James J. Jeffries
American boxer (1875-1953)
- Born
- 15 April 1875, Carroll
- Died
- 3 March 1953, Burbank
- Citizenship
- United States
- Sport
- boxing
- Discipline
- heavyweight
- Occupation
- boxer, actor
- Height
- 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
- Nickname
- Big Jim
- Recorded fight record
- 18 wins, 1 losses, 2 draws
James Jackson Jeffries (April 15, 1875 – March 3, 1953) was an American professional boxer and world heavyweight champion from 1899 until his initial retirement in 1905.
He was known for his enormous strength and stamina. Jeffries fought out of a crouch with his left arm extended forward. He was able to absorb tremendous punishment while wearing his opponents down. It is believed this crouching crab technique was taught to him by his trainer, former welterweight and middleweight Champion Tommy Ryan. Although, Jeffries disputes this saying he developed his crouching style instinctively after taking a left hook to the liver by John Brink.
Jeffries stood 6 ft 1.5 in (1.87 m) tall and weighed 225 pounds (102 kg) in his prime. He could run 100 yards (91 m) in just under eleven seconds, and could high jump almost 6 feet (180 cm). A natural left-hander, he possessed one-punch knockout power in his left hook, and brawled his way to the top of the rankings.
Awards and honours
- International Boxing Hall of Fame 1990
Films
| Film | Year | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| The Prizefighter and the Lady | 1933 | cast |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q458292 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.