"The Boilermaker" Jim Jeffries stood just over 6'2 and weighed around 220. He was fast, hit hard, and could take a super punch. He was a man to be feared as Sam Langford's advertisement shows. He fought out of a crouch, and was very hard to hit. In only his 13th pro fight he wrested the Heavyweight crown from the highly capable hands of Bob Fitzsimmons. He held the title for about 5 years. He had the quickest title defense in boxing history, 55 seconds. He offered to fight Fitzsimmons, Sharkey, and Corbett, all on the same night...they refused his challenge. Here is an interesting little tidbit you'll never hear on PBS: Jack Johnson once met with Jeffries in 1904. Johnson tried to coax Jeffries into giving him a title shot. Jim suggested that since no one would pay to see a white/black fight, that they make use of the cellar. They would lock themselves in with the key, and the one who emerged would be the champ. Johnson quickly left the premesis.
Jim was undefeated in his prime. He was never knocked down. He once took a punch so hard, that it wedged his entire upper lip in between his teeth. They had to pull it out during the break. Jim Jeffries was the best athlete to ever hold the heavyweight title.
Jeffries could run the 100 yard dash in 11 seconds, and high jump 5'10. Those statistics would have been enough to get him the gold medal in both events at the 1896 Olympics, had he not turned pro that year. He was not even trained in either of those events. It just goes to show how much of a natural athlete he really was.
Jack Johnson said Jeffries was the greatest Heavyweight of all time; as did Jim Corbett, Jack Dempsey, Tommy Burns, and Tom Sharkey, just to name a few. He left a legacy for people to look up to. He was one of the greatest fighters of all time.