1910 - Jack Johnson vs. James Jeffries

http://www.WatchMojo.com looks back at the 20th Century. In 1910, Jack Johnson defeated James Jeffries. Considered the fight of the century. Johnson's victory gave Jeffries the only loss of his career.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• history
• 20th
• century
• Jack
• Johnson
• James
• Jeffries
• boxing

[abadger3000]

a fair few inaccuracies in this - jeffries was retired, a successful alfalfa farmer, and weighing over 300 pounds when he was pressured into making a comeback.

earlier in his career he'd offered to fight johnson in private, no title on the line, and if they could have fought in their respective primes, who knows what might have happened, irrespective of what jeffries himself said after the fight.

[Freddie1980]

@YesWeTan I think Jeffries only fought one black fighter before Johnson. He had a knocked out Peter Jackson in the 3rd round which was no mean feat as Jackson had previously taken on Gentleman Jim Corbett in a 61 round (no typo there I meant 61 rounds) no contest.

The guy in the video is talking crap, this sound be taken down as it's posted as fact but its misleading.

[sc456a]

So many incorrect comments here. Watch Ken Burns' documentary about Johnson - "Unforgivable Blackness". It was Johnson who harassed Jeffries to fight, and finally pressure from his white fans that got him to come out of retirement for the fight. Jeffries admitted that Johnson was the better boxer, and that even at his prime he would not have stood a chance against him. Finally, it wasn't a short or easy fight - "hugging" during a fight was common back then (as it is with some fighters today).

[doointhedoo]

@homerhungry326. you are right. it was a ridiculous fight and completely uneven. an older, retired former champion against a younger, bigger, seemingly invincible current world champion BUT it was significant because it destroyed the racist white american delusion that they were superior just because of they were white. it had to be done. there were casualties (race riots) terribly unfortunate but it did set the record straight.

[homerhungry326]

I just saw this fight between the two. It wasnt the epic fight ive heard ppl talking about, let alone the fight of the century! it was stupid and short and alot of hugging going on :(

[jesusneverexisted300]

@YesWeTan:  Wow! I guess you told me huhn?!

[jesusneverexisted300]

@YesWeTan: No way in the world was Jeffries a Jim Thorpe! Jim Thorpe is the greatest sportsman ever bar none! Jeffries legacy can't compare to Thorpes legacy. Don't you even fantasize about it.

[finetubs]

@YesWeTan hadnt had a fight in 6 yrs i believe

[HistoryBuff75]

@YesWeTan

OK I'll bite. How was the fight rigged?

[helltopo]

You are wrong watchmojo, Jeffries never taunted Johnson and didn't want this fight.

The taunting of Johnson was done by the Yellow press who hounded Jeffries out of retirement to a humiliating defeat.