Thread: Was this the greatest fight ever?

Sam McVey v Joe Jeannette - 1909 - Paris.

Just been reading some cool articles about this brutal fight.

Many ringside reporters claim that both men were given oxygen filled balloons to inhale between rounds to keep them going.

The fight lasted over FORTY EIGHT full 3 minute rounds with McVey's face battered to the point where he was unrecognizable , both eyes closed and severely injured and a badly damaged bleeding mouth.

Jeannette was beaten so badly in one round he was dragged back to his corner semi conscious other reports claim!

Imagine watching this from ringside and witnessing the state of two fighters after nearly 3 hours smashing each other, there are mixed reports but a few claim between them
They scored over THIRTY knockdowns!

Doesn't seem to be any footage available, theres a couple of McVeys fights on youtube but the quality is shit.

Would love to see this on film

http://www.xlfights.com/Home/Entries/2009/6/27_Questioning_The_Greatest_of_All_Fights_-_Sam_McVey_vs._Joe_Jeannette_April_17,_1909.html

Some original newspaper reports from over 100 years ago

http://www.joejennette.com/JeannettevsMacVey.html

Another review

http://boxingmemories.com/2011/03/17/the-10-greatest-heavyweight-fights-of-all-time-joe-jeannette-vs-sam-mcvey/

what i wouldnt give to have some of these old fights on tape

If anyone can track this fight down and post it up it would be much appreciated

I'd imagine with a lot of these ancient 20+ round wars, most people would just be disgusted that they weren't stopped watching it these days. Once you reach a certain point of brutality, you may as well be watching street fights on youtube or something, imo. I'd much rather see a great fight end suddenly or definitively, as opposed to two guys killing each other because neither has enough left to impose themselves.

Originally Posted by smashup

If anyone can track this fight down and post it up it would be much appreciated

Film does not exist.

Must have been the ultimate battle of wills to watch though... Jeannette was down about 20 odd times then turned it round around the 20th round.

People tend to get sensitive these days about what the fight game is all about I think, its a brutal brutal sport where the main aim is to punch your opponent unconscious and knock him out

Id have loved to have witnessed a tear up like that personally.

I bet you both fighters ended up broke and destroyed. That just sounds insane.

Sounds like a pretty shit fight tbh.

Sounds skill less.

No interest in it.

Originally Posted by Vendettos

Sounds like a pretty shit fight tbh.

Sounds skill less.

No interest in it.

My thoughts exactly.. two skill challenged 1909 fighters lol just swinging away at each other..

Sounds like some bum fight on Thunderbox..

Originally Posted by FinitoElDinamita

Originally Posted by Vendettos

Sounds like a pretty shit fight tbh.

Sounds skill less.

No interest in it.

My thoughts exactly.. two skill challenged 1909 fighters lol just swinging away at each other..

Sounds like some bum fight on Thunderbox..

We don't mention that name on these forums....

The fight was not filmed, the 2,500 that were there are the only ones who will have had first hand accounts about what happened.


Undoubtedly a thrilling fight, the knockdown total is very much up for debate. With an American journal months later claiming all the knockdowns when reviewing the bout, which the French papers of the time did not mention.


But that said, it clearly was a hardcore brutal battle, even for the time.


Joe Jeannette vs. Sam McVea - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia

They looked is superb condition.

Originally Posted by Britkid

The fight was not filmed, the 2,500 that were there are the only ones who will have had first hand accounts about what happened.


Undoubtedly a thrilling fight, the knockdown total is very much up for debate. With an American journal months later claiming all the knockdowns when reviewing the bout, which the French papers of the time did not mention.


But that said, it clearly was a hardcore brutal battle, even for the time.


Joe Jeannette vs. Sam McVea - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia

Good find mate not read this boxrec article.

Its amazing that after a fight that brutal they had 2 more!!!

A 30 round draw then a 12 rounder.

Crazy.

Originally Posted by smashup

Must have been the ultimate battle of wills to watch though... Jeannette was down about 20 odd times then turned it round around the 20th round.

People tend to get sensitive these days about what the fight game is all about I think, its a brutal brutal sport where the main aim is to punch your opponent unconscious and knock him out

Id have loved to have witnessed a tear up like that personally.

Fair enough, but at some point it becomes solely about wills, and that's when it gets a bit to savage to interest me. I'd imagine it was a case where each man was just so damaged and fatigued that they weren't punching hard enough to put the other man out for good, you might not actually enjoy it as much as you'd imagine. Between that, and by the sounds of it, the oxygen baloons keeping these guys going, it isn't really what boxing has been about in our lifetimes. Would Corrales Castillo have been a more exciting fight if instead of stopping it, the ref had dragged Jose to his corner and shot him up with adrenaline to come out another round?

Originally Posted by p4pking

Originally Posted by smashup

Must have been the ultimate battle of wills to watch though... Jeannette was down about 20 odd times then turned it round around the 20th round.

People tend to get sensitive these days about what the fight game is all about I think, its a brutal brutal sport where the main aim is to punch your opponent unconscious and knock him out

Id have loved to have witnessed a tear up like that personally.

Fair enough, but at some point it becomes solely about wills, and that's when it gets a bit to savage to interest me. I'd imagine it was a case where each man was just so damaged and fatigued that they weren't punching hard enough to put the other man out for good, you might not actually enjoy it as much as you'd imagine. Between that, and by the sounds of it, the oxygen baloons keeping these guys going, it isn't really what boxing has been about in our lifetimes. Would Corrales Castillo have been a more exciting fight if instead of stopping it, the ref had dragged Jose to his corner and shot him up with adrenaline to come out another round?

In a word Yes but thats just my opinion.

Dont get me wrong I love a good tactical battle but deep down I think we as fight fans really wanna see two guys locked in a serious battle of wills and beating the absolute cunt out of each other.

Foreman v Lyle - im sure most members who have seen it will agree is pure drama and excitment and one of the most thrilling heavyweight battles ever.
Boxing skill was out the window after a round or so and it was purely about a battle of wills .. " the way the public wants it" .... said the commentator

I know which I find more exciting as a fight fan , at the end of the day I wanna see some action but respect totally say a Mayweather style.

Like I said boxing has been made safer and safer over the years and one day will be a distant memory people will look back on in disgust.

We are the last of a certain breed people, trust me on that