By John J. Raspanti, Doghouse Boxing:
In boxing you’re only as good as your last fight. In the case of former
heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries his last fight not only defined
him as a loser, but wiped out all of his achievements.
Jeffries
had come out of retirement to face heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in
what many consider the first "Fight of the Century." The bout occurred
July 4th, 1910 in Reno, Nevada. His comeback after six years of
in-activity was an unfortunate decision. The pressure, however, was too
much to ignore. As author Jim Carney Jr. points out in his excellent
biography,Ultimate Tough Guy - The Life and Times of James J. Jeffries,
there was a lot more to Jeffries then what transpired that hot day in
July.
Jeffries had retired in 1904 with an official record of
18 wins and 0 losses. He had defeated former champions Bob Fitzsimmons
with whom he won the title, and James J. Corbett twice. Jeffries was
29-years-old at the time and had fought almost all of the
top-contenders. Unfortunately, he had continued the directive handed
down by John L. Sullivan (Jeffries hero) to not box fighters of color.
Nevertheless his announced retirement came as no surprise. Jeffries had
been growing tired of the sport for a few years. His head-first style
(hence the title) had paid dividends for the ex-boilermaker as far as
riches and celebrity go. But, the physical side of the fights were
beginning to take their toll.
Jeffries climb to the top of the
mountain had been a difficult one. Born in 1875, he began to box in his
teens. Jeffries turned professional at the age of 20. In 1897
heavyweight champion James J. Corbett hired the young Jeffries as a
sparring partner. Jeffries, with only four bouts under his belt, would
always say that sparring with Corbett was the best boxing education he
ever received.
Only two years later, Jeffries, who stood 6'1
and weighed 220 pounds, would win the heavyweight championship of the
world by dispatching Corbett conqueror Fitzsimmons in 11 brutal rounds.
Author
Carney’s attention to detail is most impressive as he gives a blow by
blow account of all Jeffries' bouts. At times the information is a bit
too much with lengthy synopsis of most of Jeffries' opponents. Carney
also repeats himself-which is neither needed or helpful. While it’s
obvious that Carney’s goal is to prove that Jeffries was perhaps the
greatest heavyweight and to release him of the stigma of racism, he is
consistent in presenting Jeffries as a full-blooded human being.
His
book achieves both and will remind many that once upon a time there was
a heavyweight named Jeffries who was the most feared fighter on the
planet.
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--
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