Jack Johnson Defeats Jim Jeffries in the "Fight of the Century": July 4, 1910

"The fight of the century" took place in Reno Nevada, on the fourth of July. Watch this report on the heavyweight championship between reigning champion Jack Johnson, and former champion James J. Jeffries who came out of retirement and lost more than 100 pounds to challenge Johnson. The match was finally decided when Johnson Knocked out Jeffries, in the fifteenth round of a one-sided fight. The anticipation for a fight between a black champion and white former champion stirred racial tensions leading up to the match. Jeffries was seen as "the Great White Hope" and there were hopes that he could beat Johnson. After the fight, Johnson's victory ignited racial riots in more than 50 cities across the United States.

A public domain film.