Seven minutes – When James J. Corbett came this close to becoming the first former heavyweight champion to regain the title

Heavyweight champion James J. Corbett grinned as he popped his sparring partner with stinging jabs. The kid, last name Jeffries, first name James J., could take it better than any of his other sparring partners. The hulking Jeffries never complained, just came back for more the next day.

Corbett, though he considered Jeffries something of a country bumpkin, liked him. He was slow and ponderous in the ring, but out of it he was earnest and quiet, unlike the loquacious and confident Corbett, who was always talking about something. Corbett had captured the heavyweight crown five years before by knocking out the invincible John L. Sullivan in New Orleans.

Nobody expected Corbett to win, except Corbett and his manager, Matthew Brady.

Five years after defeating Sullivan, Corbett was preparing to defend his heavyweight title against the dangerous Bob Fitzsimmons in Carson City, NV, on March 17, 1897. Corbett was stopped in the 14th round in an upset.

Jeffries had improved a lot since his sparring sessions with Corbett. The education was painful, but Jeffries was improving steadily. For years afterward, Jeffries would thank Corbett for his help.

After Corbett lost his title, Jeffries fought five times and won them all. His most important was a points victory over Corbett’s rival, Joe Choynski, in San Francisco. Jeffries knocked out ring- and alcohol-worn Peter Jackson two fights later. Jackson had battled Corbett for 66 rounds in 1894.

Corbett wanted to fight the new champion. He was 34, nine years older than Jeffries, and spent most of his time chasing his passion: acting. But the boxing itch was back, and he wanted to scratch it.

No way had he forgotten how easily he had handled Jeffries three years before. Allegedly, Jeffries resented some of Corbett’s comments during their sparring.

Corbett spoke to Brady and explained that he needed the money. Brady felt bad for his old fighter. He wanted to help, but he also liked the idea of the matchup. Corbett’s lie about needing money worked.

Lie number two was a doozy. Rumors spread that Corbett would hardly train for his fight with Jeffries. The opposite was the truth.

Corbett would fight Jeffries in Coney Island, NY, on May 11, 1900. Corbett’s camp was spirited. The former champion heard the whispers about him being done.

He wasn’t done, and he’d prove it in the ring. His solution was to whip himself into the best shape possible.

Jeffries wasn’t training nearly as hard as Corbett. He was motivated, but guzzling some champagne and staying up late didn’t help. He fretted about how difficult it was to corner Corbett, but still he was dangerously overconfident.

Jeffries always felt that his natural strength would carry the day.

It helped that he had heard that Corbett was barely training. What he heard wasn’t close to the truth.

He recognized he had been hoodwinked the moment he saw Corbett in the ring, just minutes before they started fighting. The ex-champion looked to be in magnificent condition.

Corbett weighed 188 pounds.

Jeffries tipped the scales at 218.

The day of the fight was hot and muggy.

The oddsmakers favored Jeffries three-to-one.

For 22 of the 25 rounds, Corbett was the master boxer of old.  His jab was constantly in Jeffries’ face, and he’d skip away whenever danger approached. Corbett staggered Jeffries in round nine with two sharp left hooks. Jeffries could feel the blood flowing from his nose. He connected with a big right in round 15 that momentarily dazed Corbett.

Jeffries kept coming. He remarked after the fight that he regretted not training harder, as Corbett continued to make him miss.

He clobbered Corbett in round 20. The former champion was finally feeling the pace, but his confidence remained sky high. Before round 23, he began making plans for the second reign as heavyweight champion.

He did well for the first two minutes of the round, but bouncing off the ropes a little past the two-minute mark, he ran right into a short, dynamic right from Jeffries.

Corbett fell to the canvas, unconscious.

The fight was over.