How good is Joe Jeannette

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 08 Aug 2004, 14:59

I would like to know how good is the great black heavyweight fighter is Joe Jeannette? How clever was he to be the good boxing master in his style. Does he fight like his rival former Heavyweight champion Jack Johnson? What was Jeannette's best punch? Please tell me I would like to know.

klompton · Post by **klompton** » 08 Aug 2004, 15:05

Jeannette fought nothing like Johnson. He was a stick and move artist who used lots of footwork and side to side movement.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 08 Aug 2004, 15:08

Jeanette was a slick boxer-puncher. He fought Johnson several times. From what I know they were close fights as they sparred often and knew each other's styles very well, but Johnson won the fights. Not sure what his best punch was. The only film footage I know of him is when he's 71 years old 'sparring' with Johnson at a World War 11 bonds rally. Both of the old guys basically play and goof around (understandably) most of the time but one can see even from that film that Jeannette was slick in his day and pretty fast. From the accounts I've read he was a more exciting fighter to watch then Johnson.

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 08 Aug 2004, 15:40

Thanks you guys.

Do you believe his best knockout win was stopping McVey at the start of the 50th round when he collaspes? For me I think so.

pound per pound · Post by **pound per pound** » 14 Jan 2005, 22:03

Jeanette is a forgotten man. I think he had the best chin of the black fighters of his era, and perhpas the best stamina as well. Not too bad for a guy who started boxing at the age of 25.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 15 Jan 2005, 08:41

dempseyfire wrote: The only film footage I know of him is when he's 71 years old 'sparring' with Johnson at a World War 11 bonds rally. Both of the old guys basically play and goof around (understandably) most of the time but one can see even from that film that Jeannette was slick in his day and pretty fast.

I have some clips of that 'sparring' on tape in a documentary on Johnson, didn't know it was for a WW2 bonds rally so thanks for the info.

RowanSmith · Post by **RowanSmith** » 16 Jan 2005, 00:13

Jeanette was not a stick and move fighter. Not many guys were in those days(at least in the sense of what we think of now as a stick and move fighter). Joe was actually quite agressive--even, at times, against larger men. Larger inferior men that is. Against a bigger man, like Johnson, Jeanette was more of a counterpuncher and clincher. Against men of his own size, Joe usually tried to work from the center of the ring and move his man to the ropes where he could punish them during infighting. He was a very good body puncher. His right hand punch, whether to the head or body, was probably his best punch. Joe was not the defensive fighter people make him out to be, but was still difficult to land cleanly upon. He was crafty and smart, but not slick by any means. He was accurate and tough. He had a very good chin and amazing recuprative powers. A tremendous fighter.

pound per pound · Post by **pound per pound** » 16 Jan 2005, 10:19

I beleive two books have been written about Jeanette. I saw them on a computer search of the New York City Public Library, which has lots of old boxing books in it. I think Jeanette must have had amazing stamina and quite a chin, as he was rarely stopped.

dan1030 · Post by **dan1030** » 21 Jan 2005, 13:00

So does nobody know of any film of him from during his career? Always a shame when you can't actually see someone who's got such a great reputation for skills.

dan1030 · Post by **dan1030** » 21 Jan 2005, 13:04

...and another thing. How about Mcvea and Langford--any decent footage out there on them?

Cap · Post by **Cap** » 22 Jan 2005, 13:37

Joe Jeannette was only stopped once in his whole long career, and that was by Sam Langford. Jeannette was contantly improving in his fights with Johnson, and got a well-earned draw in their last encounter. This was likely why Lil' Artha' didn't want to fight him again.

As to his defensive skills, he was knocked down many many times in his epic fight with Sam McVea. This would seem to imply that he could be hit, but also points to remarkable recuperative powers and tremendous stamina, as the Battle of Paris lasted over 3 hours.

In some 154 recorded matches, Jeannette scored 56 KOs, including a TKO of a young Sam Langford as well as stoppages of Jim Jeffords, Black Bill, George Cole, Jack Scales, Sandy Ferguson, Al Kubiak, Andy Morris, George Christian, Al Benedict, Alf Langford, Big Bill Tate, Kid Cotton, Tony Ross, etc. He fought many other top heavies in No Decision bouts. No doubt many of these would have gone his way if an official verdict had been rendered.