Jeffries who would have lasted 5 rounds vs the below man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaP6Nulceik

Many thanks, adding it to the opener presently.

[ShoulderRoll]

You have to see Jeffries training clips when he was in his prime. Yes, he was big and strong for sure, but he also had quick feet, a slip and duck type of defense, and good flexibility for a big man. It's a revelation.

Most boxing fans have only seen his 1910 comeback film when he was out of the ring for 6 years and had to shed a lot of weight to get back into shape. That was the shell of Jim Jeffries who would have lasted 5 rounds vs the below man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaP6Nulceik

He was mediocre in the skill department. Corbett and Fitzsimmons were both much better than he was in that area.

[Dr. Z]

He was mediocre in the skill department. Corbett and Fitzsimmons were both much better than he was in that area.

Have you read the round by round fight reports? That's the best way to judge a fight off film. Don't go off internet rumors. They are often wrong. Primary sources that covered the fight are always best.

Jeffries had an easy time in the first fight with Fitz, and if you go by detailed reports was about even with Corbett in the first fight at the time of the KO. The skill levels are better than what we think today and keep in mind this was Jeffries 11th or 20th fight depending on the source.

Here's a good review of the first fight:


CONEY ISLAND SPORTING CLUB (Ringside.) June 9 -- When time was called for the first round Bob dances as Jeffries feints. They break instantly, and Jeffries is short of a left jab for the head. Jeffries is short with a left again, but touches the wind and puts a left on the neck.

Second round -- Jeffries misses a left for the head, and Bob rushes and puts a left on the neck and a right over the heart. Jeffries closes into a light clinch, then, crouching, pushes a left to the stomach, but his right swing only grazes Bob's shoulder. Jeffries rushes two lefts to the wind and then jabs the face twice with the left. Fitz swings a right to the shoulder. Jeffries shoots a straight left to the jaw and Bob goes down squarely. He is
soon up and starts to rush, but his left and right drives for the head are neatly blocked.

Third round -- A clinch to open. Fitzsimmons missed a left, and Jeffries comes back with a left on the nose, and the claret shows on Fitzsimmons' face. Bob
plants a good right over the heart, and after an exchange of left-handers, Fitzsimmons pokes the left to the neck, and Jeffries comes back hard on Fitzsimmons' ribs with a left, and a right to the stomach. Jeffries jabs the left twice to the face. Jeffries puts a stiff one on the stomach with the left and repeats it a little later. Fitzsimmons hooks a left to the ear, and his right goes over Jeffries' head, and an instant later Jeffries ducks another one. Now Jeffries ducks into a stiff left, catching it on the mouth. The men were sparring at the bell.

Fourth round -- Jeffries misses a left, but ducks Fitzsimmons' right swing. Fitzsimmons misseds a left for the stomach, and Jeffries puts a good right
over the heart. His left for the wind is stopped, but he shoots a hard left to the neck. Fitzsimmons smiles and hooks a right to the ear: Jeffries planting a sledge-hammer right over the heart. Another miss of Fitzsimmons' right draws Jeffries' right to his ribs. Fitzsimmons puts a light left to the mouth and
brings his right to the ear, and Jeffries ducks into a stiff left swing. He rushes Bob to the ropes, good footwork carrying Fitzsimmons out of danger.

Fifth round -- Bob puts a left straight on the mouth and Jeffries misses a left for the head. Fitz cuts the eye with his right. Both miss lefts. Bob shoots a left to the bad eye and swings to the ear with the same glove. Bob puts a left straight on the mouth, and Jeffries misses a left for the head. Fitz cuts Jeffries' eye with his right. Both miss lefts. Bob shoots a left to the bad eye and swings to the ear with the same glove. Jeffries sends a left
to the wind and a right to the ribs. Fitz rushes and puts a left on the neck, and Jeffries misses a savage left swing. Jeffries shoots a straight left to Fiz's mouth and Fitz tries a left for the solar plexus. Jeffries plants a left on the chin, then jabs the face with a short-arm left. Fitzsimmons misses two lefts, and Jeffries hooks the right, sending Bob to his knees. He is up in a
jiffy, and Jeffries pushes a right on the ribs and a left on the nose, Bob replying with a light left on the head. At the close Jeffries jabs. Fitzsimmons gets a left on the stomach. Jeffries' work has pleased his
friends, but Bob's friends feel as confident as ever.

Sixth round -- Fitz was up and ready ten seconds before the gong. He swings a right to the back of Jeffries' ear, then jabs the latter's face with the left, Jeffries countering with his left on the mouth. Bob jabs a left to the chin,
but misses a right, and Jeffries swings a left to the forehead. Jeffries ducks with a right hook on the ear. They swap left-facers and Bob misses a right swing, Jeffries smashing the wind with the right. Bob puts Jeffries across the ring.

Seventh round -- Fitzsimmons runs Jeffries across the ring, but is short with the left, and Jeffries sends a hot left to the face. They come together, Jeffries' right slapping Bob's side, sounding like a drum. Jeffries barely
touches the chin, Bob stopping handsomely. Jeffries clinches against the next two leads, but Bob puts a right on the ear. Jeffries answering with a right on
the ribs. Fitzsimmons lands a light left on the neck, then a straight left to the mouth. Both miss lefts, then swap rights on the head. Fitzsimmons stops Jeffries' swing, and puts two lefts on the mouth and neck, cutting the mouth
severely. Jeffries' left goes over the shoulder and Bob digs a right wickededly under the heart. The gong then sounds.

Eighth round -- Jeffries' legs are worked upon vigorously by his attendant. Bob puts a left to the neck, but misses a right swing. Jeffries sends a left to the ribs. He missed a right swing. Jeffries put a left to the ribs, Bob putting a straight one on the mouth. Bob put a left to the neck, but misses a right swing. Bob misses a right, and Fitz jolts Jeffries with the left; then shoots to the mouth and follows again to the jaw. There are two clinches, and
Jeffries shoves a right to the ribs, Fitz reaching the chin with his left. Fitz sent a straight left to the eye, Jeffries touching to the stomach with his left. Bob sent a left over Jeffries' shoulder, and Jeffries swings his left a foot over Bob's head. A straight left on the jaw sends Fitz reeling to
the ropes. Out in the center he clinches, then swings a hard left to Jeffries' head. The bell rings.

Ninth round -- Jeffries jabs a left on the mouth. Another left from Jeffries to the mouth, and then he hits to the neck. The men swap rights. Jeffries' left draws more blood from Bob's nose. Bob misses a right, and Jeffries puts a right on the ribs. Jeffries' left finds the chin and Jeffries pokes a left to the face. Bob comes back with a straight left on the mouth. Jeffries swings twice with the left on the head. Fitz hooks a left to the neck. They swap
lefts on the head. Bob plants a left on the neck.

Tenth round -- Jeff springs in and hugs Bob. After the break he pokes a left to Bob's chest, then a left to the jaw, Bob replying with a left on the eye. Fitz misses a left hook, ducking nicely Jeff's right, and is stopped by Bob's
elbow. Bob puts a left on the cheek, Jeffries missing his answer. Fitz misses a left and a right swing, and Jeffries jabs a left to the mouth. Fitz crowds him to the corner. Jeffries shoots a straight to the jaw. Bob falls flat on his back and takes eight seconds to arise. When he gets up Jeffries swung a right to the neck, and again Bob is down. He gets up, but is sent to his knees by a left, when he arises he clinches and the bell is heard. Just as the bell sounds Fitz swings a wild left. Fitz is very groggy.

Eleventh round -- Fitz was up briskly for this round. He misses a left for the head. Jeffries clinches. Fitz misses a right jab, Jeffries jolting the neck with a left. Fitz uses a left on the stomach and a right on the chest. Fitz misses a right, and Jeffries plants a right over the heart. Jeffries sent a straight left to the mouth, sending Bob's head back, but Bob is still there. He puts a left on the shoulder. Jeffries puts a right on the wind and a left to the eye. Two more lefts from Jeffries on Bob's head, then Jeffries jabs the left twice like lightning. Now two left swings go to the neck and jaw, and a right swing is sent to the point of the jaw and the Cornishman falls prone. He falls on his side and rolls over on his back. The referee counts 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6. Bob rolls over. Then 7, 8, 9, 10. Fitzsimmons is out, and Jeffries is champion of the world. The referee waves his hands to the seconds to carry
Fitzsimmons to his corner. They lift him, still unconscious, and sit him in his chair. He revives rapidly.

Meanwhile, a shouting, cheering crowd surrounds Jeffries in his corner. Fitz sits disconsolate in his chair, and the Californian crosses the ring and
shakes hands. Jeffries leaves the ring in the center of a shouting, howling mob.

It was a great fight, and was fought on its merits. It is another illustration that youth and strength are too big handicaps for age to encounter. Fitz left the platform a few moments after the battle.

[Dr. Z]

Fitzsimmons and Corbett were his best wins.

But he did outweigh them by 30-40 lbs. Yet despite that was losing handily to Corbett before eventually wearing him down, and took a beating against Fitz before getting him out of there.

Some things to consider when evaluating him. Especially for those that like to nitpick other resumes.

This is not correct. The first Jeffries vs Corbett fight was about even in rounds until the KO based on how we score fights today.

The issue here is Corbett was a talker, Jeffries wasn't and unless you saw the fight, you took Corbett quote that he was up 22-0 as fact. Hardly. By the time of the 2nd fight, Jeffries was full developed in Skills ,and Corbett was too old and rusty. That one was not close. Here's a quality read on the first fight between Jeffries and Corbett.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...5,698133&hl=en


The 2nd Fitz fight was also about even on rounds until the KO happened. Fitz had a very good middle of that fight, but Jeffries took over in the 7th and put him out in 8. Some say Fitz tampered with his gloves, and when Jeffries asked to see them Fitz threw them into the crowd.

When I first started out with research, I took the internet stories at face value, then I read the right reports. You get a different story.

I can post a few on line newspapers links that cover boxing, and anyone can read them.