In Defense of...
Posted: 21 Aug 2006, 14:07
Whether you call him 'The Iron Man' or 'The California Bear' or even his most famous moniker 'The Boilermaker' James Jackson Jefferies is one of the most controversial, under-rated and under-appreciated HW champions of all time.
In the last fifty years he has been forgotten and swept under the carpet as being nothing more than as the original 'Great White Hope' and is criticised as being the slowest HW champion; ironically from fans and boxers who never seen a single piece of footage of him, except for possibly the last fight of his carrer against a prime Jack Johnson.
I come to his defense, not just as a boxer, but of his personal life as well. For this man has been branded as a racist figure in sports and culture, has been defamed in such motion pictures as the fictionalised portrayal of Jack Johnson in Howard Shackel's THE GREAT WHITE HOPE and is deemed a mediocre fighter who couldn't have been the men of today or of the last few decades.
Firstly in defense of racism-
James J. Jefferies WAS NOT a racist. He was deemed the 'white hope' by the press, particuarly writer Jack London. Jefferies was pushed by the press, as well as the general public, to make a comeback to prove the superiority of the white race.
Jefferies did NOT want to make a comeback. The only time in his life after he had retired as champion where he contemplated making a comeback was against, then, number one challenger Billy Squires, the Australian HW champion, who was going for Tommy Burns title.
Jefferies was one of the few white fighters of his era to have fought black men. In one of his early professional bouts he took on former world contender Peter Jackson, who in his prime was arguably the greatest fighter in the history of pugilism. By the time Jefferies had faced Jackson, he was over-the-hill and an alcoholic, but was still dangerous. Jefferies stopped Jackson in three rounds.
It has been researched, since Jefferies death, into whether or not he had faced more black fighters in his early career, or even in exhibitions. It was found out that the so-called racist Jefferies had in fact faced a few black men in his life time. He had faced off with Denver Ed Martin and Frank Childs, both men being Negro HW champions and could have been champions had they not been denied. Jefferies knocked both men out.
Jefferies had also fought a few Jewish and Mexican fighters, such as Joe Choynski and Pete Everett. So this should put to damper on any of the 'racist' rumors surrounding Jim Jefferies. Whatever Jefferies had said that he was to 'redeem' the white race, was all shown to be not his own words, as after he lost to Johnson he said "I hope they will leave me alone now" and that "I could have never beaten Johnson at my best, no, I couldn't reach him, not in a thousand years."
Also it must be added that Jefferies father was a preacher. Jefferies was raised with the belief that 'all men are created equal' and with Christian values to 'judge and be judged yourself' and be racist was a sin.
In defense of his athleticism-
Often deemed as 'slow and ponderous' this is far from the truth. Most experts and fans point out that Jefferies was slow and no good as they use the Johnson fight as evidence. But mind you, Jefferies lost over 100 pounds and had to get in shape for a 45 round fight, as well as being 6 years inactive and was sick the day he fought Johnson---yet was able to fight on for 15 rounds.
Jim Jefferies is far more greater than anyone suspects. Here are some quick facts about the 'Boilermaker' in his prime:
-He never lost
-Was never knocked down
-Once offered to fight Fitzsimmons, Corbett and Sharkey all in the same night which they refused.
-Scored the fastest knockout in HW championship history (55 seconds)
-Possessed almost unlimited endurance
-Was FAST on his hands and feet
-Fought from a crouch and would spring at his opponents with deadly combinations
How fast and althletic was Jim Jefferies?
Jim Jefferies could run the 100 yeard dash in 10 seconds! He wasn't a slow ponderous man. He couldn't have, else he wouldn't have been able to run down Jim Corbett, arguably one of the fastest HW champions of all time for 23 rounds, and in the rematch stopped him in 10!
Jefferies was almost super-human in strength, as he once carried a deer over his shoulder and walked nine miles with the carcass to his home. Jefferies was often deemed by his foes as the strongest man they had ever faced in their entire careers. Jefferies also could take tremendous punishment, his brawls with Fitzsimmons and Sharkey can attest to that, even when he was over the hill when he faced Johnson he took 15 rounds with arguably the best HW champion of all time. He was also not a sloppy fighter, he was patient and waited for his shots, he never wasted punches.
What did Jack Johnson think of Jim Jefferies?
He considered Jim Jefferies to be the greatest HW champion of all time, despite having beaten Jefferies. Even Jack Dempsey, Tommy Burns, Jim Corbett and various others called him the greatest HW champion.
Mind you, another not so remembered fact, is that possibly the greatest fighter ever [Sam Langford] used to advertise in papers that he would take on all-comers EXCEPT for Jim Jefferies, whom he felt he could never beat.
In defense of his opponents-
Alot of fans and historians and fighters often criticise Jefferies era, saying that the men of those times were not as great as the men of today. But can you really name a fighter who fought the absoloute best of his era, with the exception of Ali, Foreman, Johnson and Marciano?
Jefferies faced these star-studded ATG's with relative ease:
Peter Jackson, Bob Fitsimmons, Jim Corbett, Tom Sharkey, Denver Ed Martin, Frank Childs, Gus Ruhlin, Joe Choynski and had exhibitions with John L. Sullivan, Tommy Ryan, Jim Daly, and was supposed to face guys like Kid McCoy, Billy Squires among others!
Not to mention his 'world' tours in England where he knocked out 50 men while on this tour, and the various tours throughout the USA knocking out all-comers.
The Conclusion
James Jackson Jefferies is cleared of being a racist. James Jackson Jefferies in his prime was a fast, athletic and very durable fighter, possibly a top 10 ATG HW champion.....and James Jackson Jefferies fought the very best of his era, retired undefeated, was never knocked down, never knocked out---until he faced Johnson, after having to lose 100 pounds, was six years inactive, no tune up bouts, was sick the day of the fight and was STILL able to go 15 rounds.
James J. Jefferies was and is still a great fighter.
In the last fifty years he has been forgotten and swept under the carpet as being nothing more than as the original 'Great White Hope' and is criticised as being the slowest HW champion; ironically from fans and boxers who never seen a single piece of footage of him, except for possibly the last fight of his carrer against a prime Jack Johnson.
I come to his defense, not just as a boxer, but of his personal life as well. For this man has been branded as a racist figure in sports and culture, has been defamed in such motion pictures as the fictionalised portrayal of Jack Johnson in Howard Shackel's THE GREAT WHITE HOPE and is deemed a mediocre fighter who couldn't have been the men of today or of the last few decades.
Firstly in defense of racism-
James J. Jefferies WAS NOT a racist. He was deemed the 'white hope' by the press, particuarly writer Jack London. Jefferies was pushed by the press, as well as the general public, to make a comeback to prove the superiority of the white race.
Jefferies did NOT want to make a comeback. The only time in his life after he had retired as champion where he contemplated making a comeback was against, then, number one challenger Billy Squires, the Australian HW champion, who was going for Tommy Burns title.
Jefferies was one of the few white fighters of his era to have fought black men. In one of his early professional bouts he took on former world contender Peter Jackson, who in his prime was arguably the greatest fighter in the history of pugilism. By the time Jefferies had faced Jackson, he was over-the-hill and an alcoholic, but was still dangerous. Jefferies stopped Jackson in three rounds.
It has been researched, since Jefferies death, into whether or not he had faced more black fighters in his early career, or even in exhibitions. It was found out that the so-called racist Jefferies had in fact faced a few black men in his life time. He had faced off with Denver Ed Martin and Frank Childs, both men being Negro HW champions and could have been champions had they not been denied. Jefferies knocked both men out.
Jefferies had also fought a few Jewish and Mexican fighters, such as Joe Choynski and Pete Everett. So this should put to damper on any of the 'racist' rumors surrounding Jim Jefferies. Whatever Jefferies had said that he was to 'redeem' the white race, was all shown to be not his own words, as after he lost to Johnson he said "I hope they will leave me alone now" and that "I could have never beaten Johnson at my best, no, I couldn't reach him, not in a thousand years."
Also it must be added that Jefferies father was a preacher. Jefferies was raised with the belief that 'all men are created equal' and with Christian values to 'judge and be judged yourself' and be racist was a sin.
In defense of his athleticism-
Often deemed as 'slow and ponderous' this is far from the truth. Most experts and fans point out that Jefferies was slow and no good as they use the Johnson fight as evidence. But mind you, Jefferies lost over 100 pounds and had to get in shape for a 45 round fight, as well as being 6 years inactive and was sick the day he fought Johnson---yet was able to fight on for 15 rounds.
Jim Jefferies is far more greater than anyone suspects. Here are some quick facts about the 'Boilermaker' in his prime:
-He never lost
-Was never knocked down
-Once offered to fight Fitzsimmons, Corbett and Sharkey all in the same night which they refused.
-Scored the fastest knockout in HW championship history (55 seconds)
-Possessed almost unlimited endurance
-Was FAST on his hands and feet
-Fought from a crouch and would spring at his opponents with deadly combinations
How fast and althletic was Jim Jefferies?
Jim Jefferies could run the 100 yeard dash in 10 seconds! He wasn't a slow ponderous man. He couldn't have, else he wouldn't have been able to run down Jim Corbett, arguably one of the fastest HW champions of all time for 23 rounds, and in the rematch stopped him in 10!
Jefferies was almost super-human in strength, as he once carried a deer over his shoulder and walked nine miles with the carcass to his home. Jefferies was often deemed by his foes as the strongest man they had ever faced in their entire careers. Jefferies also could take tremendous punishment, his brawls with Fitzsimmons and Sharkey can attest to that, even when he was over the hill when he faced Johnson he took 15 rounds with arguably the best HW champion of all time. He was also not a sloppy fighter, he was patient and waited for his shots, he never wasted punches.
What did Jack Johnson think of Jim Jefferies?
He considered Jim Jefferies to be the greatest HW champion of all time, despite having beaten Jefferies. Even Jack Dempsey, Tommy Burns, Jim Corbett and various others called him the greatest HW champion.
Mind you, another not so remembered fact, is that possibly the greatest fighter ever [Sam Langford] used to advertise in papers that he would take on all-comers EXCEPT for Jim Jefferies, whom he felt he could never beat.
In defense of his opponents-
Alot of fans and historians and fighters often criticise Jefferies era, saying that the men of those times were not as great as the men of today. But can you really name a fighter who fought the absoloute best of his era, with the exception of Ali, Foreman, Johnson and Marciano?
Jefferies faced these star-studded ATG's with relative ease:
Peter Jackson, Bob Fitsimmons, Jim Corbett, Tom Sharkey, Denver Ed Martin, Frank Childs, Gus Ruhlin, Joe Choynski and had exhibitions with John L. Sullivan, Tommy Ryan, Jim Daly, and was supposed to face guys like Kid McCoy, Billy Squires among others!
Not to mention his 'world' tours in England where he knocked out 50 men while on this tour, and the various tours throughout the USA knocking out all-comers.
The Conclusion
James Jackson Jefferies is cleared of being a racist. James Jackson Jefferies in his prime was a fast, athletic and very durable fighter, possibly a top 10 ATG HW champion.....and James Jackson Jefferies fought the very best of his era, retired undefeated, was never knocked down, never knocked out---until he faced Johnson, after having to lose 100 pounds, was six years inactive, no tune up bouts, was sick the day of the fight and was STILL able to go 15 rounds.
James J. Jefferies was and is still a great fighter.