'Professor' Mike Donovan sparring Billy Edwards, 1905

Cool thing I found online:

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Billy Edwards won the American Lightweight Championship in 1868, here is more footage of him:

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Doesn't look too shabby for a 51 year old, his jab is crisp and his movement is superb. It's a shame we don't have more footage of these lads

 

The most surprising thing about this footage is that Donovan is just 58!

 

Based on pics of Donovan as an older man, it's pretty clear which one is him IMO lmao. The one that looks half dead

 

Seeing how agile he was in the 1895 footage despite being 51 years old, I'd say that genetics have certainly done him favours.

 

I like Donovan's jab and movement in this, in spite of his age he still moves around very well. I can see why he is described as one of the first tacticians in boxing. Imagine how good these two must've looked at their peak

 

Sullivan had countless exhibitions until like 1905, I'm sure at least one was filmed

 

Footage like this gives me faith in the technique of pre-1900s boxers. Both of these men make very good showings for themselves in the two videos, and they look more modernistic and refined than Fitz, Corbett, Jeffries or Johnson do. It's weird, since Donovan and Edwards were from the 1860s and 70s.

Btw, I was able to verify that it is indeed Donovan and Edwards in the footage. Donovan looks identical to how he did in real life as an old man, and a friend of mine who's an expert on the era told me it's Edwards.