They fought 25 rounds under 110 degree heat under low hanging white hot lights. It was so hot that many people in the audience at ring side passed out. Both fighters lost 15 pounds, and some of their hair due to those confounded lights. Jeffries won despite a injured shoulder. Sharkey was badly injured with a broken nose and ribs but refused to quit. This was a no retreat no surrender match which pitted two warriors in their prime going at each other. The historians of the time considered it boxing's best lineal heavyweight title fight. Round by round reports from the Brooklyn Union, and NY times are on line. There is also an excellent Police Gazette Report. The reads are fantastic. Jeffires won the early rounds and floored Sharkey with a hook that sent the sailor down head first. But the blow agverated a training injury with a medicine ball, and Sharkey gave Jeffries hell until about round 12 where Jeffries right hands, and uppercuts turned the tide. Sharkey was out on his feet a few times, but the human cyclone kept coming back for more. Sharkey landed some thunderous shots too. Reports say the blows would have Ko'd most heavyweights on the spot. Great match. I wish this one was on tape. the inital flim was up close and very clear....like Gans vs McGovern clear. The lone 4 second clip of the oringal ( not movie bootleg film which offers some of the same clips replayed in 8 minutes ) shows sharkey charging in like bull, firing a wild swing, and Jeffries ducking it.
You have to rent the old movie, " The night they Raided Minsky's." The film isn't that bad. It has several clips of athletes in it, along with old style slap sticky humor. Late in the movie, two characters get into a brawl at an old style arcade and jar a machine which plays the pictures. When this happens you can see a clip from the fight that is not part of the old boot legged venison. It only last a few seconds, however with the aid of a DVR you can slow it down a bit. I took a photo shot of the paused action a while back. I think the movie also has a clip of a young Jim Corbett sparring on a bag. Not sure if it was Corbett or not, but whomever it was looked very good. There was movie created a stir among historians and boxing film collectors, as no explanation was given as to how the videos made it into the film. Here's what I recommend. Do a search on your Seattle or cable provider, and if you have a DVR, set it to record. I deleted the movie on my DR when I moved, but now I want to see it again. You can also see Jeffries and Sharkey mock sparring as old men up close in the Legandary Champions, which is out there on you tube.
No the Fitz Jeffries fight was part filmed by Vitagraph , but the arc lights burned out. The first fight entirely successfully filmed by artificial light was the first fight.By the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.This fight was pirated ,filmed on behalf of the Vitagraph Company by Albert Smith.