July 4th is a key date in history. But, in boxing it marks the anniversary of "The Fight of the Century". In 1910 a reluctant James J. Jeffries was implored to end his retirement of five years and "wipe that golden smile" from the face of the enigmatic heavyweight champion Jack Johnson. In front of 20,000 spectators in the blistering Nevada sun, Johnson punished Jeffries and eventually stopped him in the 15th round. Johnson later told Boxing News that he was cautious of Jeffries early and waited until the 11th round before going all out. “Some people say that I might have finished things quicker, and perhaps I might. But it wasn’t safe to take chances with a man like Mr. Jeffries. I nearly had him down twice in the 14th, but he still staggered at me.” Boxing News at the time said: "Johnson must be congratulated on the magnificent skill with which he retained the championship of which he despoiled Tommy Burns. It is early yet to say whether the contest will rank in history with the most famous battles of the ring, but it must always remain on record as a simple masterpiece of ringcraft on the part of the victor.”
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 16:14:40 +0000
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