Quote Originally Posted by Chris N.
Quote Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey
Quote Originally Posted by Preme
never really rated jack johnson really, ok i havnt see a massive amount of the guy fight...

tbh tho i think hes only really a 'legend' coz he was the first black champion... as a boxer i didn't think he was anythign special, sure boxing was in its early form then, and has developed alot... but i dunno, just don't see anyhting about johnson...

Now tunney, he was a great and would of out out thought and out boxed JJ... tunney was one of boxings first inteligent boxers.. a thinker, i don't think he gets the credit he deserves sometimes coz of his style...
Actually alot of guys really studied what they were up to before Tunney,including Johnson,every one of those guys advanced the sport at their time
Johnsons footwork was light years ahead of what was happening at the time
It was a must have been a big luxury to get to see any footage of your next opponent. I also heard stories by guys like Ray Arcel that had to go indisguise to see what the oppositions is up to.

I remember Kid Chocolate a famous cuban fighter saying that he'd spend hours studying guy's like Benny Leonard, and many other greats.

Nowadays it's easy enough to find footage on most fighters even on the amateur level. It sure makes this easier to know what you're up against.
Oh hells yes,if we even get in to negotiations for a fight,Ive got the fighter researched to the point,I can tell you what they had for breakfast ,within 20 minutes
But I think you were going for those old timers being able to study their opposition,more what I was saying,is fighters like Johnson,and Gentelman Jim COrbett treated fighting like it was science,rather then just crude fisticuffs