Jim Jeffries; one of the most under rated heavyweights ever

[kikibalt]

Jess Willard--1915

Damn, Ray I was wondering when you were going to pick up on that.

But kidding aside you're right, I f----up.

[raylawpc]

Kikibalt, that's Jess Willard, not Jim Jeffries.

[raylawpc]

But it sure is a good picture! Where do you get all those photos, Kikibalt? You have quite a collection. I had never seen that particular photo of Willard.

[HE Grant]

That one has been arond. It was sometime around the Johnson bout.

[kikibalt]

[Monte Cox]

Just as Dempsey was a big man trained down to 180, Jeffries was that much bigger, trained down to 210-220. Put Lennox Lewis in that era and I doubt he weighs much over 210-220, though stretched out over a longer lankier frame than Jeffries, who wasn't much over 6' or maybe 6'1".

the July 4, 1910 SF Chronicle list Jeff at 6'1 1/4"

I think Lennox Lewis best weight was the 227 he weighed for Ruddock. Fighting in the earlier era and having to walk and not drive a car, no air conditioning, tougher living he probably weighs closer to 220.

I think of Jeff came up today he'd being playing NFL football. If he was magically transported to 2006 from his prime he would beat senseless all of the current chumpions.

[PD99]

I recollect the July 4 San Fran Chronicle listing Jeffries at 6' 1 1/2" and Johnson 6' 1/4".

In a Brooklyn Eagle article re Jeffries' bout with Bob Armstrong, Jeffries was described as being 6' 1" and Armstrong (who was about 6'3", right?) was described as appearing almost 2" taller when the two met at center ring to shake hands.

Again in the Brooklyn Eagle, Jeffries' height was listed at 6' 1 1/2" prior to the second Ruhlin fight. Ruhlin's height was listed at 6' 1 3/4".


Strangely, in every pic with Corbett where a judgement on height might be made, Jeffries always appears shorter than Gentleman Jim who's listed at 6'1". However, I'm guessing that Corbett may've been a bit taller than that at any rate. Then again, pics can lie and if you watch carefully, when Jeffries is assisted back to his corner by Corbett after being KO'd by Johnson, it appears that Jeffries is at least of equal height (noting that Jeffries can barely stand straight and Corbett is in street shoes).

As per the early training footage of Jeffries, it appears that Jeffries did in fact possess excellent speed and agility for a man of his size but these assets do not seem to have been fully translated in his ring performances. Ring performances that were often described as being less than pro active and lacking in aggression for the better part of the fight. Jeffries was known for soaking up his opponent's best shots before eventually stepping up his own activity levels to knock over his wilting foe. I get the impression that Jeffries was not the most confident of fighters and his formulated technique, accenting on sheer strength and resilience may've also unreasonably limited his potential as a fighter overall.

[mike]

agree with cox, most assurdedly.

[greek1237]

Jeff RELLY looks old vs Johnson. More so than I thought.

[mike]

I recollect the July 4 San Fran Chronicle listing Jeffries at 6' 1 1/2" and Johnson 6' 1/4".

In a Brooklyn Eagle article re Jeffries' bout with Bob Armstrong, Jeffries was described as being 6' 1" and Armstrong (who was about 6'3", right?) was described as appearing almost 2" taller when the two met at center ring to shake hands.

Again in the Brooklyn Eagle, Jeffries' height was listed at 6' 1 1/2" prior to the second Ruhlin fight. Ruhlin's height was listed at 6' 1 3/4".


Strangely, in every pic with Corbett where a judgement on height might be made, Jeffries always appears shorter than Gentleman Jim who's listed at 6'1". However, I'm guessing that Corbett may've been a bit taller than that at any rate. Then again, pics can lie and if you watch carefully, when Jeffries is assisted back to his corner by Corbett after being KO'd by Johnson, it appears that Jeffries is at least of equal height (noting that Jeffries can barely stand straight and Corbett is in street shoes).

As per the early training footage of Jeffries, it appears that Jeffries did in fact possess excellent speed and agility for a man of his size but these assets do not seem to have been fully translated in his ring performances. Ring performances that were often described as being less than pro active and lacking in aggression for the better part of the fight. Jeffries was known for soaking up his opponent's best shots before eventually stepping up his own activity levels to knock over his wilting foe. I get the impression that Jeffries was not the most confident of fighters and his formulated technique, accenting on sheer strength and resilience may've also unreasonably limited his potential as a fighter overall.

i tend to agree

[kikibalt]

People filed through James J. Jeffries's Burbank home to pay respect to the former heavyweight champion.

[greek1237]

amazing, any more pics the funrenal and all??

[raylawpc]

I give up.

[kikibalt]

I give up.

Come on Ray, don't give up.

[10-8]

Jeff RELLY looks old vs Johnson. More so than I thought.

That picture is a fake. Jeff is wearing different trunks than what he wore in the actual fight and it appears both fighters as well as Rickard have been super-imposed onto a crowd backdrop. Jeffries image also looks noticeably bigger than Johnson's.

[mike]

is a fake. as far as jeffries height- he was about 2 inches taller than johson if you watch the burns footage close up--with broader shoulders and longer arms. but maybe johson wasnt that tall-maybe 6 even. others must have the burns footage--it was clear footage.

[raylawpc]

Yes, it is a fake. The fighters refused to do the typical "face-off" you see in so many pubicity photographs (in fact, that day in Reno they even refused to shake hands), so Dana put together this composite. The photo of Jeffries is taken from one of him in training for the Johnson fight, so his photograph was taken within weeks of the actual fight. I am not sure where Dana got the photos of Johnson or Rickard.

[greek1237]

well the photo of Jeff is REAL any way. If it was taking in training. And Jeff still looks old in training lol.

[raylawpc]

In other photos he looks even older. To me, he looks like a 45-year-old man instead of a 35-year-old man in most shots. I will explore the reason in my book.

[GorDoom]

I think people aged faster in those days, bad nutrition etc. My wife is in the skin care biz & she is real good at looking at somebody & being able to tell their age within a year or two.

I've always been kinda facinated at how old Ketchel looks in his pictures. After all he was only 24 when he was shot & killed. I showed my wife some pics of Stanley & asked her how old she thought he was. keep in mind my wife is not a boxing fan & never heard of Ketchel.

She looked at the pics & said he looked somewhere between a hard 37-39.

When I told her he was 23 & 24 in the pics I showed her she was shocked & said man. that guys lfe must have been one hard road because he looked unnaturally aged for such a young guy.

GorDoom

[raylawpc]

There actually is a reason for Jeff's appearance apart from the fact he lived before Mary Kay Cosmetics came along - but I have to save something new and revealing for the book, right?

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

July 4,1910, Jeffries vs Johnson

[greek1237]

Billy Jordon???


Wonder what he ever did after the Johnson Jeff fight.

[10-8]

Jeffries in his prime

[bobbydobbs]

how do you load pictures (pdf) i have one that is perfect for this topic.

"Not only has the much-mooted question, “Can Jim Jeffries come back?” been answered in the negative, but it is very doubtful if the Los Angeles boiler-maker ever was the equal of that Nubian tiger."

[kikibalt]

how do you load pictures (pdf) i have one that is perfect for this topic.

"Not only has the much-mooted question, “Can Jim Jeffries come back?” been answered in the negative, but it is very doubtful if the Los Angeles boiler-maker ever was the equal of that Nubian tiger."

Bobby
Go to "Modern" an the posting instructions are on page one.

[bobbydobbs]

sorry to all the Jeffries fans, but i just had to.

[bobbydobbs]

thanks for the info