Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12
AFRAID OF HIS OWN STRENGTH.
Champion Jeffries Explains Why He
Seldom Uses His Knock Out Punch.

seldom Y SeS his KNOCKOUT funch.
Probably no champion who ever held the
heavyweight championship has knocked out
so few men as James ]. Jeffries, the present
holder Of the title. In the days of Sullivan
and other champions who have preceded
the famous boilermaker champion aspirants
fell victims to the knockout with regulari-
ty that made the referees decision hardly
necessary.
Jeffries, In the following interview, tells
why he has failed to knock his opponents
out 1t Is a fact that most Of Jeffries' battles
have gone some distance, and in almost
every instance his opponents have been
beaten down to point Of helplessness, yet
not knocked out in the fullest sense of the
word.
Jeffries handles his victim with more con-
sideration than Sullivan did. and, unlike
Sullivan and FftZsimmons, he has been
satisfied with outpointing his opponents:
l have not been a knOcker- out for the SIM
pie reason 1 have never found it necessary
to knock my opponent clean out to gain a
victory. except on one or two occasions.
Even in a fight 1 believe a man can be
humane, and if the same results can be OBJ
tanned without endangering your opponents
life, then think 1t is better for all.
1t Is true that most of my opponents have
been counted out, being helpless and unable
to continue the battle yet they have re-
manned conscious.
The fact that I have not knocked my men
out in few rounds like most fighters does
not mean that have been unable to. finish
my victims sooner than did.
Were to put all the strength and force
at my command in an effort to land a
Knockout blow feel sure that / would do
considerable damage. l honestly believe
that If 1 were to hit any of the men that l
have fought with all the force possible |
would have killed him.
L know my strength perfectly we'll and
In none of my fights have / been required
to try to do my best. l prefer win nv
battles on scientific lines, and that is the
reason l have allowed my fights to last so
long.
1 know I am scientific enough to beat
down all of these clever boxers. We're sim
ply depending upon my strength to win
nights then l would have to resort to diff
ferent tactics and would be more anxious to
win In hurry.
am satisfied to win my battles on points
and it makes little difference to me whether
the contest goes the limit or not, There
have. been number of fights which would
nave been very brief affairs had it been my
desire to make quick work of my opponents
There is not the least doubt in INV mind
but that 1 could have defeated Rubin. FItz
simmons or Corbett in less time had / been
more aggressive ana been anxious to score
a Knockout. To me there is nothing in a
Knockout, only that it brings victory home
sooner.
In neither Of the three fights that T have
iidiueO nave lily opponents been knocked
out. Rubin was beaten down GRADUALLY
until he was so badly used I'D that he could
fight no longer. He was ali out SO far as
fighting was concerned, yet because he
showed signs or NE and was conscious some
people thought he was stalling He was
rot. you can bet your life on that
In Ruhlin's case had every opportunity
to injure him. but ! held off and simply
count. Had delivered Knockout blow
with full steam up dare say he would
have gone out and probably taken SONG
time to recover, II he ever was fortunate to
come back to his senses
1t is only logical to expect that a man
would be injured-possibly permanently-if
he received a blow as hard as l could land
AS for my last fight with Fitzsimmons he,
too, received gradual beating until he
could no longer stand the gaff Although l
did not hit as hard as could by any means
l injured Fftzsimmons to a great extent
In fact, he repeatedly told me during the
fight that / was hurting him.
i know that j could have put him ont
but had l made any great effort Fitz might
have been pretty badly hurt. AS it was, he
had all the fight taken out of him for some
time. and. although not knocked out, he
was unable to get himself together within
the required ten seconds.
My last battle with Corbett at San Fran
cisco can be compared with both the F1tz-
simmons and Rubin fight 1 felt that /
had Corbett early in the battle. / landed a
body blow in the second round, and after
that just tried to outpoint him.
What damage do ! think could do by a
swing with all my strength? Well, that is
hard to tell AS l say, 1 have never tried
TO hit man with all my strength. l have
practieed such blows on the punching bags
and / have found it an easy matter to
smash them with single blow
1t might be possible for blow TO dislo-
ate mans jaw. Or blow with sufficient
roree could undoubtedly affect his neck or
disable him in many other ways / knocked
gut both Fitzsimmons and Corbett In their
first battle with me. But In each they were