World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Born on a farm in Carroll, Ohio, he began his fight career in Southern California at the age of 15. Nearly 6'2" and 214 pounds in his prime, Jeffries could absorb staggering amounts of punishment, wearing down his opponents before finishing them off with a right to the stomach-left-hook to the jaw combination. His technique won him the nickname "The Boilermaker". He won the World Heavyweight Title from Bob Fitzsimmons in 1899, fought off challenger Gentleman Jim Corbett twice and retired undefeated in 1905. In 1910 Jeffries was persuaded to make a comeback as "The Great White Hope" against reigning Champion Jack Johnson, the first African-American to hold the title, only to lose by a technical knock-out in the final round. Jeffries later ran a saloon in Downtown Los Angeles and worked as a fight promoter. Some of his fights were captured on film, and he was reportedly also a technical advisor on the Warner Bros. biopic "Gentleman Jim" (1941), starring Errol Flynn as his old adversary Corbett. He died at his ranch in Burbank, California. Howard O. Sackler's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Great White Hope" (1969) was based on the racial dynamics behind Jeffries' bout with Johnson.
World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Born on a farm in Carroll, Ohio, he began his fight career in Southern California at the age of 15. Nearly 6'2" and 214 pounds in his prime, Jeffries could absorb staggering amounts of punishment, wearing down his opponents before finishing them off with a right to the stomach-left-hook to the jaw combination. His technique won him the nickname "The Boilermaker". He won the World Heavyweight Title from Bob Fitzsimmons in 1899, fought off challenger Gentleman Jim Corbett twice and retired undefeated in 1905. In 1910 Jeffries was persuaded to make a comeback as "The Great White Hope" against reigning Champion Jack Johnson, the first African-American to hold the title, only to lose by a technical knock-out in the final round. Jeffries later ran a saloon in Downtown Los Angeles and worked as a fight promoter. Some of his fights were captured on film, and he was reportedly also a technical advisor on the Warner Bros. biopic "Gentleman Jim" (1941), starring Errol Flynn as his old adversary Corbett. He died at his ranch in Burbank, California. Howard O. Sackler's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Great White Hope" (1969) was based on the racial dynamics behind Jeffries' bout with Johnson.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT
BOXING CHAMPION
FROM 1899 TO 1906
Family Members
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