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Jack Cushing vs Mike Leonard 14.6.1894 (First boxing contest ever filmed!)

3,092 views · Published 6 October 2017 · 0:39 · Indexed 23 October 2026

Channel: Classic Boxing Matches · 2017 · Sports

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The first ever filmed boxing contest took place in June 1894 between Jack Cushing (black trunks) and Mike Leonard (white trunks).  This short snippet is all that remains of the footage due to degradation.  More info below...

Mike Leonard was a welterweight boxer from New York nicknamed "The Fashion Plate" and was only 2 years in to his 20 year career at this point in time.  He had turned pro in 1892 and had amassed a 5-2-1 record.

Little is known of Jack Cushing and what his exact professional record might be.  He only has 1 recorded professional fight according to boxrec.com and that took place in 1900, losing by 2nd round KO.  He is also registered as a lightweight and he does look smaller than Leonard in the above footage.

The fight between Cushing and Leonard was not an official contest as it was fought under specific conditions to show off the new technology of the Kinetoscope.  As you can see there are corner-men in the ring and neither man moves very much out of frame.  Regardless, the intent behind each punch was legitimate and it was a REAL contest.  Each of the six one-minute rounds recorded by the Kinetograph was made available to exhibitors for $22.50. 
 Customers who watched the final round saw Leonard score a knockdown.

Leonard's career never amounted to anything following this footage.  He lost or drew far more than he won but he pulled off the occasional upset along the way.  His biggest wins came against former 130lb Lightweight Champion of America, Jimmy Dime, beating him twice in 1896 both times on points over 10 rounds.  He initially retired in 1905 but returned to the ring in 1912 in a losing effort against Canadian Lightweight Champion, Billy Allen.  Leonard's final professional record stands at 18-12-8 with 2 no contests (NC) and 1 no decision (ND).

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