4. Jack Johnson vs. James J. Jeffries
At the heart of this fight was, well, racism. While Jeffires had been champion he refused to face Johnson on account of boxing’s color-line. Boxing’s color-line forbid white champions from defending their titles against black challengers.
When Jeffries retired, a new champion, Canadian Tommy Burns, decided he would face black challengers however, provided he was paid handsomely of course. Johnson pummelled him and took the title in 1910.
Jeffries came out of retirement to take on Johnson, only to get beat bad enough that his manager had to enter the ring to end the fight.
