Quote Originally Posted by smashup View Post
Joe Jeanette v Sam McVea - 1909 Paris

This is recorded as one of the most brutal fights ever, 3 hours, 49 rounds and the corners were even making them both inhale from Oxygen filled balloons to re energize them both

By virtue of oxygen pumped into them by their seconds, Jeannette and MacVey reeled and staggered through forty-eight rounds of a brutal and plucky fight here tonight. At the opening of the forty-ninth round MacVey, his face utterly dehumanized save for an expression of helpless agony that distorted what remained of his features, signified that he was unable to continue, whereupon the referee declared Jeannette the winner.

Joe Jeannette vs. Sam McVea - BoxRec
Mate that sounds like pure insanity once you read the details. Absolutely brutal affair as were many of the era. To imagine that McVea would endure this, the mangled face and torn eyes, and then be allowed..even able..to fight again just ONE WEEK later . I think there is no doubt many greats and many matches are lost or suffer from "no video than it didn't happen" kind of mindset. You see it all the time with Harry Greb for one. It by no means is true and rather insulting but the early 1900's is a gold mine of history too often dismissed as near prehistoric. Damn shame really and OUR loss.