Jeffries, James J.
Boxing
b. April 15, 1875, Carroll, OH
d. March 3, 1953
The first really big heavyweight champion, at 6-foot-2½ and 220 pounds, Jeffries was known as the "Boilermaker" because he worked in iron foundries when he was a youth and as the "California Grizzly" because of his size.
His family moved to California in 1881 and he began boxing there as an amateur while in his teens. Jeffries won his first professional fight with a 14th-round knockout of Hank Griffin in 1896.
A clumsy fighter who scarcely bothered to defend himself, Jeffries could take enormous amounts of punishment while he stalked an opponent, looking for a chance to land one of his powerful punches. He was an enormous underdog when he met Bob Fitzsimmons for the heavyweight championship at Coney Island on June 9, 1899. But Jeffries won the title on an 11th-round knockout.
He retained the championship with a decision in a brutal, 25-round fight against Tom Sharkey, who was taken to a hospital with two broken ribs and severe lacerations when the bout ended. Jeffries defended his title six times before retiring in 1905, including a knockout of Fitzsimmons and two knockouts of former champion Jim Corbett.
Because of the public clamor for a "Great White Hope" to defeat black champion Jack Johnson, Jeffries came out of retirement to fight Johnson on July 4, 1910, in Reno, NV. Johnson gave him a terrible beating before Jeffries' corner threw the sponge into the ring as a symbol of surrender in the 15th round.
He won 18 of his 21 professional fights, 15 by knockout, and he fought 2 draws. His knockout by Johnson was his only defeat.