Show Gp IA N D NAl R CE w SAN CAN The FRANCISCO years slip by rather easily out under this western western sun There is Lonnie Stagg romping around at nt the age of ot 78 18 still coaching a football team I ran across another young tel fel tellow fel- fel fellow low who is only 65 but one few of ofus ofus ofus us would care to k tangle with even though he is bald I believe he could still get an nn even break with a grizzly bear which wasn't too young S His name is James J. J Jeffries one of the greatest heavy heavy- heavyweights heavyweights heavyweights weights that ever M lived the lived the greatest Grantland Rice in more than a few important opinions I asked Jim about the modern crop Here was his answer answer- The main trouble with our mod mod- modern modern ern day fighters is that they wont won't take the time and effort to train properly and they the wont won't listen to ad ad- vice The boxer who wont won't work cant can't fight because it takes more in inside in- in inside inside side stuff to train hard than it does to get in there and start swinging The modern fighter doesn't know what real work is Nor real train train- ing I found the ex-champion ex at Jef Jef- Jeffries Jeffries Jeffries fries Barn a modest little fight club located in Burbank on the outskirts of Hollywood Appropriately enough the he arena is situated on Victory boulevard Jim Jeffries knows some- some something something thing hing about victory He had more than han 20 fights and lost only one that thatto to Jack Johnson at Reno in 1910 when he essayed a comeback after a year five-year layoff The Most Host Dangerous The most dangerous dan erous and crafty fighter of all the heavyweights was Bob Job Fitzsimmons continued Jeff the he stub of a cigar clenched in his hi teeth Jack Dempsey was the best of the he modern hitters but you noticed that hat Jacks Jack's opponents opponents opponents kept getting up r 1 off the floor after he f AI lih had lad cracked them I remember one fight Fitz ritz had against Gus Ruhlin in New York f t j Bob Job hit Gus with a terrific punch to the the t 4 f l chin and an Ruhlin was unconscious for 36 hours tours There was no f publicity about it at athe atthe if i the he time because ev- ev ey- ey Jack Dempsey was afraid it t might be bad for the fight game Jeffries shies away from attempt- attempt attempting ing ng to compare Joe Louis the pres pres- present present present ent champion with the time old-time greats Louis has never been thoroughly tested ested He lie has no competition Yes I think Dempsey would have beaten Joe oe because Jack could hit just as ashard ashard hard lard and liked the rough going But how can anybody tell Louis may be the greatest of them all but butI I doubt it Jeffries says Louis has been a n credit to the sport of boxing and sees little ittle chance hance of anybody beating him because there are no standouts among the crop of contenders and the he youngsters coming up just wont won't work vork hard enough to get any place Underdog Against Fitz Fit Jim is now 65 years old He had his first fight at the tender age of 16 6 in Los Angeles I weighed pounds that night said aid Jeff smiling as he recalled the battle Boy and did I learn some- some thing hing My 1 opponent was Hank Dank Grif- Grif Griffin fin ln a big Negro and it took me 14 rounds to put him away And was wasI I tired I 1 resolved then I 1 wouldn't fight ight any more until I had done a alot lot ot of work That's when I really began egan training You know when I got the chance to o meet Fitzsimmons for the title in 1899 I worked five months on on the road oad before I ever entered the gym Fitzsimmons was a 2 to 1 favorite over ver Jeffries for that fight but Jeff trained rained diligently with Tommy Ry Ry- Ryan Ryan Ry- Ry Ryan an once middleweight champion and took look both the bettors and Fitz for or a ride when he stopped the title- title titleholder titleholder holder in the eleventh round In the same ame year Jeffries proved his condi- condi condition condition tion ion by taking a round 25 decision from rom Tom Sharkey in the same Co Co- Coney Coney Co- Co Coney ney Island ring And the big fellow is still in pretty good shape for a man of 65 He weighs around and keeps his waistline down by chasing gophers and digging weeds on my ranch Jeffries J successfully defended his title itle five times twice against Jim Corbett and also against Sharkey Fitzsimmons and Jack Munroe He was vas 24 years of age when he won it and 31 when Johnson kayoed him in his lis comeback attempt in 1910 The Super Start Incidentally that Reno fight was the he first of Tex Rickard's super pro pro- It drew a gate of f better than han and brought Jeffries his largest purse His share which included his cut of the motion pic- pic picure picture amounted to more than ture ure profits Jim has saved his money but he still likes to mingle with it the fight mob and hes he's happiest while h refer- refer refereeing the bouts at his leis arena which and has been running eight years houses about 1200 fans |