Joe Goddard

[Ambling Alp]

Just curious to wear what people know about him? You hear about him passing when you read about the top heavyweights of the late 19th century. However, I never have got much sense of who he was.

There some interesting things about him. He didn't start his career until he was 31. According to Boxrec Database, He never lost a fight until he 35, but then lost 13. His weight would go up or down wildy between fights. You wonder why that would be. did he just not train hard for some fights, but would for others?

He did beat a young Choynski twice, Peter Maher, Joe McAulliffe, and had a draw against Peter Jackson.

Just wanted to know what people know about him, his fighting style and how good you think he was.

[raylawpc]

Just curious to wear what people know about him? You hear about him passing when you read about the top heavyweights of the late 19th century. However, I never have got much sense of who he was.

There some interesting things about him. He didn't start his career until he was 31. According to Boxrec Database, He never lost a fight until he 35, but then lost 13. His weight would go up or down wildy between fights. You wonder why that would be. did he just not train hard for some fights, but would for others?

He did beat a young Choynski twice, Peter Maher, Joe McAulliffe, and had a draw against Peter Jackson.

Just wanted to know what people know about him, his fighting style and how good you think he was.

Long and short of it: A very good fighter (strong, tough brawler with a good punch) who developed an alcohol problem.

[ben geoghegan]

Very up and down performer with a huge punch. Sharkey Choynski and Jeffries said he hit them harder than anyone else in a ring. He fought black fighters when top whites were ducking them. Some call his 8 round draw with Jackson the start of the end for Jackson. He fought blacks through the turn of the century and was eventually shot in the head by one during a political riot. Even then he stayed alive in the hospital fighting. He was game as a badger by all accounts.

[raylawpc]

Very up and down performer with a huge punch. Sharkey Choynski and Jeffries said he hit them harder than anyone else in a ring. He fought black fighters when top whites were ducking them. Some call his 8 round draw with Jackson the start of the end for Jackson. He fought blacks through the turn of the century and was eventually shot in the head by one during a political riot. Even then he stayed alive in the hospital fighting. He was game as a badger by all accounts.

When did Jeffries say that Goddard hit him harder than anyone else in the ring?

[ben geoghegan]

I could be wrong on Jeff.

[raylawpc]

I could be wrong on Jeff.

I think you are. Jeffries was pretty consistent in his published statements saying the hardest single punch he ever absorbed was delivered by Choynski - a punch that drove the flesh of his upper lip between his teeth. His corner had to cut it lose with a pen knife between rounds. Ouch!

I have never read him saying much of anything positive about Goddard. It was an easy victory for Jeff. That's why I asked.

[donnellon]

Newspaper accounts of the time had him unlucky not to get the decision v's Jackson and his wins over Choynsky and Maher have real merit. His loss to Denver Ed Smith was a huge surprise but apparently Joe liked his drink and was not in good shape. If he did edge Jackson then that was huge as this was before Peter had his NC with Corbett and beat Slavin. One of the, if not THE, most underrated HW.

[Ambling Alp]

I think he may be very underrated as well. how do you guys rate among the top heavyweights from say Sullivan's time to Jefrries' first retirement?

I would have him behind Sullivan, Corbett, Fitz, Jeffries, and Jackson.
How would you guys rate him as compared to say Sharkey,Choynski,Kilrain, Slavin, Godfrey, Maher,Ruhlin etc. ?

[raylawpc]

Which Goddard? If he hadn't been an alcoholic, and if he had been able to stay away from the booze and keep in shape, I think he would have been a top tier heavyweight, and would have been in the mix with Corbett, Jackson, Slavin, etc..

As it was, his better years were in the late 1880s, early 1890s. By the late 1890s, even without the booze, he would have been in his 40s and probably a bit too long in the tooth to be a real force with Sharkey, Jeffries, et al. By then, I think without the alcohol, he would have been a formidable fighter capable of pulling off an upset - kind of like Peter Maher, except with a better chin.

[Boilermaker]

Newspaper accounts of the time had him unlucky not to get the decision v's Jackson and his wins over Choynsky and Maher have real merit. His loss to Denver Ed Smith was a huge surprise but apparently Joe liked his drink and was not in good shape. If he did edge Jackson then that was huge as this was before Peter had his NC with Corbett and beat Slavin. One of the, if not THE, most underrated HW.

Jackson was not in top condition, and i think (from memory) that a draw was a pretty fair result, but i do still agree that this result was a huge result. I dont think Goddard really trained as hard as he should have once he left Australia and arrived in America because of his liking for the drink. He was definitely capable of winning a World Title when at his best and if they had have had those alphabet titles back in the day, he definitely would have owned one.

[ben geoghegan]

Of those fighters you listed I have them like this:

1. Jackson
2. Sullivan
3. Corbett
4. Fitzsimmons
5. Jeffries
6. Slavin
7. Godfrey
8. Sharkey
9. Goddard
10. Choynski
Maher
Ruhlin
Kilrain

[Boilermaker]

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... rchLimits=

It is interesting to note that this article seems to indicate that Peter jackson knocked out Joe Goddard much earlier in his career (before the Bill Farnan loss). If true, while it would have to be a very inexperienced Goddard, it not only adds to Jackson's legacy, but also to that of Farnan's.