James J. Jeffries vs. Brock Lesnar

[cross_trainer]

Jeffries was heavyweight champion when they used very small, MMA-size gloves. Vicious left hook, incredible at punching in the clinch. Also trained and did well against world Greco-Roman wrestling champion Ernest Roeber.

He had marvelous athleticism, although not quite in Lesnar's league. 6 ft. high jump with pretty bad technique (not a 6 ft. vertical, mind you), and could run 100 yards in a little over ten seconds. His daily training routine against Fitzsimmons consisted of a 14 mile run, two hours of rope skipping, 12 rounds of sparring, 20 minutes of heavy bag work, medicine ball training, and wrestling.

He was about 6'1" and 225 pounds at his best. There's some footage of him training and fighting posted below, including a sequence where he swings around a 190/200 lb. guy he's wrestling with.

Who wins?

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[196osh]

Realistically Lesnar would be too large and powerful for him.

[cross_trainer]

Realistically Lesnar would be too large and powerful for him.

That's a strong possibility. On the other hand, when re-watching the Couture fight I'm struck by how a little more strength, better chin, and better boxing could have given Couture the edge he needed. Jeffries isn't the wrestler that Couture is/was, but he's younger, stronger, and still really good at standup grappling. Also better at "dirty" boxing, and certainly a far harder, more accurate puncher.

[Beebs]

Lesnar would certainly have to be careful; if it ends up in a clinch, Jefferies has the advantage, and after two or thee could end the fight. More likely I think Lesnar shoots a quick and low double leg, something Jefferies was not as adept at as upper body grappling. Once it's on the ground it's pretty much academic.

I like the comparison, because Jefferies was very much the Lesnar of his day; he ran like a 10 second 100, huge jumps, all that. Shows a bit how the overall size of the top athletes in their day has increased.

[jrow]

i think lesnar takes him down lays on him and tires him out a bit then ground and pound his face into hamburger meat(like he did mir)lol

[Polymath]

aside: jeffries was 225 traiing like an endurance athlete; huge guy.

[Mazallan]

Great match up.

[196osh]

That's a strong possibility. On the other hand, when re-watching the Couture fight I'm struck by how a little more strength, better chin, and better boxing could have given Couture the edge he needed. Jeffries isn't the wrestler that Couture is/was, but he's younger, stronger, and still really good at standup grappling. Also better at "dirty" boxing, and certainly a far harder, more accurate puncher.

Indeed, however I think the main problem with Jeffries would be his ianability to stop takedowns and it would only really take one and then Lesnar would be ontop of him and that would be that.

If you gave Coture a better chin I would say he still has a shot at Lesnar.

[cross_trainer]

Yes, I can see how Lesnar's shooting for the legs would give Jeff problems. He did have some experience with that sort of wrestling, but perhaps not enough.

I will note, though, that Jeffries would have done at least as well against the Couture that Lesnar beat for the title as Brock did. Probably would have dominated Herring as well, leg kicks or not.