Below you will find details of Past and present BKB fighters
THEOGENES
The boxer and pankratiast Theagenes - called Theogenes in the sources from before the first century AD - came from the island Thasos and was active as a sportsman during the Persian Wars. It is remarkable that he took part in the Greek games, while Thasos stood at the side of the Persians. His father was a priest of Herakles, the hero of the combat sports. Sometimes Theagenes is called the son of Herakles himself.
Theagenes won an enormous number of victories. He won ten victories at the Isthmian games (nine in the pankration, one combined with a victory in boxing), nine at theNemean games, all in boxing, three at the Pythian games, also in boxing and two at the Olympic games, one in boxing and one in the pankration, in 480 and 476 BC. According to the sources, he won 1300 or 1400 victories. This would mean he won a match every week for twenty-five years. But since there were no games in the winter, this number probably includes all the preliminary rounds as well. He was unbeaten at boxing for 22 years.Theagenes also won a victory in the local
games in Argos. It was unusual for fighters to take part in running events, but Theagenes wanted to imitate his great hero Achilles, who was not only the strongest, but also the fastest of all the Greeks.
Theagenes was so proud of his Olympic victories - they were the most prestigious - that he called his son Disolympios, 'double Olympic champion'. Yet his first visit to Olympia was not an undivided success: after his victory in the boxing, he was so exhausted that he withdrew from the pankration. The hellanodikai judged that Theagenes had only participated in the boxing to provoke his opponent Euthymos and imposed a heavy fine upon him.
A lot of legends arose about the athlete, for example about his appetite. After his death he was heroized. It was believed he could cure diseases. In connection with his heroization the following story is told: after the death of Theagenes, his statue was mistreated at night by one of his enemies - probable a political opponent. The statue fell on the man and killed him. For this crime the statue was thrown into the sea. Some time later Thasos was struck by a famine. The oracle of Delphi advised the Thasians to bring back all the bannished. The last one to return was Theagenes, whose statue was caught in the nets of a fisherman. From that moment on Thasos florished again and to express their gratitude, the Thasians honoured Theagenes with a cult. Among the archaeological remains of his cult is a stone.
Theagenes won an enormous number of victories. He won ten victories at the Isthmian games (nine in the pankration, one combined with a victory in boxing), nine at theNemean games, all in boxing, three at the Pythian games, also in boxing and two at the Olympic games, one in boxing and one in the pankration, in 480 and 476 BC. According to the sources, he won 1300 or 1400 victories. This would mean he won a match every week for twenty-five years. But since there were no games in the winter, this number probably includes all the preliminary rounds as well. He was unbeaten at boxing for 22 years.Theagenes also won a victory in the local
games in Argos. It was unusual for fighters to take part in running events, but Theagenes wanted to imitate his great hero Achilles, who was not only the strongest, but also the fastest of all the Greeks.
Theagenes was so proud of his Olympic victories - they were the most prestigious - that he called his son Disolympios, 'double Olympic champion'. Yet his first visit to Olympia was not an undivided success: after his victory in the boxing, he was so exhausted that he withdrew from the pankration. The hellanodikai judged that Theagenes had only participated in the boxing to provoke his opponent Euthymos and imposed a heavy fine upon him.
A lot of legends arose about the athlete, for example about his appetite. After his death he was heroized. It was believed he could cure diseases. In connection with his heroization the following story is told: after the death of Theagenes, his statue was mistreated at night by one of his enemies - probable a political opponent. The statue fell on the man and killed him. For this crime the statue was thrown into the sea. Some time later Thasos was struck by a famine. The oracle of Delphi advised the Thasians to bring back all the bannished. The last one to return was Theagenes, whose statue was caught in the nets of a fisherman. From that moment on Thasos florished again and to express their gratitude, the Thasians honoured Theagenes with a cult. Among the archaeological remains of his cult is a stone.
JACK BROUGHTON
BEN CAUNT
JEM MACE
Jem Mace (8 April 1831 – 30 November 1910) was an English boxing champion. He was born at Beeston, Norfolk. Although nicknamed "The Gypsy", he denied Romani ethnicity in his autobiography. A middleweight, he succeeded in outboxing heavier opponents thanks to his dancing style, clever defensive tactics and powerful, accurate punching.
After an apprenticeship in the boxing booth of Nat Langham, he made his debut in 1857 and, in 1861, he won the title of Champion of England by defeating Sam Hurst at Medway Island, Kent. He successfully defended it in 1862 against Tom King, but was defeated by King later that year. King then retired. In 1866 Mace was once again recognised as a champion following his defeat of Joe Goss at Purfleet, Essex.
Bare-knuckle boxing was an outlawed sport and, as such, its exponents were always liable for arrest and prosecution. In 1867 Mace was arrested on the night before his scheduled title defence against Ned O'Baldwin. He was bound over in court not to fight again.
In 1869 he relocated to the USA where prizefighting was still flourishing. He toured with the celebrated American boxer John C Heenan giving exhibitions of glove boxing. In 1870 he defeated Tom Allen at Kenner, Louisiana, near New Orleans. He defended his title twice against another American, Joe Coburn, in 1871. On both occasions Mace secured a draw. However, on 6 April 1871, Mace suffered a loss in New Orleans to Gentleman Jose Alonso.
Following an attempt on his life in Mississippi, he returned to England. In 1876, he was back in America, this time as a glove boxer and, in a historic early clash under Queensberry Rules, he defeated Bill Davis at Virginia City, Nevada. From 1877 to 1882 Mace lived in Australia where his long series of exhibitions paved the way for the worldwide acceptance of glove boxing. With the help of his protege, Larry Foley, he schooled a generation of Australian boxers, notably the Caribbean-born Peter Jackson.
In 1882 he toured New Zealand where he discovered future World Heavyweight Champion Bob Fitzsimmons. In 1883 he was back in the USA as manager of the New Zealander Herbert Slade, who, however, failed to benefit from his tuition.
In 1890, at the age of fifty-eight, he fought in an exhibition with the Birmingham fighter Charlie Mitchell.
In 1896, returning to New York to fight against Mike Donovan he was acclaimed by World Heavyweight Champion James J. Corbett as "the man to whom we owe the changes that have elevated the sport". Mace continued as a purely exhibition boxer and his last recorded entry into the ring was in 1909 when he was 78 years of age.
Mace was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
As Mace rose to become the British champion he supplemented his income with exhibition work in the popular Victorian traveling circuses, even becoming a circus proprietor himself for a short time. Most notably, he toured Lancashire with Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal in the late summer and fall of 1861--Fanque being England's first black circus proprietor and later immortalised in The Beatles song, Being
Mace was a skillful violinist who originally aspired to a career in music. Indeed it was the trashing of his violin by three thugs in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and his subsequent beating of them in fistic duels in the street, which led him to enter the prize ring. He was also a notable performer of Grecian Statues routines.
In 1866 Mace became the proprietor of the Strawberry Gardens pleasure grounds at West Derby, near Liverpool. At various times, he was also a professional runner, publican, circus proprietor and racehorse owner. He kept a saloon in New York City for several years, and later a hotel in Melbourne.
Mace was married three times, twice bigamously, and fathered at least fourteen children by five women. He is believed to have had an affair with the famous American actress Adah Isaacs Menken.
During his life he made a considerable fortune but, due to his compulsive gambling, it was squandered. He ended his life as a penniless busker in Jarrow, Durham and was buried in an unmarked grave at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
After an apprenticeship in the boxing booth of Nat Langham, he made his debut in 1857 and, in 1861, he won the title of Champion of England by defeating Sam Hurst at Medway Island, Kent. He successfully defended it in 1862 against Tom King, but was defeated by King later that year. King then retired. In 1866 Mace was once again recognised as a champion following his defeat of Joe Goss at Purfleet, Essex.
Bare-knuckle boxing was an outlawed sport and, as such, its exponents were always liable for arrest and prosecution. In 1867 Mace was arrested on the night before his scheduled title defence against Ned O'Baldwin. He was bound over in court not to fight again.
In 1869 he relocated to the USA where prizefighting was still flourishing. He toured with the celebrated American boxer John C Heenan giving exhibitions of glove boxing. In 1870 he defeated Tom Allen at Kenner, Louisiana, near New Orleans. He defended his title twice against another American, Joe Coburn, in 1871. On both occasions Mace secured a draw. However, on 6 April 1871, Mace suffered a loss in New Orleans to Gentleman Jose Alonso.
Following an attempt on his life in Mississippi, he returned to England. In 1876, he was back in America, this time as a glove boxer and, in a historic early clash under Queensberry Rules, he defeated Bill Davis at Virginia City, Nevada. From 1877 to 1882 Mace lived in Australia where his long series of exhibitions paved the way for the worldwide acceptance of glove boxing. With the help of his protege, Larry Foley, he schooled a generation of Australian boxers, notably the Caribbean-born Peter Jackson.
In 1882 he toured New Zealand where he discovered future World Heavyweight Champion Bob Fitzsimmons. In 1883 he was back in the USA as manager of the New Zealander Herbert Slade, who, however, failed to benefit from his tuition.
In 1890, at the age of fifty-eight, he fought in an exhibition with the Birmingham fighter Charlie Mitchell.
In 1896, returning to New York to fight against Mike Donovan he was acclaimed by World Heavyweight Champion James J. Corbett as "the man to whom we owe the changes that have elevated the sport". Mace continued as a purely exhibition boxer and his last recorded entry into the ring was in 1909 when he was 78 years of age.
Mace was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
As Mace rose to become the British champion he supplemented his income with exhibition work in the popular Victorian traveling circuses, even becoming a circus proprietor himself for a short time. Most notably, he toured Lancashire with Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal in the late summer and fall of 1861--Fanque being England's first black circus proprietor and later immortalised in The Beatles song, Being
Mace was a skillful violinist who originally aspired to a career in music. Indeed it was the trashing of his violin by three thugs in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and his subsequent beating of them in fistic duels in the street, which led him to enter the prize ring. He was also a notable performer of Grecian Statues routines.
In 1866 Mace became the proprietor of the Strawberry Gardens pleasure grounds at West Derby, near Liverpool. At various times, he was also a professional runner, publican, circus proprietor and racehorse owner. He kept a saloon in New York City for several years, and later a hotel in Melbourne.
Mace was married three times, twice bigamously, and fathered at least fourteen children by five women. He is believed to have had an affair with the famous American actress Adah Isaacs Menken.
During his life he made a considerable fortune but, due to his compulsive gambling, it was squandered. He ended his life as a penniless busker in Jarrow, Durham and was buried in an unmarked grave at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
TOM MOLINEAUX
Tom Molineaux (1784 – 1818) was a African-American bare-knuckle boxer. He spent much of his career in Great Britain and Ireland, where he had some notable successes.
Early life Born into slavery in Virginia, Molineaux was trained by his father, also a fighter, as was Molineaux's twin brother. He boxed with other slaves to entertain plantation owners. Molineaux earned his owner a large sum of money in winnings on bets, was granted his freedom, and moved to England where he expected to be able to earn money as a professional boxer.
In Europe Molineaux's first fight in England was on 24 July 1810, beating Jack Burrows in 65 minutes. On 3 December 1810, having been trained by Bill Richmond, another ex-slave turned boxer, Molineaux fought Tom Cribb at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire for the English title. According to the writer Pierce Egan, who was present, Molineaux stood five foot eight and a quarter inches tall, and for this fight weighed "fourteen stone two" (198 pounds (90 kg)). Egan wrote that few people, including Cribb, expected the fight to last very long; there was betting that Cribb would win in the first ten rounds. However, Molineaux proved a powerful and intelligent fighter and the two battered each other heavily. There was a disturbance in the nineteenth round as Molineaux and Cribb were locked in a wrestler's hold (legal under the rules of the time) so that neither could hit the other nor escape. The referee stood by, uncertain as to whether he should break the two apart, and the dissatisfied crowd pushed into the ring. In the confusion Molineaux hurt his left hand; Egan could not tell if it had been broken. There was also dispute over whether Cribb had managed to return to the line before the allowed thirty seconds had passed. If he had not, Molineaux would have won, but in the confusion the referee could not tell and the fight went on. After the 34th round Molineaux said he could not continue but his second persuaded him to return to the ring, where he was defeated in the 35th round.
The return fight on 28 September, 1811 at Thistleton Gap in Rutland was watched by 15,000 people. Egan, who was present, said that both fighters "weighed less by more than a stone", which means Molineaux weighed at most 185 pounds (84 kg) for this fight. Molineaux, though still hitting Cribb with great power, was out-fought; Cribb broke his jaw and finally knocked him out in the 11th round. After the fight Richmond and Molineaux parted.
Post-boxing life Molineaux's boxing career ended in 1815. After a stint in a debtor's prison he became increasingly dependent on alcohol, and died penniless in the regimental bandroom in Galway in Ireland three years later from liver failure. He was 34 years old.
A hand coloured etching of Molineaux by Robert Dighton is held in the National Portrait Gallery in London. A fictionalised account of Molineaux's boxing career appears in Black Ajax, by George MacDonald Fraser.
Early life Born into slavery in Virginia, Molineaux was trained by his father, also a fighter, as was Molineaux's twin brother. He boxed with other slaves to entertain plantation owners. Molineaux earned his owner a large sum of money in winnings on bets, was granted his freedom, and moved to England where he expected to be able to earn money as a professional boxer.
In Europe Molineaux's first fight in England was on 24 July 1810, beating Jack Burrows in 65 minutes. On 3 December 1810, having been trained by Bill Richmond, another ex-slave turned boxer, Molineaux fought Tom Cribb at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire for the English title. According to the writer Pierce Egan, who was present, Molineaux stood five foot eight and a quarter inches tall, and for this fight weighed "fourteen stone two" (198 pounds (90 kg)). Egan wrote that few people, including Cribb, expected the fight to last very long; there was betting that Cribb would win in the first ten rounds. However, Molineaux proved a powerful and intelligent fighter and the two battered each other heavily. There was a disturbance in the nineteenth round as Molineaux and Cribb were locked in a wrestler's hold (legal under the rules of the time) so that neither could hit the other nor escape. The referee stood by, uncertain as to whether he should break the two apart, and the dissatisfied crowd pushed into the ring. In the confusion Molineaux hurt his left hand; Egan could not tell if it had been broken. There was also dispute over whether Cribb had managed to return to the line before the allowed thirty seconds had passed. If he had not, Molineaux would have won, but in the confusion the referee could not tell and the fight went on. After the 34th round Molineaux said he could not continue but his second persuaded him to return to the ring, where he was defeated in the 35th round.
The return fight on 28 September, 1811 at Thistleton Gap in Rutland was watched by 15,000 people. Egan, who was present, said that both fighters "weighed less by more than a stone", which means Molineaux weighed at most 185 pounds (84 kg) for this fight. Molineaux, though still hitting Cribb with great power, was out-fought; Cribb broke his jaw and finally knocked him out in the 11th round. After the fight Richmond and Molineaux parted.
Post-boxing life Molineaux's boxing career ended in 1815. After a stint in a debtor's prison he became increasingly dependent on alcohol, and died penniless in the regimental bandroom in Galway in Ireland three years later from liver failure. He was 34 years old.
A hand coloured etching of Molineaux by Robert Dighton is held in the National Portrait Gallery in London. A fictionalised account of Molineaux's boxing career appears in Black Ajax, by George MacDonald Fraser.
TOM SAYERS
YANKEE SULLIVAN
Yankee Sullivan (James Ambrose) (c. March 10, 1811 – May 31, 1856) also known as Frank Murray and James Sullivan was a bare knuckle fighter and boxer. He was a Champion of Prizefighting from 1851 to October 12, 1853. He considered himself to be the inheritor of Tom Hyer's title and lost any claim to that title after losing a fight to John Morrissey.
He was born James Ambrose in Ireland and became a prizefighter at an early age. No authoritative source for the location or date of his birth has yet been found.
Sullivan arrived in New York in the early 1840s and gained a reputation as a prizefighter and a political enforcer. He was sentenced to two years in state prison for his involvement in the promotion of a fight between Christopher Lilly and Thomas McCoy which resulted in the death of McCoy. He received a pardon after two years on the condition that two men put up two hundred dollars and that he agree not to fight for two years. During his time in New York he was the owner of a saloon known as the Sawdust House on Walker Street.
On February 7, 1849, he fought Tom Hyer in Still Pond, Maryland. Billed as a contest between undefeated fighters, the men left Baltimore by boat accompanied by a party of three hundred spectators and chased by a group of local militia. The ring was fashioned from the ships ropes and stakes handmade from forest wood on the spot. Sullivan was knocked out after eighteen minutes and taken unconscious to an area hospital. Following the fight Hyer retired temporarily.
Sullivan claimed Hyer's status as a champion (from 1851 to 1853) as his own on the dubious grounds that Hyer was a champion, Sullivan's only loss was to Hyer, Hyer had retired and therefore Sullivan inherited the Championship on the basis of being a fighter second only to the retired Hyer.
On October 12, 1853, he fought John Morrissey at Boston Corner, which was then in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, but out of reach of its authorities, and thus a good location for the illegal match. Sullivan was the dominant fighter for the first ten rounds but wore down as fight went on and was taking a serious beating by the thirty seventh round. The fight broke down into a brawl involving Sullivan and the seconds of both fighters. Morrissey stayed out of the fight and was given the winners money (two thousand dollars) as a result.
Sullivan later moved to California where he had a criminal reputation. He was arrested by the San Francisco Vigilance Movement, and he hanged himself in his prison cell. He was buried in the Mission Dolores cemetery in San Francisco, California. Initially buried in an unmarked grave, a grave marker was erected by Tom Malloy two years later. He was finally buried at Mission Dolores Cemetery near the southwest corner of 16th Street and Dolores Street in San Francisco. The headstone bears the inscription "Remember not, O Lord, our offenses, nor those of our parents. Neither take thou vengeance of our sins. Thou shalt bring forth my soul out of tribulation and in thy mercy thou shalt destroy mine enemies."
He was born James Ambrose in Ireland and became a prizefighter at an early age. No authoritative source for the location or date of his birth has yet been found.
Sullivan arrived in New York in the early 1840s and gained a reputation as a prizefighter and a political enforcer. He was sentenced to two years in state prison for his involvement in the promotion of a fight between Christopher Lilly and Thomas McCoy which resulted in the death of McCoy. He received a pardon after two years on the condition that two men put up two hundred dollars and that he agree not to fight for two years. During his time in New York he was the owner of a saloon known as the Sawdust House on Walker Street.
On February 7, 1849, he fought Tom Hyer in Still Pond, Maryland. Billed as a contest between undefeated fighters, the men left Baltimore by boat accompanied by a party of three hundred spectators and chased by a group of local militia. The ring was fashioned from the ships ropes and stakes handmade from forest wood on the spot. Sullivan was knocked out after eighteen minutes and taken unconscious to an area hospital. Following the fight Hyer retired temporarily.
Sullivan claimed Hyer's status as a champion (from 1851 to 1853) as his own on the dubious grounds that Hyer was a champion, Sullivan's only loss was to Hyer, Hyer had retired and therefore Sullivan inherited the Championship on the basis of being a fighter second only to the retired Hyer.
On October 12, 1853, he fought John Morrissey at Boston Corner, which was then in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, but out of reach of its authorities, and thus a good location for the illegal match. Sullivan was the dominant fighter for the first ten rounds but wore down as fight went on and was taking a serious beating by the thirty seventh round. The fight broke down into a brawl involving Sullivan and the seconds of both fighters. Morrissey stayed out of the fight and was given the winners money (two thousand dollars) as a result.
Sullivan later moved to California where he had a criminal reputation. He was arrested by the San Francisco Vigilance Movement, and he hanged himself in his prison cell. He was buried in the Mission Dolores cemetery in San Francisco, California. Initially buried in an unmarked grave, a grave marker was erected by Tom Malloy two years later. He was finally buried at Mission Dolores Cemetery near the southwest corner of 16th Street and Dolores Street in San Francisco. The headstone bears the inscription "Remember not, O Lord, our offenses, nor those of our parents. Neither take thou vengeance of our sins. Thou shalt bring forth my soul out of tribulation and in thy mercy thou shalt destroy mine enemies."
TOM CRIBB
Tom Cribb (8 July 1781 – 11 May 1848) was an English bare-knuckle boxer of the 19th century, so successful that he became world champion. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Born in Wick which is near the Hanham area of Bristol, Cribb moved to London at the age of 13 and after working as a bell-hanger got work as a coal porter in Wapping.
His first fight was on 7 January 1805 at Wood Green in Middlesex, now part of north London. Victory here, followed by another a month later, persuaded him to become a professional pugilist, under the supervision of Captain Robert Barclay. In 1807 Cribb beat Jem Belcher. In 1810 Cribb was awarded the British title. On 10 December 1810 he fought an American, former slave Tom Molineaux, at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. Cribb beat Molineaux in 35 rounds and became World champion. The fight was controversial for two reasons: Molineaux was injured when the crowd invaded the ring, and Cribb at one point seemed to have taken longer than the specified time to return to the centre of the ring. Cribb retained his title in 1811 by beating Molineaux at Thistleton Gap in Rutland in 11 rounds before a large crowd. Cribb had also beaten Molineaux' trainer Bill Richmond.
In 1812, aged 31, he retired to become a coal merchant (and part-time boxing trainer). Later he became a publican, running the Union Arms, Panton Street, close to Haymarket in central London.
In 1839 he retired to Woolwich in south-east London where he died in 1848, aged 66. He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's and St Andrew's, Woolwich – where a monument to his memory was erected. A road in the former Royal Arsenal has also been named in his honour.
Trivia The Tom Cribb pub is located at 36 Panton Street, Haymarket, London. This is the same address as the Union Arms, which was numbered 26 Panton Street, but later renumbered.
There is a popular local legend in the Bristol area that Cribbs Causeway, a road not far from Hanham that has given its name to a major out-of-town shopping mall, retail park and entertainment complex, was named after Tom Cribb. Despite being proved to be false this has not stopped the legend from continuing. See the Cribbs Causeway article for more information.
An English footwear brand named after Thomas Cribb existed between 2003 - 2007. The brand name "Thomas Cribb" is currently registered to the creators of the brand.
Tom Cribb also features prominently in George MacDonald Fraser’s novel Black Ajax, a fictionalised account of Tom Molineaux's life.
He is mentioned in one episode of the Victorian crime drama Cribb, in which one of Cribb's men speculates whether he is descended from the famous boxer. The episode is largely centred around prize-fighting.
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Born in Wick which is near the Hanham area of Bristol, Cribb moved to London at the age of 13 and after working as a bell-hanger got work as a coal porter in Wapping.
His first fight was on 7 January 1805 at Wood Green in Middlesex, now part of north London. Victory here, followed by another a month later, persuaded him to become a professional pugilist, under the supervision of Captain Robert Barclay. In 1807 Cribb beat Jem Belcher. In 1810 Cribb was awarded the British title. On 10 December 1810 he fought an American, former slave Tom Molineaux, at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. Cribb beat Molineaux in 35 rounds and became World champion. The fight was controversial for two reasons: Molineaux was injured when the crowd invaded the ring, and Cribb at one point seemed to have taken longer than the specified time to return to the centre of the ring. Cribb retained his title in 1811 by beating Molineaux at Thistleton Gap in Rutland in 11 rounds before a large crowd. Cribb had also beaten Molineaux' trainer Bill Richmond.
In 1812, aged 31, he retired to become a coal merchant (and part-time boxing trainer). Later he became a publican, running the Union Arms, Panton Street, close to Haymarket in central London.
In 1839 he retired to Woolwich in south-east London where he died in 1848, aged 66. He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's and St Andrew's, Woolwich – where a monument to his memory was erected. A road in the former Royal Arsenal has also been named in his honour.
Trivia The Tom Cribb pub is located at 36 Panton Street, Haymarket, London. This is the same address as the Union Arms, which was numbered 26 Panton Street, but later renumbered.
There is a popular local legend in the Bristol area that Cribbs Causeway, a road not far from Hanham that has given its name to a major out-of-town shopping mall, retail park and entertainment complex, was named after Tom Cribb. Despite being proved to be false this has not stopped the legend from continuing. See the Cribbs Causeway article for more information.
An English footwear brand named after Thomas Cribb existed between 2003 - 2007. The brand name "Thomas Cribb" is currently registered to the creators of the brand.
Tom Cribb also features prominently in George MacDonald Fraser’s novel Black Ajax, a fictionalised account of Tom Molineaux's life.
He is mentioned in one episode of the Victorian crime drama Cribb, in which one of Cribb's men speculates whether he is descended from the famous boxer. The episode is largely centred around prize-fighting.
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JOE GOSS
Joe Goss was born on 5 November 1838 in Northampton, England. Although he rarely scaled more than 160 pounds, the clever and aggressive Goss routinely fought men both bigger and heavier than himself.
At the age of twenty, Goss began his career with a 90-minute victory over George Hares. Goss would not lose a contest until Hall of Famer Jem Mace defeated him in 19 rounds (1 hour and 55 minutes) in London on 1 September 1863. Goss would unsuccessfully challenge his nemesis Mace on two other occasions, including an 1866 championship contest.
In 1876 Goss would claim the world's heavyweight title after defeating Tom Allen on a foul in 21 rounds. Goss met Paddy Ryan on 30 May 1880 in Coillier's Station, West Virginia. Goss was unable to continue and the contest was stopped after ninety minutes in the 87th round of the championship bout. Goss engaged in a series of exhibition bouts with John L. Sullivan before retiring in 1882 and was in Sullivan's corner when Sullivan won the title from Paddy Ryan. He died on 24 March 1885 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the U.S.
By the time Joe Goss arrived in America he was already thirty-eight years of age, but he was travelling in good company, having been brought over by Jem Mace and under contract to the Howe and Cushing circus. Goss had not entered the prize ring in nearly eight years. Goss' entire career to this point consisted of ten contests, of which he lost two and drew in two others. But, Joe Goss was a likeable sort, and he had Jem Mace's endorsement; so off to America he had gone in pursuit of Tom Allen. This may have been the longest pursuit in ring history, Goss and Allen having fought some nine years previous, thirty-five rounds to a draw.
Goss arrived on 15 April 1876 and spent the Spring and Summer travelling the country with the circus. Goss sparred much of the time with a well-known wrestler, Professor William Miller, on occasion he also sparred with Johnny Dwyer. Goss was appearing in a benefit at the Grand Opera House in Cincinnati the 3rd of September, four days and nine years later Tom Allen and Joe Goss were to come together to do battle for the Championship of America.
In 2003, Joe Goss was admitted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the Pioneer category.
At the age of twenty, Goss began his career with a 90-minute victory over George Hares. Goss would not lose a contest until Hall of Famer Jem Mace defeated him in 19 rounds (1 hour and 55 minutes) in London on 1 September 1863. Goss would unsuccessfully challenge his nemesis Mace on two other occasions, including an 1866 championship contest.
In 1876 Goss would claim the world's heavyweight title after defeating Tom Allen on a foul in 21 rounds. Goss met Paddy Ryan on 30 May 1880 in Coillier's Station, West Virginia. Goss was unable to continue and the contest was stopped after ninety minutes in the 87th round of the championship bout. Goss engaged in a series of exhibition bouts with John L. Sullivan before retiring in 1882 and was in Sullivan's corner when Sullivan won the title from Paddy Ryan. He died on 24 March 1885 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the U.S.
By the time Joe Goss arrived in America he was already thirty-eight years of age, but he was travelling in good company, having been brought over by Jem Mace and under contract to the Howe and Cushing circus. Goss had not entered the prize ring in nearly eight years. Goss' entire career to this point consisted of ten contests, of which he lost two and drew in two others. But, Joe Goss was a likeable sort, and he had Jem Mace's endorsement; so off to America he had gone in pursuit of Tom Allen. This may have been the longest pursuit in ring history, Goss and Allen having fought some nine years previous, thirty-five rounds to a draw.
Goss arrived on 15 April 1876 and spent the Spring and Summer travelling the country with the circus. Goss sparred much of the time with a well-known wrestler, Professor William Miller, on occasion he also sparred with Johnny Dwyer. Goss was appearing in a benefit at the Grand Opera House in Cincinnati the 3rd of September, four days and nine years later Tom Allen and Joe Goss were to come together to do battle for the Championship of America.
In 2003, Joe Goss was admitted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the Pioneer category.
BENDIGO THOMPSON
Champion bare-knuckle prize fighter turned preacher - Bendigo Thompson was one of the greatest boxers ever and his super-human brawls are carved into boxing history. But incredibly, very little is known about one of the strongest fighters of all time who is credited with inventing boxing’s dead Southpaw stance.
Born in 1881, William Abednego Thompson was raised among some of the most dangerous slums in Victorian England in Nottingham. So violent was the area that policeman were often afraid to walk the streets between slums between Kings Row and Parliament. It’s perhaps no surprise then that William - nicknamed Bendigo - started fighting from a young age and he was later encouraged to fight for his money by his mother who needed the money.
Bendigo was 18 when he fought his first boxing match against the champion of the nearby town of Bingham. The brawl lasted a staggering 59 rounds but Bendigo’s debut impressed the thousands of locals who turned out to watch. A crowd favourite, he was affectionately dubbed Ol’ Bendy for his ability to dodge and weave while tossing insults at his opponent. Bendigo was even known to perform summersaults in thr ring.. Although Bendigo was only 5’10’’ high and 12stone heavy, his reputation as a fearless boxer with a lightning fast punch grew and by the age of 21 he was a regular prize fighter. Thousands of people, from lords to peasant, flocked to see Bendigo’s fights which lasted as many as 100 rounds with little regard for rules. Bendigo would whip baying crowds into a frenzy and the atmosphere would be electric. He even taunted his opponents with crude rhymes about their mothers or daughters.
One fight that has been immortalised in local legend between Bendy and Hucknall-born rival Ben Caunt lasted a mind-blowing 96 rounds before Caunt collapsed from exhaustion.
A contemporary writer described it as "one of the most scandalous brawls in boxing history. Both men used every foul under the sun and invented a good many others’’. He continued: ‘’Thompson was tossed from the ring... Caunt trying to crash him on the ring stakes to break his back. Thompson's [followers] attempted to bludgeon Caunt whenever within striking distance... on one occasion missing by a hairs breadth, the blow landing on Caunt's brawny shoulder..."
Bendigo wasted no time. He hoisted the youth by his collar against the wall. As he stared into his eyes he delivered an almighty blow with his right hand to the lad's gut. He fell to the floor sputtering and curled up in a ball. He cried like a lamb for his mummy.
Bendigo turned to the other two teenagers. Although the preacher had turned 60 last spring, he had the poise and quick feet that had earned his respect as boxer in his youth.
''Which one of yer’s next ?
Bendigo and Caunt had a deadly rivalry that spilled over into bile and bitterness during their three matches. Caunt once needed to escape bareback on a horse through the streets after Bendy's fans mobbed him at the end of a match. But it was Bendigo who rose to national fame after defeating top fighters from Newcastle, Bradford and Liverpool and earning himself more than £1,000 in prize money - a massive amount in those days.
But rather foolishly, Bendigo shattered his knee when he somersaulted into crowds during a home coming parade after beating Londoner James ''Deaf Un'' Burke to be crowned the all-England prize fighting Champion. The injury put Bendigo out-of-action for two-years and he returned to his favourite childhood past-time of fishing on the banks of the Trent with local pal William Bailey from Broad Marsh.
Poor Bendigo had retired with a handsome two prize belts and four silver cups aged 39 when his dear old mother – who had a notable right hook - goaded him to accept one last fight with young Tom Paddock from Worcestershire in 1850. ‘’You feverish swine’’ neighbours heard he yelling at Bendigo. ‘’Who’s gonna put bread on the table? Get ya’ sorry backside into that ring, ya yellow bellowed wuss’’. Bendigo - still a tower of strength - saw off the upstart and, incredibly, he landed a cushy job at Oxford University teaching posh kids how to punch.
Upon his return from Oxford’s leafy streets, Bendigo was heartbroken to discover that his old mum, as drunken and brash as she was, had died. Tragically, like many sportsmen before and thousands more after him, Bendigo spiralled into heavy boozing and frequent arrests.
The poor fellow missed his mum dearly and stumbled blind-drunk through Nottingham's tavern's only to be taunted by cheeky kids. He became involved with a political gang called The Nottingham Lambs and was arrested 28 times during this period and spent countless hours in the city’s drunk tank.
It was during one of these marathon drinking sessions that he found God. After several beatings – once by his old mates in The Lambs -and many hours soul-searching, Bendigo grew a beard and embarked on a preaching career with as much zeal as he had cracked his knuckles into fighters' faces in the ring."See them belts? See them cups? I used to fight for those, but now I fight for Christ,'' Bendigo would bellow to thousands of bible-bashers who followed him.
Bendigo moved to a small cottage in the nearby town of Beeston to escape the city’s violence and drink. But ironically it was a mundane fall down the last three steps of his cottage that punctured his lung and fractured his ribs that killed him aged 69.
Born in 1881, William Abednego Thompson was raised among some of the most dangerous slums in Victorian England in Nottingham. So violent was the area that policeman were often afraid to walk the streets between slums between Kings Row and Parliament. It’s perhaps no surprise then that William - nicknamed Bendigo - started fighting from a young age and he was later encouraged to fight for his money by his mother who needed the money.
Bendigo was 18 when he fought his first boxing match against the champion of the nearby town of Bingham. The brawl lasted a staggering 59 rounds but Bendigo’s debut impressed the thousands of locals who turned out to watch. A crowd favourite, he was affectionately dubbed Ol’ Bendy for his ability to dodge and weave while tossing insults at his opponent. Bendigo was even known to perform summersaults in thr ring.. Although Bendigo was only 5’10’’ high and 12stone heavy, his reputation as a fearless boxer with a lightning fast punch grew and by the age of 21 he was a regular prize fighter. Thousands of people, from lords to peasant, flocked to see Bendigo’s fights which lasted as many as 100 rounds with little regard for rules. Bendigo would whip baying crowds into a frenzy and the atmosphere would be electric. He even taunted his opponents with crude rhymes about their mothers or daughters.
One fight that has been immortalised in local legend between Bendy and Hucknall-born rival Ben Caunt lasted a mind-blowing 96 rounds before Caunt collapsed from exhaustion.
A contemporary writer described it as "one of the most scandalous brawls in boxing history. Both men used every foul under the sun and invented a good many others’’. He continued: ‘’Thompson was tossed from the ring... Caunt trying to crash him on the ring stakes to break his back. Thompson's [followers] attempted to bludgeon Caunt whenever within striking distance... on one occasion missing by a hairs breadth, the blow landing on Caunt's brawny shoulder..."
Bendigo wasted no time. He hoisted the youth by his collar against the wall. As he stared into his eyes he delivered an almighty blow with his right hand to the lad's gut. He fell to the floor sputtering and curled up in a ball. He cried like a lamb for his mummy.
Bendigo turned to the other two teenagers. Although the preacher had turned 60 last spring, he had the poise and quick feet that had earned his respect as boxer in his youth.
''Which one of yer’s next ?
Bendigo and Caunt had a deadly rivalry that spilled over into bile and bitterness during their three matches. Caunt once needed to escape bareback on a horse through the streets after Bendy's fans mobbed him at the end of a match. But it was Bendigo who rose to national fame after defeating top fighters from Newcastle, Bradford and Liverpool and earning himself more than £1,000 in prize money - a massive amount in those days.
But rather foolishly, Bendigo shattered his knee when he somersaulted into crowds during a home coming parade after beating Londoner James ''Deaf Un'' Burke to be crowned the all-England prize fighting Champion. The injury put Bendigo out-of-action for two-years and he returned to his favourite childhood past-time of fishing on the banks of the Trent with local pal William Bailey from Broad Marsh.
Poor Bendigo had retired with a handsome two prize belts and four silver cups aged 39 when his dear old mother – who had a notable right hook - goaded him to accept one last fight with young Tom Paddock from Worcestershire in 1850. ‘’You feverish swine’’ neighbours heard he yelling at Bendigo. ‘’Who’s gonna put bread on the table? Get ya’ sorry backside into that ring, ya yellow bellowed wuss’’. Bendigo - still a tower of strength - saw off the upstart and, incredibly, he landed a cushy job at Oxford University teaching posh kids how to punch.
Upon his return from Oxford’s leafy streets, Bendigo was heartbroken to discover that his old mum, as drunken and brash as she was, had died. Tragically, like many sportsmen before and thousands more after him, Bendigo spiralled into heavy boozing and frequent arrests.
The poor fellow missed his mum dearly and stumbled blind-drunk through Nottingham's tavern's only to be taunted by cheeky kids. He became involved with a political gang called The Nottingham Lambs and was arrested 28 times during this period and spent countless hours in the city’s drunk tank.
It was during one of these marathon drinking sessions that he found God. After several beatings – once by his old mates in The Lambs -and many hours soul-searching, Bendigo grew a beard and embarked on a preaching career with as much zeal as he had cracked his knuckles into fighters' faces in the ring."See them belts? See them cups? I used to fight for those, but now I fight for Christ,'' Bendigo would bellow to thousands of bible-bashers who followed him.
Bendigo moved to a small cottage in the nearby town of Beeston to escape the city’s violence and drink. But ironically it was a mundane fall down the last three steps of his cottage that punctured his lung and fractured his ribs that killed him aged 69.
.
JAMES FIGG
Father of British Boxing James Figg was born to a poor farming family in Thame, Oxfordshire in 1684 (or 1695, depending on which source you read). He was the youngest of seven children and grew up a tough little nut, going to local fairs and challenging the prize fighters in the booths there. He based himself at the Greyhound Inn in Cornmarket in Thame, where he could be challenged, and gave self-defence lessons. By the time he was a grown man he was 6 feet tall and around 185lbs, fit and fast, and travelled to fairs throughout the Midlands where he challenged all-comers from noon until sundown. He taught himself to fight with a short-sword, a staff and a club, and staged exhibitions of his skill at the fairs (very clever, as it avoided taking on an opponent for at least part of his day).
Gambling was an enormous part of bare-knuckle boxing (as it still is), and the Earl of Peterborough, a man who liked his sport and is gambling, happened to see Figg fight and offered to back him. Figg moved to London and set up home near Oxford Street. He opened his 'Amphitheatre' just north of Oxford Street, where he trained gentlemen in the 'art' of pugilism and self-defence. He also fought at Southwark Fair in his own booth, where he was known for taking on multiple opponents and beating them all. By 1720, he was openly acknowledged as London champion, and fought for money regularly, with the matches being advertised in the newspapers. There were three rounds in an organized prize-fight: the first with short-swords, the second with fists and the third with the staff (sometimes a club). There was considerable skill involved, and considerable money; it was said that sometimes as much as 3000l could be wagered on a single match. It was also pretty brutal, with the bare-knuckle fight allowing slapping, kicking, biting and gouging. Sometime before 1723, Figg let his Amphitheatre to another boxing master and began to prize-fight on a regular basis at 'The Boarded House' behind Oxford Street, in Marylebone-Fields. It was not only men who fought there, but women and animals. Figg fought about once a month, and his opponents included Christopher Clarkson The Lancashire Soldier, Philip MacDonald The Dublin Carpenter, James Stokes Citizen of London (and husband of the famous lady-boxer Elizabeth Stokes). However, Figg's greatest opponent was Ned Sutton of Gravesend. Sutton was the only person Figg ever lost to, but he regained his title as champion on the next bout. In around 250 fights, Figg recorded only one defeat. His most talented pupil, Jack Broughton continued to run his school and was instrumental in setting the first rules of boxing in 1743. James Figg was enormously famous during his own lifetime with many of the aristocracy attending both his school and his fights. He was a great popular hero as well, and a familiar sight around the streets of the West End. William Hogarth, who both painted his portrait and allegedly designed his trade card (in the gallery) declared him 'the master of the noble science of defence'. There was one opponent Figg could not defend himself against however, and in early December, 1734 at the end of an astonishing career, this notice appeared in the papers: Last Saturday there was a Trial of Skill between the unconquered Hero, Death, on the one side and till then the unconquered Hero Mr James Figg, the famous Prize-Fighter and Master of the Noble Science of Defence on the other: The Battle was most obstinately fought on both sides, but at last the former obtained an Entire Victory and the latter tho' he was obliged to submit to a Superior Foe yet fearless and with Disdain he retired and that Evening expired at his house in Oxford Road.
Gambling was an enormous part of bare-knuckle boxing (as it still is), and the Earl of Peterborough, a man who liked his sport and is gambling, happened to see Figg fight and offered to back him. Figg moved to London and set up home near Oxford Street. He opened his 'Amphitheatre' just north of Oxford Street, where he trained gentlemen in the 'art' of pugilism and self-defence. He also fought at Southwark Fair in his own booth, where he was known for taking on multiple opponents and beating them all. By 1720, he was openly acknowledged as London champion, and fought for money regularly, with the matches being advertised in the newspapers. There were three rounds in an organized prize-fight: the first with short-swords, the second with fists and the third with the staff (sometimes a club). There was considerable skill involved, and considerable money; it was said that sometimes as much as 3000l could be wagered on a single match. It was also pretty brutal, with the bare-knuckle fight allowing slapping, kicking, biting and gouging. Sometime before 1723, Figg let his Amphitheatre to another boxing master and began to prize-fight on a regular basis at 'The Boarded House' behind Oxford Street, in Marylebone-Fields. It was not only men who fought there, but women and animals. Figg fought about once a month, and his opponents included Christopher Clarkson The Lancashire Soldier, Philip MacDonald The Dublin Carpenter, James Stokes Citizen of London (and husband of the famous lady-boxer Elizabeth Stokes). However, Figg's greatest opponent was Ned Sutton of Gravesend. Sutton was the only person Figg ever lost to, but he regained his title as champion on the next bout. In around 250 fights, Figg recorded only one defeat. His most talented pupil, Jack Broughton continued to run his school and was instrumental in setting the first rules of boxing in 1743. James Figg was enormously famous during his own lifetime with many of the aristocracy attending both his school and his fights. He was a great popular hero as well, and a familiar sight around the streets of the West End. William Hogarth, who both painted his portrait and allegedly designed his trade card (in the gallery) declared him 'the master of the noble science of defence'. There was one opponent Figg could not defend himself against however, and in early December, 1734 at the end of an astonishing career, this notice appeared in the papers: Last Saturday there was a Trial of Skill between the unconquered Hero, Death, on the one side and till then the unconquered Hero Mr James Figg, the famous Prize-Fighter and Master of the Noble Science of Defence on the other: The Battle was most obstinately fought on both sides, but at last the former obtained an Entire Victory and the latter tho' he was obliged to submit to a Superior Foe yet fearless and with Disdain he retired and that Evening expired at his house in Oxford Road.
JOHNY BROOME
Johnny Broome (Born: March 14, 1818; Birmingham, England - May 31, 1855; ) was a lightweight bare-knuckle boxer.
Broome was a gifted pugilist known as “Young Duckro.” He was never defeated in the prize ring, and had a younger brother (Harry Broome) who became Heavyweight Champion of England. Johnny stood 5’ 6½” and weighed between 133 and 140 pounds.
Broome won the Lightweight Championship of England when he defeated Jack Hannan in Oxfordshire, England on January 26, 1841. The bout lasted 47 rounds and 79 minutes. Broome defended his title against Bungaree on April 27, 1842 near Newmarket, England. Broome won in 42 rounds and 57 minutes.]
In 1848 Broome accepted an offer to compete in the Grand National steeplechase at Aintree. On board an unconsidered outsider named Eagle, he got as far as Becher's Brook on the second circuit before falling.
Broome's reputation was tainted with scandal, as he was associated to some dubious transactions and a card fixing fraud. On 31 May 1855 he walked into the kitchens of the Wrekin Tavern, at Bow Street, took a carving knife and cut his own throat. He bled to death and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.
His younger brother, Harry Broome (1825-1865) was also a prize fighter.
Broome was a gifted pugilist known as “Young Duckro.” He was never defeated in the prize ring, and had a younger brother (Harry Broome) who became Heavyweight Champion of England. Johnny stood 5’ 6½” and weighed between 133 and 140 pounds.
Broome won the Lightweight Championship of England when he defeated Jack Hannan in Oxfordshire, England on January 26, 1841. The bout lasted 47 rounds and 79 minutes. Broome defended his title against Bungaree on April 27, 1842 near Newmarket, England. Broome won in 42 rounds and 57 minutes.]
In 1848 Broome accepted an offer to compete in the Grand National steeplechase at Aintree. On board an unconsidered outsider named Eagle, he got as far as Becher's Brook on the second circuit before falling.
Broome's reputation was tainted with scandal, as he was associated to some dubious transactions and a card fixing fraud. On 31 May 1855 he walked into the kitchens of the Wrekin Tavern, at Bow Street, took a carving knife and cut his own throat. He bled to death and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.
His younger brother, Harry Broome (1825-1865) was also a prize fighter.
SIMON BYRNE
Simon Byrne (1806 – 2 June 1833), nicknamed "The Emerald Gem", was an Irish bare-knuckle prize fighter. The heavyweight boxing champion of Ireland, he was drawn to England by the larger sums of prize money on offer and his hopes of becoming the heavyweight champion there as well. He became one of only six fighters ever to have been involved in fatal fights as both survivor and deceased since records began in 1741.
Byrne fought in an era when English boxing, although illegal, was patronised by many powerful individuals. Its patronage and popularity did not, however, free it from corruption, heavy betting, and staged fights. Byrne fought eight recorded matches, but accounts of his career focus on the last three, against the Scottish champion Alexander McKay, the English champion Jem Ward, and James Burke for the vacant championship of England. The injuries McKay received in his fight with Byrne resulted in his death the following day, and rioting in his home country of Scotland. Byrne went on to lose his next match against Jem Ward, which some commentators believed he was not sufficiently in condition to fight. His final contest in May 1833 was a gruelling 99 rounds against James Burke that lasted for 3 hours and 6 minutes, the longest ever recorded prize fight. Byrne died three days later as the result of damage to his brain caused by the beating he had received
Burke was arrested and tried for manslaughter but was acquitted. Following the death in 1838 of another fighter, William Phelps, also known as Brighton Bill, the London Prize Ring Rules were introduced to more clearly define the rules of prize fighting and to introduce certain safety measures, rules that still form the basis for the modern sport of boxing.
A typical 19th-century boxing match, often held in warehouses, courtyards of inns, or in open fields away from the eyes of local authorities. This painting was by Byrne's friend Jem Ward. During the first half of the 19th century pugilism, better known as prize-fighting, held a curious position in British society. Although supported by members of the establishment from the royal princes downwards, it was considered illegal under the terms of the Riot Act of 1715, which defined a riot as "a tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three or more persons assembling together, of their own authority, with intent mutually to execute a violent enterprise to the terror of the people".
The boxer George Stevenson had died a few days after his 35-minute fight with the English champion Jack Broughton in 1741, an event that triggered Broughton to draw up a set of rules with the help of some of his patrons to prevent a recurrence. Published on 16 August 1743, Broughton's Rules outlawed hitting or seizing any part of an opponent's body below the waist, or striking him when he was down, but otherwise left much to the discretion of referees. Rounds were not of a fixed length but continued until one of the fighters was knocked or thrown to the ground, after which those in his corner were allowed 30 seconds to return him to the "scratch" – the middle of the ring – failing which his opponent was declared the victor.
The sport enjoyed an unprecedented surge in popularity during the Regency period when it was openly patronised by the Prince Regent (later George IV) and his brothers. Championship boxing matches acquired a louche reputation as the places to be seen by the wealthy upperclasses. Thus a match would often be attended by thousands of people, many of whom had wagered money on the outcome. The Duke of Cumberland (an uncle of King George III) was reported to have bet thousands of pounds on Jack Broughton, who was the English champion for 18 years.
Boxing had become a nest of "gambling related corruption" by the 1820s. The epitome of this era was the championship reign of Jem Ward, a fighter who on one occasion admitted taking £100, equivalent to several thousand pounds today, to lose a contest. By 1830 the sport had become widely known for its corruption, and blatant cheating was commonplace. It was against this background that Simon Byrne earned his living.
Very little is known of Byrne's early life beyond the fact that he was born in Ireland in 1806. His first fight, in 1825, was a loss to Mike Larking; it lasted 138 rounds spread over two and a half hours—despite the fact that at this time a round could vary in length, and usually only ended when a man was knocked down. His second fight was a draw against Jack Manning in 1826, earning Byrne £100. Next was Byrne's first match against the Scottish boxer Alexander McKay, which Byrne won easily in five rounds, earning him a further £100. This match was McKay's first ever prize-fight. This victory was soon followed by a win against Bob Avery, earning a further £50, then another win over Phil Samson in 1829, earning him £200. By the standards of the day these latter sums were enormous; it is therefore surprising that he was then offered £200 for a rematch, regardless of whether he won or not, against the less experienced McKay, whom he had beaten so easily on the first occasion. As of 2008 that would be the equivalent of about £13,600.
The fight against Alexander McKay was Byrne's first brush with notoriety. On 2 June 1830, Byrne, billed as "Champion of Ireland", fought McKay, the "Champion of Scotland", for the right to challenge Jem Ward, the heavyweight champion of England. The match had been organized at Tom Spring's "Castle Tavern", in Holborn. The former champion boxer Tom Spring, as treasurer of the "Fair Play Club" – the organization which oversaw boxing – was immensely influential in the boxing world. Along with two other well-known boxers, Gentleman Jackson and Tom Cribb (who also acted as Byrne's manager), he was Byrne's sponsor for the match. Cribb was considered to be one of the greatest fighters of the era; more than 20,000 people attended one of his fights.
Contracts were signed at Spring's tavern and it was arranged for the fight to take place at Hanslope, Buckinghamshire. But as a vast crowd of spectators began pouring into Hanslope the venue was switched at the last minute to Salcey Green, just inside Northamptonshire, thus rendering the Buckinghamshire constables powerless to prevent it.
Despite the publicity and billing this was only McKay's fifth prize-fight. Since his defeat at the hands of Byrne two-and-half years earlier McKay had fought and won just three matches, earning him £180, while Byrne had earned £200. Both men were promised £200 for the match whatever its outcome. McKay had earned £100 for his previous fight against Paul Spencer, the most he had ever received; the promised payment was a huge improvement in his fortunes.
McKay's boxing relied on brute strength rather than scientific pugilistic theory, but the fight still lasted for 47 rounds before McKay collapsed under a left-handed punch to the throat that did not seem particularly powerful. He was carried to his corner where he regained consciousness, complaining of severe headache. He was bled by a surgeon on the scene and taken to a local inn, the Watts Arms, where he died at 9:00 pm the following evening. A post mortem examination found the cause of death to be brain damage. McKay was buried in Hanslope Churchyard with the following inscription on his headstone:
Strong and athletic was my frame
Far from my native home I came
And bravely fought with Simon Byrne
Alas, but never to return.
Stranger take warning from my fate
Lest you should rue your case too late
If you have ever fought before
Determine now to fight no more McKay's death attracted widespread publicity and led to rioting in the streets of his homeland. In Dundee, three people died and 200 were injured in the fracas. In Glasgow, four people died, and the Dragoons were called out to quell rioting after a Roman Catholic church was burned and looted (the mob would have assumed Byrne, an Irishman, to be a Roman Catholic). Byrne was arrested three days later on board the ferry to Ireland as he tried to leave the country. He was incarcerated in Buckingham Gaol to await his trial and the prospect of the gallows.
The trial was held at the Assizes in the small rural market town of Buckingham. More used to the trials of local poachers and sheep thieves, Buckingham had never before seen such a spectacle. The town was inundated with journalists and the merely curious. Byrne was charged with manslaughter. Tom Cribb, Reuben Martin, Thomas Reynolds, and George Cooper were charged with aiding and abetting manslaughter. With such illustrious names as Cribb's, Jackson's and Spring's involved, the trial had the potential to turn into a huge establishment scandal. People of all classes had bet hundreds of pounds on the outcome of the boxing match. Despite being banned, prize fighting enjoyed huge public support and patronage from levels up to the younger male members of the Royal family, some of whom Jackson had taught to box. The support received by Byrne at his trial is testimony to the wealth of his backers. The establishment rallied to his support; Byrne was represented by three barristers and five solicitors, and twelve witnesses journeyed from London to give evidence on his behalf.
The defence produced a witness who claimed to have seen McKay fall and strike his head on some stones several hours before the fight, and the Glasgow Free Press began a rumour that McKay had been drugged by "a sleeping draught" introduced into his water bottle. That the fight was illegal, as was the public assembly of spectators does not seem to have been considered in court. This benign neglect is surprising because as recently as 1825, in the case of Rex v. Billingham, Savage and Skinner, it had been deemed that anyone even attending a fight was guilty of an offence.
At the trial Byrne was described by a Bow Street Runner as a "very human kind man", and McKay as "a very large muscular man – a magnificent man". The jury came to a verdict after only ten minutes of deliberation: "Not guilty". Byrne was once again a free man, but the image of the sport had been damaged. The Times of 5 June 1830 condemned the "barbarous, filthy and swindling exhibitions called prize fights" and expressed the hope that "an example will be made of the more wealthy monsters in this affair of blood – the sanguinary cowards who stood by and saw a fellow creature beaten to death for their sport and gain!"
As the "wealthy monsters" patronising boxing included King George IV (who had asked Gentleman Jackson and the country's leading pugilists to act as pages at his coronation in 1821) and his heir, the Duke of Clarence, The Times's words fell on deaf ears, and the sport continued unabated. The following year a similar legal case occurred when another boxer was killed. However, in this instance less wealthy patrons and illustrious names were involved, and the manager of the convicted boxer, unlike Tom Cribb, was found guilty of abetting manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years transportation.
Cleared of any responsibility for McKay's death, Byrne collected his £200 prize money, and as the winner earned the right to fight the English heavyweight champion Jem Ward. The fight was originally scheduled to take place at Leicester on 10 March 1829, but at the last minute Ward claimed that he was unfit and too ill to fight, much to the disapproval of his backers and friends. Rumours circulated that Ward had refused to enter the ring unless he received a prize money of £250 plus an additional £250 if he lost; the event became known in some quarters as the Leicester Hoax. Ward did not fight again for two years, but he and Byrne finally met on 12 July 1831 at Willeycott, near Stratford upon Avon. Each fighter was paid £200. Although Ward was the older man he prevailed in the contest after one hour and seventeen minutes, when Byrne's seconds, Tom Spring and Tom Reynolds, withdrew their man in the 33rd round.
An observer commented that Byrne may not have been in the best of condition for the fight, as "his appearance failed to favour the impression that he possessed active vigour"; boxing historian Gilbert Odd describes the fight as "disgraceful". Another commentator noted that "it is a singular fact that neither of the men had a black eye; neither had an external cut worth mentioning".
James Burke, nicknamed "The Deaf Un" or "Deaf Burke" Jem Ward announced his retirement from the ring in a letter published in the 29 January edition of Bell's Life in London He was succeeded as champion of England by James Burke, although some disputed Burke's right to the title as Ward had refused to fight him before retiring. Standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighing 200 lb (90 kg), and handicapped by deafness, Burke had assumed the championship after defeating Harry Macone in one of the prolonged and brutal fights for which he was known. Ward, who had faced public criticism for his refusal to fight Burke, felt that Byrne was the better fighter and promised to acknowledge the victor of a fight between Burke and Byrne as the new champion. The match took place on 30 May 1833 onNomansland, a tract of common land between the villages of Sandridge and Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, for a prize of £100 to each man. To get himself into condition for the fight Byrne had reduced his weight from 210 pounds (95 kg) to 186 pounds (84 kg), an effort that "as it was effected by hard work and sweating, somewhat impaired his natural stamina, especially as, his habits being far from abstemious when in Ireland, he was scarcely fitted to undergo the necessary amount of labour". Despite his hard work Byrne looked "fleshy", with "no special show of muscle", compared to Burke's "perfect condition", although he did have a slight height advantage. Burke weighed in at 172 pounds (78 kg), and started the contest as the marginal favourite at odds of 5–4.
Tom Spring was once again in Byrne's corner, as was Jem Ward. In true Burke style the match lasted for 3 hours and 6 minutes, during which time 99 rounds were fought, the longest ever recorded prize fight. For the most part Byrne seemed to be in control in the early stages of the fight; in the 30th round he trapped Burke against the ropes and battered him severely around the body before throwing him to the ground. Burke fell on his face, vomiting and throwing up blood, and for the next few rounds Byrne looked the more likely winner. By the 49th round however, Burke had recovered sufficiently to knock Byrne to the ground, whose hands by then were so swollen that he was unable to deliver a finishing blow. By the 93rd round Byrne was "scarcely able to stand, and rolled before the Deaf'un like a ship in a storm". Although both men were utterly exhausted Burke continued to "pepper away at [Byrne's] body and head", until in the 99th round Byrne collapsed unconscious and could not be revived to take his place once again at the scratch. A contemporary newspaper report of the day describes a blow-by-blow account of a fair match.
Byrne was carried to "The Woolpack" inn in nearby St Albans, where he was attended to by Tom Spring. On the evening of the fight Byrne was considered to be close to death, but over the course of the following two days he seemed to be recovering, and was sufficiently conscious to thank his friends for their ministrations. But his condition worsened during the afternoon of Saturday 1 June 1833, and he died the following day; the cause of death was given as "congestion of blood in the brain". Byrne himself was reportedly of a different opinion, telling a chambermaid shortly before his death that "If I should die, it will not be from the beating I received but from mortification. I would rather have died than been beaten in that fight." He left behind a wife and four children in Dublin.
One contemporary view of Byrne's fatal fight, and of his earlier contest against Ward, was expressed in a popular poem written by James Catnach, the catchpenny publisher of Seven Dials, London:
On Thursday, May the 30th day, Brave Simon took the ring, Back'd by Jem Ward the champion, likewise by Gallant Spring, To fight Burke for two hundred pounds, a man of courage bold, To stop reports that with Ward the battle he had sold. Burke was arrested and tried for manslaughter. He was acquitted on 11 July 1833, but avoided competitive fights for some time afterwards, only taking part in exhibition matches. He retired in 1843 and died of tuberculosis less than two years later in 1845, having by then been reduced to poverty.
Following the death in 1838 of another fighter, William Phelps, also known as Brighton Bill, in a match against Owen Swift, the London Prize Ring Rules were introduced by the Pugilists's Protective Association to more clearly define the range of fouls and to introduce certain safety measurest, Butting, gouging, biting, scratching, kicking were all forbidden as was the use of stones or any hard object in the hand. Thirty-second breaks were introduced between rounds, at the end of which each fighter had to walk to the scratch unaided within 8 seconds. The wearing of spiked boots was prohibited, and boxers who went to ground without being hit were disqualified. These rules still form the basis for the modern sport of boxing.
Byrne fought in an era when English boxing, although illegal, was patronised by many powerful individuals. Its patronage and popularity did not, however, free it from corruption, heavy betting, and staged fights. Byrne fought eight recorded matches, but accounts of his career focus on the last three, against the Scottish champion Alexander McKay, the English champion Jem Ward, and James Burke for the vacant championship of England. The injuries McKay received in his fight with Byrne resulted in his death the following day, and rioting in his home country of Scotland. Byrne went on to lose his next match against Jem Ward, which some commentators believed he was not sufficiently in condition to fight. His final contest in May 1833 was a gruelling 99 rounds against James Burke that lasted for 3 hours and 6 minutes, the longest ever recorded prize fight. Byrne died three days later as the result of damage to his brain caused by the beating he had received
Burke was arrested and tried for manslaughter but was acquitted. Following the death in 1838 of another fighter, William Phelps, also known as Brighton Bill, the London Prize Ring Rules were introduced to more clearly define the rules of prize fighting and to introduce certain safety measures, rules that still form the basis for the modern sport of boxing.
A typical 19th-century boxing match, often held in warehouses, courtyards of inns, or in open fields away from the eyes of local authorities. This painting was by Byrne's friend Jem Ward. During the first half of the 19th century pugilism, better known as prize-fighting, held a curious position in British society. Although supported by members of the establishment from the royal princes downwards, it was considered illegal under the terms of the Riot Act of 1715, which defined a riot as "a tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three or more persons assembling together, of their own authority, with intent mutually to execute a violent enterprise to the terror of the people".
The boxer George Stevenson had died a few days after his 35-minute fight with the English champion Jack Broughton in 1741, an event that triggered Broughton to draw up a set of rules with the help of some of his patrons to prevent a recurrence. Published on 16 August 1743, Broughton's Rules outlawed hitting or seizing any part of an opponent's body below the waist, or striking him when he was down, but otherwise left much to the discretion of referees. Rounds were not of a fixed length but continued until one of the fighters was knocked or thrown to the ground, after which those in his corner were allowed 30 seconds to return him to the "scratch" – the middle of the ring – failing which his opponent was declared the victor.
The sport enjoyed an unprecedented surge in popularity during the Regency period when it was openly patronised by the Prince Regent (later George IV) and his brothers. Championship boxing matches acquired a louche reputation as the places to be seen by the wealthy upperclasses. Thus a match would often be attended by thousands of people, many of whom had wagered money on the outcome. The Duke of Cumberland (an uncle of King George III) was reported to have bet thousands of pounds on Jack Broughton, who was the English champion for 18 years.
Boxing had become a nest of "gambling related corruption" by the 1820s. The epitome of this era was the championship reign of Jem Ward, a fighter who on one occasion admitted taking £100, equivalent to several thousand pounds today, to lose a contest. By 1830 the sport had become widely known for its corruption, and blatant cheating was commonplace. It was against this background that Simon Byrne earned his living.
Very little is known of Byrne's early life beyond the fact that he was born in Ireland in 1806. His first fight, in 1825, was a loss to Mike Larking; it lasted 138 rounds spread over two and a half hours—despite the fact that at this time a round could vary in length, and usually only ended when a man was knocked down. His second fight was a draw against Jack Manning in 1826, earning Byrne £100. Next was Byrne's first match against the Scottish boxer Alexander McKay, which Byrne won easily in five rounds, earning him a further £100. This match was McKay's first ever prize-fight. This victory was soon followed by a win against Bob Avery, earning a further £50, then another win over Phil Samson in 1829, earning him £200. By the standards of the day these latter sums were enormous; it is therefore surprising that he was then offered £200 for a rematch, regardless of whether he won or not, against the less experienced McKay, whom he had beaten so easily on the first occasion. As of 2008 that would be the equivalent of about £13,600.
The fight against Alexander McKay was Byrne's first brush with notoriety. On 2 June 1830, Byrne, billed as "Champion of Ireland", fought McKay, the "Champion of Scotland", for the right to challenge Jem Ward, the heavyweight champion of England. The match had been organized at Tom Spring's "Castle Tavern", in Holborn. The former champion boxer Tom Spring, as treasurer of the "Fair Play Club" – the organization which oversaw boxing – was immensely influential in the boxing world. Along with two other well-known boxers, Gentleman Jackson and Tom Cribb (who also acted as Byrne's manager), he was Byrne's sponsor for the match. Cribb was considered to be one of the greatest fighters of the era; more than 20,000 people attended one of his fights.
Contracts were signed at Spring's tavern and it was arranged for the fight to take place at Hanslope, Buckinghamshire. But as a vast crowd of spectators began pouring into Hanslope the venue was switched at the last minute to Salcey Green, just inside Northamptonshire, thus rendering the Buckinghamshire constables powerless to prevent it.
Despite the publicity and billing this was only McKay's fifth prize-fight. Since his defeat at the hands of Byrne two-and-half years earlier McKay had fought and won just three matches, earning him £180, while Byrne had earned £200. Both men were promised £200 for the match whatever its outcome. McKay had earned £100 for his previous fight against Paul Spencer, the most he had ever received; the promised payment was a huge improvement in his fortunes.
McKay's boxing relied on brute strength rather than scientific pugilistic theory, but the fight still lasted for 47 rounds before McKay collapsed under a left-handed punch to the throat that did not seem particularly powerful. He was carried to his corner where he regained consciousness, complaining of severe headache. He was bled by a surgeon on the scene and taken to a local inn, the Watts Arms, where he died at 9:00 pm the following evening. A post mortem examination found the cause of death to be brain damage. McKay was buried in Hanslope Churchyard with the following inscription on his headstone:
Strong and athletic was my frame
Far from my native home I came
And bravely fought with Simon Byrne
Alas, but never to return.
Stranger take warning from my fate
Lest you should rue your case too late
If you have ever fought before
Determine now to fight no more McKay's death attracted widespread publicity and led to rioting in the streets of his homeland. In Dundee, three people died and 200 were injured in the fracas. In Glasgow, four people died, and the Dragoons were called out to quell rioting after a Roman Catholic church was burned and looted (the mob would have assumed Byrne, an Irishman, to be a Roman Catholic). Byrne was arrested three days later on board the ferry to Ireland as he tried to leave the country. He was incarcerated in Buckingham Gaol to await his trial and the prospect of the gallows.
The trial was held at the Assizes in the small rural market town of Buckingham. More used to the trials of local poachers and sheep thieves, Buckingham had never before seen such a spectacle. The town was inundated with journalists and the merely curious. Byrne was charged with manslaughter. Tom Cribb, Reuben Martin, Thomas Reynolds, and George Cooper were charged with aiding and abetting manslaughter. With such illustrious names as Cribb's, Jackson's and Spring's involved, the trial had the potential to turn into a huge establishment scandal. People of all classes had bet hundreds of pounds on the outcome of the boxing match. Despite being banned, prize fighting enjoyed huge public support and patronage from levels up to the younger male members of the Royal family, some of whom Jackson had taught to box. The support received by Byrne at his trial is testimony to the wealth of his backers. The establishment rallied to his support; Byrne was represented by three barristers and five solicitors, and twelve witnesses journeyed from London to give evidence on his behalf.
The defence produced a witness who claimed to have seen McKay fall and strike his head on some stones several hours before the fight, and the Glasgow Free Press began a rumour that McKay had been drugged by "a sleeping draught" introduced into his water bottle. That the fight was illegal, as was the public assembly of spectators does not seem to have been considered in court. This benign neglect is surprising because as recently as 1825, in the case of Rex v. Billingham, Savage and Skinner, it had been deemed that anyone even attending a fight was guilty of an offence.
At the trial Byrne was described by a Bow Street Runner as a "very human kind man", and McKay as "a very large muscular man – a magnificent man". The jury came to a verdict after only ten minutes of deliberation: "Not guilty". Byrne was once again a free man, but the image of the sport had been damaged. The Times of 5 June 1830 condemned the "barbarous, filthy and swindling exhibitions called prize fights" and expressed the hope that "an example will be made of the more wealthy monsters in this affair of blood – the sanguinary cowards who stood by and saw a fellow creature beaten to death for their sport and gain!"
As the "wealthy monsters" patronising boxing included King George IV (who had asked Gentleman Jackson and the country's leading pugilists to act as pages at his coronation in 1821) and his heir, the Duke of Clarence, The Times's words fell on deaf ears, and the sport continued unabated. The following year a similar legal case occurred when another boxer was killed. However, in this instance less wealthy patrons and illustrious names were involved, and the manager of the convicted boxer, unlike Tom Cribb, was found guilty of abetting manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years transportation.
Cleared of any responsibility for McKay's death, Byrne collected his £200 prize money, and as the winner earned the right to fight the English heavyweight champion Jem Ward. The fight was originally scheduled to take place at Leicester on 10 March 1829, but at the last minute Ward claimed that he was unfit and too ill to fight, much to the disapproval of his backers and friends. Rumours circulated that Ward had refused to enter the ring unless he received a prize money of £250 plus an additional £250 if he lost; the event became known in some quarters as the Leicester Hoax. Ward did not fight again for two years, but he and Byrne finally met on 12 July 1831 at Willeycott, near Stratford upon Avon. Each fighter was paid £200. Although Ward was the older man he prevailed in the contest after one hour and seventeen minutes, when Byrne's seconds, Tom Spring and Tom Reynolds, withdrew their man in the 33rd round.
An observer commented that Byrne may not have been in the best of condition for the fight, as "his appearance failed to favour the impression that he possessed active vigour"; boxing historian Gilbert Odd describes the fight as "disgraceful". Another commentator noted that "it is a singular fact that neither of the men had a black eye; neither had an external cut worth mentioning".
James Burke, nicknamed "The Deaf Un" or "Deaf Burke" Jem Ward announced his retirement from the ring in a letter published in the 29 January edition of Bell's Life in London He was succeeded as champion of England by James Burke, although some disputed Burke's right to the title as Ward had refused to fight him before retiring. Standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighing 200 lb (90 kg), and handicapped by deafness, Burke had assumed the championship after defeating Harry Macone in one of the prolonged and brutal fights for which he was known. Ward, who had faced public criticism for his refusal to fight Burke, felt that Byrne was the better fighter and promised to acknowledge the victor of a fight between Burke and Byrne as the new champion. The match took place on 30 May 1833 onNomansland, a tract of common land between the villages of Sandridge and Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, for a prize of £100 to each man. To get himself into condition for the fight Byrne had reduced his weight from 210 pounds (95 kg) to 186 pounds (84 kg), an effort that "as it was effected by hard work and sweating, somewhat impaired his natural stamina, especially as, his habits being far from abstemious when in Ireland, he was scarcely fitted to undergo the necessary amount of labour". Despite his hard work Byrne looked "fleshy", with "no special show of muscle", compared to Burke's "perfect condition", although he did have a slight height advantage. Burke weighed in at 172 pounds (78 kg), and started the contest as the marginal favourite at odds of 5–4.
Tom Spring was once again in Byrne's corner, as was Jem Ward. In true Burke style the match lasted for 3 hours and 6 minutes, during which time 99 rounds were fought, the longest ever recorded prize fight. For the most part Byrne seemed to be in control in the early stages of the fight; in the 30th round he trapped Burke against the ropes and battered him severely around the body before throwing him to the ground. Burke fell on his face, vomiting and throwing up blood, and for the next few rounds Byrne looked the more likely winner. By the 49th round however, Burke had recovered sufficiently to knock Byrne to the ground, whose hands by then were so swollen that he was unable to deliver a finishing blow. By the 93rd round Byrne was "scarcely able to stand, and rolled before the Deaf'un like a ship in a storm". Although both men were utterly exhausted Burke continued to "pepper away at [Byrne's] body and head", until in the 99th round Byrne collapsed unconscious and could not be revived to take his place once again at the scratch. A contemporary newspaper report of the day describes a blow-by-blow account of a fair match.
Byrne was carried to "The Woolpack" inn in nearby St Albans, where he was attended to by Tom Spring. On the evening of the fight Byrne was considered to be close to death, but over the course of the following two days he seemed to be recovering, and was sufficiently conscious to thank his friends for their ministrations. But his condition worsened during the afternoon of Saturday 1 June 1833, and he died the following day; the cause of death was given as "congestion of blood in the brain". Byrne himself was reportedly of a different opinion, telling a chambermaid shortly before his death that "If I should die, it will not be from the beating I received but from mortification. I would rather have died than been beaten in that fight." He left behind a wife and four children in Dublin.
One contemporary view of Byrne's fatal fight, and of his earlier contest against Ward, was expressed in a popular poem written by James Catnach, the catchpenny publisher of Seven Dials, London:
On Thursday, May the 30th day, Brave Simon took the ring, Back'd by Jem Ward the champion, likewise by Gallant Spring, To fight Burke for two hundred pounds, a man of courage bold, To stop reports that with Ward the battle he had sold. Burke was arrested and tried for manslaughter. He was acquitted on 11 July 1833, but avoided competitive fights for some time afterwards, only taking part in exhibition matches. He retired in 1843 and died of tuberculosis less than two years later in 1845, having by then been reduced to poverty.
Following the death in 1838 of another fighter, William Phelps, also known as Brighton Bill, in a match against Owen Swift, the London Prize Ring Rules were introduced by the Pugilists's Protective Association to more clearly define the range of fouls and to introduce certain safety measurest, Butting, gouging, biting, scratching, kicking were all forbidden as was the use of stones or any hard object in the hand. Thirty-second breaks were introduced between rounds, at the end of which each fighter had to walk to the scratch unaided within 8 seconds. The wearing of spiked boots was prohibited, and boxers who went to ground without being hit were disqualified. These rules still form the basis for the modern sport of boxing.
SAM COLLYER
Sam Collyer (born: 1842 in France; Died: December 7, 1904; Brooklyn, New York) was a lightweight bare-knuckle boxer. He was of Scottish-French descent, weighed between 115 and 125 pounds, and stood 5 feet 5. Collyer was born with the name Walter Jamieson. He came to the United States as a boy. During the American Civil War he served with the Union, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Siege of Petersburg ]He left the army with the rank of captain.
The earliest contests of Sam Collyer differ from source to source. Some list different dates, locations and people for these bouts. It is certain however, that Collyer did battle, and defeat a man named Mike Carr in early 1866 . The first significant contest of Collyer’s career was his bout with Horatio “Race” Bolster. The two met in Alexandria, VA on May 8, 1866. During the contest, Bolster broke his hand, and was given a tremendous beating. The fight ended after 49 rounds and 55 minutes. Collyer ended the contest when he knocked his opponent off his feet, and Bolster’s seconds threw in the towel.
Later that year, Collyer battled former champion Barney Aaron for the vacant Lightweight Championship of America. The Title had been vacated since the retirement of Owney Geoghegan back in 1863. The Aaron/Collyer contest was held on June 20, 1866 at Pohick Landing, VA. 47 rounds and 2 hours and 14 minutes were contested before Collyer was declared the winner. Below is an account of the last few rounds of the Collyer/Aaron fight as written in the New York Herald on June 21, 1866:
Rounds 41 to 44—These rounds were merely repetitions of each other, Barney constantly going down on his knees, apparently for the purpose of receiving a foul blow and thereby winning the stakes. At the close of
Round 47—He was entirely blind, and his seconds seeing that there was no possible chance of success and unwilling to subject a game man to further punishment threw up the sponge in token of defeat.
On September 7, 1866 Collyer defended his title against Johnny Lafferty in a contest that lasted 39 rounds and 62 minutes (some sources report 60 minutes). His second defense came against Johnny McGlade at Goldsboro, PA on January 15, 1867. McGlade had suffered a severe fever while training, and was completely dominated during the contest. The two battle for 47 rounds and 55 minutes in the sleet covered ring before McGlade’s corner threw in the towel.
Collyer lost his title in a rematch with Barney Aaron on June 13, 1867. The two contested in a hard fought battle for 67 rounds and 1 hour and 55 minutes at Aqua Creek, WV. Immediately after winning the title, Barney Aaron retired from the ring, leaving the crown open for Collyer to reclaim.
The first man to challenge his right to the title was Billy Kelly. Kelly was a gifted pugilist, and word of the battle quickly spread. The Collyer/Kelly contest was held on November 27, 1867 in Strickland, PA. Collyer pressed the fight from start to finish, and his opponent was forced into the defensive mode for nearly the entire bout. A total of 111 short rounds and 1 hour and fifty minutes were fought before the champion knocked his opponent down for the final time.
Below is an account of the last three rounds (and conclusion) of the contest. They were documented in the New York Herald the day after the contest:
Round 109—Collyer, determined to close fight before dark, rushed in [? ?] Kelly and struck him a right-hander over the left [?], then gave him the left on the nose, and again the right on the mouth, when Kelly went down.
Round 110—Collyer led off with his left, which brought upon Kelly’s nose, and then, putting in two heavy right-handers clinched, Kelly and threw him, falling heavily on him.
Round 111 and Last—Collyer rushed at Kelly and hitting a heavy right-hander in the mouth knocked him down.
The sponge was thrown up in token of defeat and Sam Collyer hailed the victor. Kelly, the game fellow, was much mortified at the result and shed tears. Collyer went over to him and putting his arms around him, also burst into tears. He then went around among the crowd and collected money for the man he had beaten in a fair fight for the championship of the lightweights of America.
On August 24, 1868 Collyer lost his championship to Billy Edwards in 47 rounds. Collyer attempted to regain the title in a return match with Edwards on March 7, 1870. This time the former champion was forced to give in after 40 rounds. Following this contest, Collyer’s status as a prize-fighter began to diminish. He lost a third contest with Edwards in 1874, and a bout with Jack McAuliffe in 1888. His last recorded contest was in 1892.
The earliest contests of Sam Collyer differ from source to source. Some list different dates, locations and people for these bouts. It is certain however, that Collyer did battle, and defeat a man named Mike Carr in early 1866 . The first significant contest of Collyer’s career was his bout with Horatio “Race” Bolster. The two met in Alexandria, VA on May 8, 1866. During the contest, Bolster broke his hand, and was given a tremendous beating. The fight ended after 49 rounds and 55 minutes. Collyer ended the contest when he knocked his opponent off his feet, and Bolster’s seconds threw in the towel.
Later that year, Collyer battled former champion Barney Aaron for the vacant Lightweight Championship of America. The Title had been vacated since the retirement of Owney Geoghegan back in 1863. The Aaron/Collyer contest was held on June 20, 1866 at Pohick Landing, VA. 47 rounds and 2 hours and 14 minutes were contested before Collyer was declared the winner. Below is an account of the last few rounds of the Collyer/Aaron fight as written in the New York Herald on June 21, 1866:
Rounds 41 to 44—These rounds were merely repetitions of each other, Barney constantly going down on his knees, apparently for the purpose of receiving a foul blow and thereby winning the stakes. At the close of
Round 47—He was entirely blind, and his seconds seeing that there was no possible chance of success and unwilling to subject a game man to further punishment threw up the sponge in token of defeat.
On September 7, 1866 Collyer defended his title against Johnny Lafferty in a contest that lasted 39 rounds and 62 minutes (some sources report 60 minutes). His second defense came against Johnny McGlade at Goldsboro, PA on January 15, 1867. McGlade had suffered a severe fever while training, and was completely dominated during the contest. The two battle for 47 rounds and 55 minutes in the sleet covered ring before McGlade’s corner threw in the towel.
Collyer lost his title in a rematch with Barney Aaron on June 13, 1867. The two contested in a hard fought battle for 67 rounds and 1 hour and 55 minutes at Aqua Creek, WV. Immediately after winning the title, Barney Aaron retired from the ring, leaving the crown open for Collyer to reclaim.
The first man to challenge his right to the title was Billy Kelly. Kelly was a gifted pugilist, and word of the battle quickly spread. The Collyer/Kelly contest was held on November 27, 1867 in Strickland, PA. Collyer pressed the fight from start to finish, and his opponent was forced into the defensive mode for nearly the entire bout. A total of 111 short rounds and 1 hour and fifty minutes were fought before the champion knocked his opponent down for the final time.
Below is an account of the last three rounds (and conclusion) of the contest. They were documented in the New York Herald the day after the contest:
Round 109—Collyer, determined to close fight before dark, rushed in [? ?] Kelly and struck him a right-hander over the left [?], then gave him the left on the nose, and again the right on the mouth, when Kelly went down.
Round 110—Collyer led off with his left, which brought upon Kelly’s nose, and then, putting in two heavy right-handers clinched, Kelly and threw him, falling heavily on him.
Round 111 and Last—Collyer rushed at Kelly and hitting a heavy right-hander in the mouth knocked him down.
The sponge was thrown up in token of defeat and Sam Collyer hailed the victor. Kelly, the game fellow, was much mortified at the result and shed tears. Collyer went over to him and putting his arms around him, also burst into tears. He then went around among the crowd and collected money for the man he had beaten in a fair fight for the championship of the lightweights of America.
On August 24, 1868 Collyer lost his championship to Billy Edwards in 47 rounds. Collyer attempted to regain the title in a return match with Edwards on March 7, 1870. This time the former champion was forced to give in after 40 rounds. Following this contest, Collyer’s status as a prize-fighter began to diminish. He lost a third contest with Edwards in 1874, and a bout with Jack McAuliffe in 1888. His last recorded contest was in 1892.
BOB FITZSIMMONS
Robert James "Bob" Fitzsimmons (May 26, 1863 – October 22, 1917), was a British boxer who made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, the man who beat John L. Sullivan, and is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the Lightest heavyweight champion.Nicknamed Ruby Robert or The Freckled Wonder, he took pride in his lack of scars, and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.
Fitzsimmons, the youngest of 12 children, was born in Helston, Cornwall. His father was James Fitzsimmons, born in County Armagh, Ireland, and his mother was Jane Strongman born in St Clement, Cornwall. Bob emigrated to New Zealand at the age of nine along with his parents, brothers and sisters. His family settled in Timaru, among many other Cornish settlers, and Bob became a blacksmith in his brother Jarrett's smithy.
Between 1880 and 1881, Fitzsimmons reigned as champion of the Jem Mace tournament in New Zealand. Some say he officially began his career as a professional boxer in New Zealand later in 1881. Records remain unclear whether he received payment for a bout in which he knocked out Herbert Slade in two rounds.
Fitzsimmons had six fights there, two of them bare-knuckle events. He won one and lost five, it remains unclear whether any of those bouts involved payment.
Boxing record books show that Fitzsimmons officially began boxing professionally in 1883, in Australia. He beat Jim Crawford there by getting a knockout in three rounds. Fitzsimmons had his first 28 definite professional fights in Australia, where he lost for the Australian Middleweight title (rumours spoke of a fixed bout), and where he also won a fight by knockout while on the floor: when Edward Starlight Robins dropped Fitzsimmons to the canvas in round nine of their fight, he also broke his hand and could not continue, therefore the referee declared Fitzsimmons the winner by a knockout.
By this stage Fitzsimmons had established his own style. He developed a certain movement and caginess from one of the greatest bare-knuckle fighters, Jem Mace. Mace had encouraged Bob to develop his punching technique and he revolutionised this, drawing on the enormous power he had gained from blacksmithing. Fitzsimmons delivered short, accurate and usually conclusive punches. He soon built up a reputation as by far the hardest puncher in boxing.
Winning the Middleweight title Moving on to the United States, Fitzsimmons fought four more times in 1890, winning three and drawing one.
Fitzsimmons knocked out Dempsey (from whom the later Jack Dempsey would take his name) in the 13th round to become the world's Middleweight champion. Fitzsimmons knocked Dempsey down at least 13 times, and by the finish left him in such a pitiable condition that he begged him to quit. Dempsey would not do so, so Fitzsimmons knocked him out and then carried him to his corner. On July 22, police broke off his fight with Jim Hall after he had knocked Hall down several times.
Fitzsimmons spent the next two years fighting non-title bouts and exhibitions until giving Hall a chance at the title in 1893. He retained the crown by a knockout in round four. He spent the rest of that year doing exhibitions, and on June 2, he had scheduled a two-way exhibition where he would demonstrate in public how to hit the boxing bag and then how to box against a real opponent. Reportedly, two freak accidents happened that day: Fitzsimmons hit the bag so hard that it broke, and then his opponent of that day allegedly slipped, getting hit in the head and the boxing exhibition was cancelled.
After vacating the Middleweight crown, Fitzsimmons began campaigning among Heavyweights (the light-heavyweight division did not exist at that time). Wyatt Earp, the famous lawman, refereed one of his fights, against Tom Sharkey. Fitzsimmons battered Sharkey and had him on the verge of a knock-out, but when he hit him with a body-and-head punch-combination Earp declared him the loser on a disqualification because he had hit Sharkey while Sharkey was down. Earp, according to a widespread belief, had involvement with gamblers who had bet on Sharkey.
Fitzsimmons won a disputed version of the World Heavyweight championship in a fight in Langtry, Texas against the Irish native fighter Peter Maher. On March 17, 1897, he knocked out American Jim Corbett, generally recognized as the legitimate World Heavyweight champion (having won the title from John L. Sullivan in 1892) in round 14. This constituted a remarkable achievement, as Jim Corbett, a skilled boxer, weighed a stone (14 lb) more than Fitzsimmons. He out-boxed Fitzsimmons for several rounds, knocked him down in the sixth round, and badly damaged his face with his jab, left hook and right hand, but Fitzsimmons kept coming and Corbett began to tire. In the 14th round, Fitzsimmons won the title with his "solar plexus" punch. Corbett collapsed in agony. Fitzsimmons' "solar plexus" punch became legendary, although he himself may never have used the phrase. The entire fight was filmed by Enoch J. Rector and released to cinemas as The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight the longest film ever released at the time.
Fitzsimmons spent the rest of 1897 doing paper runs.
In 1899, Fitzsimmons and James J. Jeffries succeeded in boxing in New York without the police intervening, probably at an underground club. Most people gave Jeffries little chance, even though at 15 stones (95 kg) he massively outweighed his opponent and was far younger, but Jeffries lifted the World Heavyweight crown from Fitzsimmons with an 11th-round knockout.
In June 1901 Fitzsimmons took part in a wrestling match against Gus Ruhlin. He lost, and went back to boxing. He then enjoyed legitimate (boxing) knock-outs of both Ruhlin and Sharkey.
In 1901 he published a book Physical Culture and Self-Defense (Philadelphia: D. Biddle).
In 1902, he and Jeffries had a rematch, once again with the World Heavyweight crown at stake. Fitzsimmons battered Jeffries, who suffered horrible punishment. With his nose and cheek bones broken, most would have sympathised with Jeffries had he quit, but he kept going until his enormous weight advantage and youth told, and Bob suffered a knockout in round eight.
Winning the Light-heavyweight title September 1903 proved a tragic month for Fitzsimmons, as his rival, Con Coughlin, died the day after suffering a one-round knockout at the hands of Fitzsimmons. But less than two months later, Fitzsimmons made history by defeating world Light-Heavyweight champion George Gardiner by a decision in 20 rounds, thus becoming the first boxer to win titles in three weight-divisions.
Soon after, he went back to the Heavyweights, where he kept fighting until 1914, with mixed results. He boxed Jack Johnson, and film historians believe that his fight with Bob KO Sweeney became the first boxing-fight captured on film.
Although Fitzsimmons became a world champion in each of the Middleweight, Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions, historians do not consider him the first world Light-Heavyweight champion to become World Heavyweight champion, because he won the Heavyweight title before winning the Light Heavyweight belt. Michael Spinks counts as the first Light-Heavyweight World champion to win the Heavyweight belt as well. Although Fitzsimmons was the first Middleweight Champion to win the Heavyweight title, and the only Heavyweight Champion to drop down and win the Light Heavyweight title. In 2003 Roy Jones Jr. joined Fitzsimmons, Michael Moorer and Spinks as the only men to have won world championships at both Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight.
Fitzsimmons's exact record remains unknown, as the boxing world often kept records poorly during his era, but Fitzsimmons said he had had more than 350 fights (which could have involved exaggeration on his part).
The statue Peace on the Dewey Arch was modelled on Fitsimmons by the sculptor Daniel Chester French.
He died in Chicago of pneumonia in 1917, survived by his fourth wife. His grave lies in the Graceland Cemetery, Chicago. Having four wives, a gambling habit and a susceptibility to confidence tricksters, he did not hold on to the money he made.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame has made Bob Fitzsimmons a member in its "Old Timer" category.
In 2003 Ring Magazine named Fitzsimmons number eight of all time among boxing's best punchers.
Fitzsimmons, the youngest of 12 children, was born in Helston, Cornwall. His father was James Fitzsimmons, born in County Armagh, Ireland, and his mother was Jane Strongman born in St Clement, Cornwall. Bob emigrated to New Zealand at the age of nine along with his parents, brothers and sisters. His family settled in Timaru, among many other Cornish settlers, and Bob became a blacksmith in his brother Jarrett's smithy.
Between 1880 and 1881, Fitzsimmons reigned as champion of the Jem Mace tournament in New Zealand. Some say he officially began his career as a professional boxer in New Zealand later in 1881. Records remain unclear whether he received payment for a bout in which he knocked out Herbert Slade in two rounds.
Fitzsimmons had six fights there, two of them bare-knuckle events. He won one and lost five, it remains unclear whether any of those bouts involved payment.
Boxing record books show that Fitzsimmons officially began boxing professionally in 1883, in Australia. He beat Jim Crawford there by getting a knockout in three rounds. Fitzsimmons had his first 28 definite professional fights in Australia, where he lost for the Australian Middleweight title (rumours spoke of a fixed bout), and where he also won a fight by knockout while on the floor: when Edward Starlight Robins dropped Fitzsimmons to the canvas in round nine of their fight, he also broke his hand and could not continue, therefore the referee declared Fitzsimmons the winner by a knockout.
By this stage Fitzsimmons had established his own style. He developed a certain movement and caginess from one of the greatest bare-knuckle fighters, Jem Mace. Mace had encouraged Bob to develop his punching technique and he revolutionised this, drawing on the enormous power he had gained from blacksmithing. Fitzsimmons delivered short, accurate and usually conclusive punches. He soon built up a reputation as by far the hardest puncher in boxing.
Winning the Middleweight title Moving on to the United States, Fitzsimmons fought four more times in 1890, winning three and drawing one.
Fitzsimmons knocked out Dempsey (from whom the later Jack Dempsey would take his name) in the 13th round to become the world's Middleweight champion. Fitzsimmons knocked Dempsey down at least 13 times, and by the finish left him in such a pitiable condition that he begged him to quit. Dempsey would not do so, so Fitzsimmons knocked him out and then carried him to his corner. On July 22, police broke off his fight with Jim Hall after he had knocked Hall down several times.
Fitzsimmons spent the next two years fighting non-title bouts and exhibitions until giving Hall a chance at the title in 1893. He retained the crown by a knockout in round four. He spent the rest of that year doing exhibitions, and on June 2, he had scheduled a two-way exhibition where he would demonstrate in public how to hit the boxing bag and then how to box against a real opponent. Reportedly, two freak accidents happened that day: Fitzsimmons hit the bag so hard that it broke, and then his opponent of that day allegedly slipped, getting hit in the head and the boxing exhibition was cancelled.
After vacating the Middleweight crown, Fitzsimmons began campaigning among Heavyweights (the light-heavyweight division did not exist at that time). Wyatt Earp, the famous lawman, refereed one of his fights, against Tom Sharkey. Fitzsimmons battered Sharkey and had him on the verge of a knock-out, but when he hit him with a body-and-head punch-combination Earp declared him the loser on a disqualification because he had hit Sharkey while Sharkey was down. Earp, according to a widespread belief, had involvement with gamblers who had bet on Sharkey.
Fitzsimmons won a disputed version of the World Heavyweight championship in a fight in Langtry, Texas against the Irish native fighter Peter Maher. On March 17, 1897, he knocked out American Jim Corbett, generally recognized as the legitimate World Heavyweight champion (having won the title from John L. Sullivan in 1892) in round 14. This constituted a remarkable achievement, as Jim Corbett, a skilled boxer, weighed a stone (14 lb) more than Fitzsimmons. He out-boxed Fitzsimmons for several rounds, knocked him down in the sixth round, and badly damaged his face with his jab, left hook and right hand, but Fitzsimmons kept coming and Corbett began to tire. In the 14th round, Fitzsimmons won the title with his "solar plexus" punch. Corbett collapsed in agony. Fitzsimmons' "solar plexus" punch became legendary, although he himself may never have used the phrase. The entire fight was filmed by Enoch J. Rector and released to cinemas as The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight the longest film ever released at the time.
Fitzsimmons spent the rest of 1897 doing paper runs.
In 1899, Fitzsimmons and James J. Jeffries succeeded in boxing in New York without the police intervening, probably at an underground club. Most people gave Jeffries little chance, even though at 15 stones (95 kg) he massively outweighed his opponent and was far younger, but Jeffries lifted the World Heavyweight crown from Fitzsimmons with an 11th-round knockout.
In June 1901 Fitzsimmons took part in a wrestling match against Gus Ruhlin. He lost, and went back to boxing. He then enjoyed legitimate (boxing) knock-outs of both Ruhlin and Sharkey.
In 1901 he published a book Physical Culture and Self-Defense (Philadelphia: D. Biddle).
In 1902, he and Jeffries had a rematch, once again with the World Heavyweight crown at stake. Fitzsimmons battered Jeffries, who suffered horrible punishment. With his nose and cheek bones broken, most would have sympathised with Jeffries had he quit, but he kept going until his enormous weight advantage and youth told, and Bob suffered a knockout in round eight.
Winning the Light-heavyweight title September 1903 proved a tragic month for Fitzsimmons, as his rival, Con Coughlin, died the day after suffering a one-round knockout at the hands of Fitzsimmons. But less than two months later, Fitzsimmons made history by defeating world Light-Heavyweight champion George Gardiner by a decision in 20 rounds, thus becoming the first boxer to win titles in three weight-divisions.
Soon after, he went back to the Heavyweights, where he kept fighting until 1914, with mixed results. He boxed Jack Johnson, and film historians believe that his fight with Bob KO Sweeney became the first boxing-fight captured on film.
Although Fitzsimmons became a world champion in each of the Middleweight, Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions, historians do not consider him the first world Light-Heavyweight champion to become World Heavyweight champion, because he won the Heavyweight title before winning the Light Heavyweight belt. Michael Spinks counts as the first Light-Heavyweight World champion to win the Heavyweight belt as well. Although Fitzsimmons was the first Middleweight Champion to win the Heavyweight title, and the only Heavyweight Champion to drop down and win the Light Heavyweight title. In 2003 Roy Jones Jr. joined Fitzsimmons, Michael Moorer and Spinks as the only men to have won world championships at both Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight.
Fitzsimmons's exact record remains unknown, as the boxing world often kept records poorly during his era, but Fitzsimmons said he had had more than 350 fights (which could have involved exaggeration on his part).
The statue Peace on the Dewey Arch was modelled on Fitsimmons by the sculptor Daniel Chester French.
He died in Chicago of pneumonia in 1917, survived by his fourth wife. His grave lies in the Graceland Cemetery, Chicago. Having four wives, a gambling habit and a susceptibility to confidence tricksters, he did not hold on to the money he made.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame has made Bob Fitzsimmons a member in its "Old Timer" category.
In 2003 Ring Magazine named Fitzsimmons number eight of all time among boxing's best punchers.
JOE CHOYNSKI
Joseph Bartlett "Joe" Choynski (pronounced /ˈtʃɔɪnski/; November 8, 1868 – January 24, 1943) was an American boxer who fought professionally from 1888 to 1904.
"Chrysanthemum Joe", the son of a Polish immigrant that settled in California in 1867, weighed no more than 176 lb (80 kg) throughout his career but regularly fought heavyweights. He was considered a heavy puncher and a dangerous fighter.
Jack Johnson standing behind Joe Choynski. 1909 Chicago Daily News photo In fact, James J. Jeffries claimed that the hardest blow he ever received in a bout came from Choynski during their 20-round draw. During that bout, Choynski hit Jeffries with a right hand so powerful that the punch drove one of Jeffries' teeth into his lip. The tooth was lodged so deep that one of Jeffries' cornermen was forced to cut it out with a knife between rounds.
A contemporary of heavyweight champion "Gentleman Jim" (James J. Corbett), the two fought professionally three times. Both were from the San Francisco area, and thus generated a lot of local interest in their rivalry. The highlight of their series of bouts was fought on June 5, 1889, on a barge off the coast of Benicia, California.
The principals agreed that the bout was to be fought wearing two ounce gloves. Corbett had apparently hurt his hand, and Choynski learned of the injury. Accordingly, Choynski "forgot" to bring his gloves to the match, thereby hoping the fight would proceed as a bare-knuckle bout. Corbett, however, declined to fight bare-knuckle, but agreed to allow Choynski to wear leather riding gloves borrowed from a spectator. The riding gloves were seamed, and caused Corbett to suffer many cuts and welts. Nevertheless, Corbett won the legendary bout when he KOed Choynski in the 27th round.
In 1892 he KOd a 39 year old legend in Old Chocolate Godfrey.
Choynski was never given an opportunity to fight for the heavyweight title, but enjoyed some stunning successes against famed heavyweights James J. Jeffries and Jack Johnson before they became champions. For example, he held the heavier, larger, and stronger Jeffries to a 20-round draw on November 30, 1892. On February 25, 1901, he faced and KO'ed the young Jack Johnson in 3 rounds. He then began to train Johnson, helping the younger man develop the style that enabled him to become world champion.
Choynski also fought six-round draws with two other men who later claimed the heavyweight championship of the world: Bob Fitzsimmons on June 17, 1894, and Marvin Hart on November 16, 1903.
Choynski’s ability and ring-record were officially recognised by his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Choynski, who was Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
"Chrysanthemum Joe", the son of a Polish immigrant that settled in California in 1867, weighed no more than 176 lb (80 kg) throughout his career but regularly fought heavyweights. He was considered a heavy puncher and a dangerous fighter.
Jack Johnson standing behind Joe Choynski. 1909 Chicago Daily News photo In fact, James J. Jeffries claimed that the hardest blow he ever received in a bout came from Choynski during their 20-round draw. During that bout, Choynski hit Jeffries with a right hand so powerful that the punch drove one of Jeffries' teeth into his lip. The tooth was lodged so deep that one of Jeffries' cornermen was forced to cut it out with a knife between rounds.
A contemporary of heavyweight champion "Gentleman Jim" (James J. Corbett), the two fought professionally three times. Both were from the San Francisco area, and thus generated a lot of local interest in their rivalry. The highlight of their series of bouts was fought on June 5, 1889, on a barge off the coast of Benicia, California.
The principals agreed that the bout was to be fought wearing two ounce gloves. Corbett had apparently hurt his hand, and Choynski learned of the injury. Accordingly, Choynski "forgot" to bring his gloves to the match, thereby hoping the fight would proceed as a bare-knuckle bout. Corbett, however, declined to fight bare-knuckle, but agreed to allow Choynski to wear leather riding gloves borrowed from a spectator. The riding gloves were seamed, and caused Corbett to suffer many cuts and welts. Nevertheless, Corbett won the legendary bout when he KOed Choynski in the 27th round.
In 1892 he KOd a 39 year old legend in Old Chocolate Godfrey.
Choynski was never given an opportunity to fight for the heavyweight title, but enjoyed some stunning successes against famed heavyweights James J. Jeffries and Jack Johnson before they became champions. For example, he held the heavier, larger, and stronger Jeffries to a 20-round draw on November 30, 1892. On February 25, 1901, he faced and KO'ed the young Jack Johnson in 3 rounds. He then began to train Johnson, helping the younger man develop the style that enabled him to become world champion.
Choynski also fought six-round draws with two other men who later claimed the heavyweight championship of the world: Bob Fitzsimmons on June 17, 1894, and Marvin Hart on November 16, 1903.
Choynski’s ability and ring-record were officially recognised by his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Choynski, who was Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
TOM HYER
Tom Hyer (January 1, 1819 – June 26, 1864) was an American bare-knuckle boxer. He was a champion of boxing in America from September 9, 1841 to 1851.
Hyer was born in New York in 1819. His father Jacob had also been a prizefighter. Hyer was recognized as a champion of boxing after a 101-round victory over Country McCloskey at Caldwell's Landing New York on September 9, 1841. He did not fight again for nearly ten years.
Hyer defeated Yankee Sullivan in the 16th round at Still Pond Creek, Maryland on February 7, 1849. The fight lasted 17 minutes, 18 seconds and Hyer won a $10,000 purse. This was a widely publicized boxing match at the time and helped to ignite the sport's popularity. Hyer retired in 1851. While he challenged other fighters, he never fought again. Yankee Sullivan claimed Hyer's title in 1851 based on Hyer's retirement.
Hyer died in 1864, with a reported cause of death as "cardiac dropsy".
Hyer was born in New York in 1819. His father Jacob had also been a prizefighter. Hyer was recognized as a champion of boxing after a 101-round victory over Country McCloskey at Caldwell's Landing New York on September 9, 1841. He did not fight again for nearly ten years.
Hyer defeated Yankee Sullivan in the 16th round at Still Pond Creek, Maryland on February 7, 1849. The fight lasted 17 minutes, 18 seconds and Hyer won a $10,000 purse. This was a widely publicized boxing match at the time and helped to ignite the sport's popularity. Hyer retired in 1851. While he challenged other fighters, he never fought again. Yankee Sullivan claimed Hyer's title in 1851 based on Hyer's retirement.
Hyer died in 1864, with a reported cause of death as "cardiac dropsy".
JAKE KILRAIN
Jake Kilrain (February 9, 1859 – December 22, 1937) was the popular name of John Joseph Killion, a famous bare knuckle fighter and glove boxer of the 1880s.
Kilrain found employment as a teenager in Somerville, Massachusetts. As a country boy from Long Island, he had to learn how to stand up to the workers in the rolling mills. By the age of 20, he had been recognized as the toughest fighter in the mill. Kilrain was also a champion rower having won the National Amateur Junior Sculling Championship in 1883. He was later stripped of that honor when it was discovered that he was a prizefighter and thus could not be considered an amateur.
In 1883, Kilrain took up prizefighting as a profession and quickly established a reputation as a very tough fighter.
He is best known for challenging champion John L. Sullivan in 1889 in the last world heavyweight championship prizefight decided with bare knuckles under London Prize Ring rules in history. In a hard-fought contest, Kilrain lost at the start of the 76th round when Mike Donovan, his second, threw in the sponge. Kilrain had not wanted to give up thinking that he outlast Sullivan, but Donovan defended his actions insisting that Kilrain would have died had the fight gone on. In any case, the Kilrain-Sullivan fight can rightly be listed among the greatest fights of the pre-modern era.
Kilrain was recognized by Richard K. Fox of the National Police Gazette as Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1887. The awarding of the belt to Kilrain was part of a strategy by Fox to draw Sullivan into a fight. Any remote claim he had to the title of world champion was lost in 1889 after his loss to John L. Sullivan.
Kilrain continued on for 10 more years after the Sullivan fight with gloves under Marquis of Queensberry rules with some success. His most significant win was a 44-round knockout of Boston's George Godfrey in 1891. He lived in his later years as a devoted family man with his wife and children as proprietor of a saloon in Baltimore, Maryland. After his saloon burned down, he moved back to Somerville and was given a job with the parks department. After government cutbacks during the Great Depression he became a night watchman at a Quincy, Mass. shipyard.
In his later life, Kilrain became good friends with John L. Sullivan. When Sullivan died in 1918, Kilrain served as a pallbearer at the funeral .
Kilrain found employment as a teenager in Somerville, Massachusetts. As a country boy from Long Island, he had to learn how to stand up to the workers in the rolling mills. By the age of 20, he had been recognized as the toughest fighter in the mill. Kilrain was also a champion rower having won the National Amateur Junior Sculling Championship in 1883. He was later stripped of that honor when it was discovered that he was a prizefighter and thus could not be considered an amateur.
In 1883, Kilrain took up prizefighting as a profession and quickly established a reputation as a very tough fighter.
He is best known for challenging champion John L. Sullivan in 1889 in the last world heavyweight championship prizefight decided with bare knuckles under London Prize Ring rules in history. In a hard-fought contest, Kilrain lost at the start of the 76th round when Mike Donovan, his second, threw in the sponge. Kilrain had not wanted to give up thinking that he outlast Sullivan, but Donovan defended his actions insisting that Kilrain would have died had the fight gone on. In any case, the Kilrain-Sullivan fight can rightly be listed among the greatest fights of the pre-modern era.
Kilrain was recognized by Richard K. Fox of the National Police Gazette as Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1887. The awarding of the belt to Kilrain was part of a strategy by Fox to draw Sullivan into a fight. Any remote claim he had to the title of world champion was lost in 1889 after his loss to John L. Sullivan.
Kilrain continued on for 10 more years after the Sullivan fight with gloves under Marquis of Queensberry rules with some success. His most significant win was a 44-round knockout of Boston's George Godfrey in 1891. He lived in his later years as a devoted family man with his wife and children as proprietor of a saloon in Baltimore, Maryland. After his saloon burned down, he moved back to Somerville and was given a job with the parks department. After government cutbacks during the Great Depression he became a night watchman at a Quincy, Mass. shipyard.
In his later life, Kilrain became good friends with John L. Sullivan. When Sullivan died in 1918, Kilrain served as a pallbearer at the funeral .
TOM KING
Tom King (born: August 14, 1835 died: October 3, 1888) also known as "The Fighting Sailor" was an English boxer who fought both bare-knuckle and with gloves. Strong, fast, and durable he was a skilled pugilist. He retired from the ring in 1863, as the Heavyweight Champion of England, following his defeat of the boxer Jem Mace. In retirement he became a successful bookmaker, and married the daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate and acquired great wealth.
King was born in Silver Street, Stepney East London and at an early age joined the Royal Navy, in the service he learnt to box, both with and without gloves. Retiring from the navy while still a young man he became a docker, where his skills with his fists earned him respect and some limited notoriety, following several brawls with colleagues.
Jem Mace who King defeated in 1863 to become the heavyweight champion of England. King's brawling bought him to the attention of the retired boxing champion Jem Ward who began to give him serious pugilistic training. At this time prize-fighting was illegal in England, and likely to be broken up by the police with ensuing arrests. Matches were arranged by word of mouth and often held on remote farms, the venue being abruptly changed at short notice. However the illegality of the sport did not stop matches being well attended by members of all classes from dockers to the highest echelons of the aristocracy.
King's first professional victory was over Bill Clamp, a celebrated dockyard fighter. Two quick successive victories over Tom Truckle and Young Broome led to his first attempt to attain the English heavyweight crown from Jem Mace in 1862. The bout lasted for 43 rounds for the first 30 rounds King seemed in control. However, experience began to tell and Mace finally in spite of being almost blinded in both eyes finished King with a crushing blow to the throat.
Mace and King met for a rematch less than a year later in 1863, on this occasion King defeated Mace in the 21st round, victory was achieved by a simple punch to the face. Mace conceded and King finally obtained the heavyweight crown.
The next great fight was 20 December 1863 against John C Heenan the American fighter who had fought the celebrated British boxer Thomas Sayers to a less than honourable draw for the heavyweight title in 1860. Following the "draw" Heenan had been unofficially acclaimed the heavyweight champion, so the defence of this title against Heenan was an important march in English boxing, Thomas Sayers himself even acted as Heenan's second in this match, The bout was held at "Cockmounts Farm", Wadhurst, East Sussex. Heenan relied on brawn and wrestling rather than skill and pugilistic science and was defeated by King in the 24th round while King escaped from the fight almost unscathed.
King now became very selective of his opponent refusing to meet Mace in the ring again. Mace was furious at not being given the opportunity to regain his heavyweight title, and in order to prompt a fight deliberately set out to pick a fight with King in the street but King still refused to fight him and retired allowing the heavyweight title to fall vacant though many unofficially claimed it.
Having defended and retained the heavyweight title, King retired. Unlike many of his contemporaries who relied on the charity and munificence of their former patrons and fans for support after their lives in the ring, King went on to make a fortune as a successful bookmaker. In later life he became a celebrated rower, and married the daughter of a wealthy ship owner. He died on October 4, 1888 at his home Clarence House, Clapham, London aged 53. He is buried at West Norwood Cemetery, London.
King was born in Silver Street, Stepney East London and at an early age joined the Royal Navy, in the service he learnt to box, both with and without gloves. Retiring from the navy while still a young man he became a docker, where his skills with his fists earned him respect and some limited notoriety, following several brawls with colleagues.
Jem Mace who King defeated in 1863 to become the heavyweight champion of England. King's brawling bought him to the attention of the retired boxing champion Jem Ward who began to give him serious pugilistic training. At this time prize-fighting was illegal in England, and likely to be broken up by the police with ensuing arrests. Matches were arranged by word of mouth and often held on remote farms, the venue being abruptly changed at short notice. However the illegality of the sport did not stop matches being well attended by members of all classes from dockers to the highest echelons of the aristocracy.
King's first professional victory was over Bill Clamp, a celebrated dockyard fighter. Two quick successive victories over Tom Truckle and Young Broome led to his first attempt to attain the English heavyweight crown from Jem Mace in 1862. The bout lasted for 43 rounds for the first 30 rounds King seemed in control. However, experience began to tell and Mace finally in spite of being almost blinded in both eyes finished King with a crushing blow to the throat.
Mace and King met for a rematch less than a year later in 1863, on this occasion King defeated Mace in the 21st round, victory was achieved by a simple punch to the face. Mace conceded and King finally obtained the heavyweight crown.
The next great fight was 20 December 1863 against John C Heenan the American fighter who had fought the celebrated British boxer Thomas Sayers to a less than honourable draw for the heavyweight title in 1860. Following the "draw" Heenan had been unofficially acclaimed the heavyweight champion, so the defence of this title against Heenan was an important march in English boxing, Thomas Sayers himself even acted as Heenan's second in this match, The bout was held at "Cockmounts Farm", Wadhurst, East Sussex. Heenan relied on brawn and wrestling rather than skill and pugilistic science and was defeated by King in the 24th round while King escaped from the fight almost unscathed.
King now became very selective of his opponent refusing to meet Mace in the ring again. Mace was furious at not being given the opportunity to regain his heavyweight title, and in order to prompt a fight deliberately set out to pick a fight with King in the street but King still refused to fight him and retired allowing the heavyweight title to fall vacant though many unofficially claimed it.
Having defended and retained the heavyweight title, King retired. Unlike many of his contemporaries who relied on the charity and munificence of their former patrons and fans for support after their lives in the ring, King went on to make a fortune as a successful bookmaker. In later life he became a celebrated rower, and married the daughter of a wealthy ship owner. He died on October 4, 1888 at his home Clarence House, Clapham, London aged 53. He is buried at West Norwood Cemetery, London.
JAMES BURKE
James "Deaf" Burke (8 December 1809 – 8 January 1845), 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighing 200 lb (90 kg), was one of England's earliest boxing champions. He trained in the area around the River Thames.
On May 30, 1833, in a particularly brutal fight for the English heavyweight championship that lasted more than 3 hours, Burke defeated Simon Byrne, the Irish champion. Burke knocked him unconscious in the 10th round and Byrne died three days later. Burke was promptly arrested and tried for Byrne's murder, but he was acquitted on 11 July 1833 and subsequently freed. The former English champion Jem Ward, who had earlier retired rather than face Burke in the ring, refused to hand over the championship belt or acknowledge Burke as heavyweight champion.
, Burke found it impossible to obtain opponents in Britain. He went to the United States and fought the new Irish champion Sam O'Rourke in New Orleans on May 6, 1837. As the fight progressed, O'Rourke took heavy punishment. In the third round, fearing O'Rourke's defeat, elements of the crowd started rioting and caused the fight to be abandoned. Burke was forced to flee on horseback.
On February 12, 1839, Burke fought William Thompson for the English heavyweight crown. Burke was disqualified in the 10th round for hitting Thompson when he was down. Thompson retired the next month and Burke claimed the title. A great gandson now currently resides in Kings Mountain NC Jem Ward's younger brother Nick Ward fought Burke for the English championship on 22 September 1840. The fight ended in disarray when Ward's gang forced the referee to disqualify Burke for an alleged foul.
Burke challenged William Perry, 'The Tipton Slasher', to a fight in July 1842. Perry declined.
Burke won his final fight against Bob Castles (to whom he was related in marriage) in the 37th round on June 13, 1843.
At the age of 36 and in extreme poverty, Burke died of tuberculosis at home on 8 January 1845 in Francis Street, Waterloo, London. He is buried in St John's Church-yard, Waterloo.
One hundred and forty-seven years later in 1992, he was added to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.
On May 30, 1833, in a particularly brutal fight for the English heavyweight championship that lasted more than 3 hours, Burke defeated Simon Byrne, the Irish champion. Burke knocked him unconscious in the 10th round and Byrne died three days later. Burke was promptly arrested and tried for Byrne's murder, but he was acquitted on 11 July 1833 and subsequently freed. The former English champion Jem Ward, who had earlier retired rather than face Burke in the ring, refused to hand over the championship belt or acknowledge Burke as heavyweight champion.
, Burke found it impossible to obtain opponents in Britain. He went to the United States and fought the new Irish champion Sam O'Rourke in New Orleans on May 6, 1837. As the fight progressed, O'Rourke took heavy punishment. In the third round, fearing O'Rourke's defeat, elements of the crowd started rioting and caused the fight to be abandoned. Burke was forced to flee on horseback.
On February 12, 1839, Burke fought William Thompson for the English heavyweight crown. Burke was disqualified in the 10th round for hitting Thompson when he was down. Thompson retired the next month and Burke claimed the title. A great gandson now currently resides in Kings Mountain NC Jem Ward's younger brother Nick Ward fought Burke for the English championship on 22 September 1840. The fight ended in disarray when Ward's gang forced the referee to disqualify Burke for an alleged foul.
Burke challenged William Perry, 'The Tipton Slasher', to a fight in July 1842. Perry declined.
Burke won his final fight against Bob Castles (to whom he was related in marriage) in the 37th round on June 13, 1843.
At the age of 36 and in extreme poverty, Burke died of tuberculosis at home on 8 January 1845 in Francis Street, Waterloo, London. He is buried in St John's Church-yard, Waterloo.
One hundred and forty-seven years later in 1992, he was added to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.
DAN DONNELLY
Dan Donnelly (March 1788 – February 18, 1820) was a professional boxing pioneer and the first Irish-born heavyweight champion. He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Pioneers Category in 2008.
Donnelly was born in the docks of Dublin, Ireland in March, 1788. He came from a family of seventeen children. His father was a carpenter, but suffered from chest complaints, probably bronchitis, and was frequently out of work. In those days there was no pay if you didn't work. It was a terrific struggle to bring up a family of that size. To Donnelly, like most kids of his time, this was the life he knew and was not particularly aware of the poverty around him. As soon as he was able, he went to work as a carpenter.
The country was still reeling from the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion when the Act of Union was passed. It merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. There was a smooth transition to the Union that was only slightly disrupted by a revolt in Dublin in 1803. This campaign was doomed to failure, but it had a profound effect on Dan Donnelly. One of his workmates at Connery's timber yard on Sir John Rogerson's Quay was the brother of Anne Devlin. Anne played a central role in the conspiracy. Anne Devlin was Robert Emmet's housekeeper. She was arrested, tortured, and jailed. Emmet, who led the revolt, was hanged and beheaded once dead.Donnelly now lived in a land that seemed leaderless and broken in spirit—a land in desperate need for someone to come along and give the British a bloody nose.
During the period between the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union, and O'Connell's political campaign, there was Dan Donnelly. He gave the Irish a sense of pride and self-respect at a time when it was badly needed. Boxing is democratic. In hurling, soccer, Gaelic football, or rugby, there are 11–15 members on a team. The boxer is on his own in the ring. There's no one there to back him up.
Even on the tough streets of Dublin, Dan Donnelly had a reputation of being a hard man to provoke, a man who would go to great lengths to avoid settling an argument in the traditional manner. But when the need arose—usually when the old, feeble, or female were mistreated—Donnelly was known to be handy with his fists, and he became the district's new fighting hero.
There was an instance where he heard the screams of a young woman down at the dockside area where he lived. He found two burly sailors were attacking this young woman. He went to her rescue. The sailors grabbed him, attacked him with stones, and kicked him. He ended up with a mangled arm, which would have certainly precluded any boxing career that might have lain ahead of him. Luckily, he was taken to the premises of Dr. Abraham Colles, a famous surgeon. At first he said the arm would have to be amputated, but he then delicately was able to put the arm together and put his arm around him and proclaimed him a "pocket Hercules". There was another instance where an old lady had died in poverty-stricken circumstances from a highly contagious fever. People were reluctant to approach the body, but Donnelly on hearing this, went to the room, hoisted the body up on his shoulders, and went off to a local graveyard, where he found grave diggers at work. He declared that the grave they were finishing would be for the woman. They refused, stating that it was reserved for a person of distinction.He insisted that she would be interred in that grave. The grave diggers stood back and let him do what he wanted to do.
He was a tall, strapping man. He was nearly six feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed almost 14 stone (196 lbs, 89kg). He was a courageous man. His strongest trait, however, was his outgoing, sociable personality. He was fond of the company of others and this was reciprocated.
News of Dan's fighting exploits with Dublin's feuding gangs spread swiftly. He gained a reputation for keeping the city's crooks in check. One boxer, recognized as Champion of the City, became jealous of Donnelly's reputation and took to following his foe around the local taverns demanding a fight. Eventually, Donnelly relented and the fight was staged on the banks of the Grand Canal. The event aroused a great deal of interest in Dublin, and a good crowd turned up. Right up to the time they took sparring positions, Donnelly tried to talk his rival out of fighting, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. As the fight dragged on, Donnelly gradually overcame his rival, and in a furious attack in the 16th round, beat him to the ground. Donnelly was declared the new Champion of the City.
"Sporting" Captain William Kelly, the man credited with "discovering" Donnelly. Around this time, an Irish aristocrat was sitting in an English tavern. Captain William Kelly listened on as a pair of English prize-fighters mocked Ireland's reputation as a nation of courageous men. Kelly considered this an affront to his native land and resolved to find a fighting Irishman to take up the challenge. His search eventually took him to Dublin and to Dan Donnelly.
When prize fights were first introduced, it was the Fancy who tended to the boxers. The Fancy were aristocrats who followed the sport in the 18th and 19th centuries. They organized the training, the matches, and the finance. Donnelly's first big fight under his new patronage, Captain Kelly, was staged at the Curragh in County Kildare on September 14, 1814. The spot was known at the time as Belcher's Hollow, a natural amphitheater that was regularly used for big prize fights. The opponent was a prominent English fighter, Tom Hall, who was touring Ireland, giving sparring exhibitions and boxing instruction. By one o'clock when the bout was due to start, an estimated 20,000 people packed onto the sides of the hollow, at the base of which a 22-foot (6.71 m) square had been roped off.
Jack Broughton's Rules, drawn up in 1743, lasted 110 years until replaced by the London Prize Ring Rules. Boxing at that time was very different to the boxing of today. There were few rules. There was no boxing organization to oversee the sport or lay down regulations or procedures. There was no formal end to the fights: they would go on until one fighter was unable to continue or would give up. A now obsolete practice was that of the seconds. The seconds would wait in the ring during the fight, and assist the boxer between rounds. There were no restrictions regarding fight tactics. For example, a fighter could hit his opponent's head off a corner post, or wrestle his opponent to the ground, or pull his hair, or wrap his arm around his neck in a choking motion and then hit him in the face with the other hand. The fights were very severe and often brutal, and they would continue until the end.
A round could last as long as six or seven minutes, or a little as 30 seconds. The round would end when one person was on the ground. He would then have 30 seconds to get up and continue the fight.
For a few rounds, Hall was showing his skill was paramount. He scored first blood, which was an important occasion in bare-fist boxing; there were bets made on who would draw first blood. But as the rounds went on, Donnelly's strength began to tell. Hall would slip down onto his knee, without being in any danger. This was a tactic, because once he went down the round was over, he got a 30-second rest, and came back refreshed. He was doing this just a bit too often for Donnelly's liking, and at one stage, Donnelly was just about to lash out when he was down, and his second shouted out an admonishment that Dan would lose the fight if he did so. Eventually he did lose his temper, and as Hall slipped down yet again, Donnelly lashed out and hit him on the ear; the blood flowed. That was the end of the round. Hall refused to continue, saying he had been fouled, that Donnelly should be disqualified. Donnelly fans voiced that no, Dan had definitely won, Hall didn't want to fight on, Donnelly was the champion. The fight ended in some controversy, but to the Irish, he was the conquering hero.
Belcher's Hollow was rechristened Donnelly's Hollow and Dan Donnelly was now acclaimed as Ireland's Champion. For a short while, at least, the country celebrated its new hero. The Irish saw sporting heroes like Dan Donnelly as the symbolic winner of the bigger fight. While Ireland was left without its own government, England was becoming increasingly more powerful. Whenever Dan's right hand bloodied an English nose, it was hailed as a strike, however small, against the oppressors.
It was the summer of 1815, and while Ireland was at its weakest, England had never seemed stronger. Wellington had beaten Napoleon at Waterloo and Britannia certainly ruled the waves. In the minds of the populace, Dan Donnelly epitomized the national struggle in an Ireland governed by mad old George III, championing their seemingly hopeless cause against the intransigent representatives of the Crown.
In Irish folk tradition, the hero took center stage. That goes back to the storytelling tradition which still exists today. The hero is revered; he's someone who is willing to stand up and fight for himself and his people. Dan was synonymous with Ireland as he was a patriot. He lived and fought in the period after the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union, and the Catholic Emancipation, which was led by Daniel O'Connell and the Nationalists. Spirits and morale were good in Ireland at that time. As a patriotic himself, the timing couldn't be better for Donnelly.
The political climate between Ireland and Britain is better and more peaceful today than it has been in a very long time, but if a rugby or soccer game is held between the two countries, there is a certain amount of tension or jingoism. Dan Donnelly and his boxing matches embodied this mentality in the early 19th century. It's symbolic of how the Irish and the English fought their political battles on the football pitch and in the boxing ring.
Donnelly was a national hero, but he was also broke. He drank away the purse from beating Tom Hall, but the chance of another big payday eventually presented itself. He was approached by George Cooper and Tom Molyneux, two leading prize-fighters who were touring Ireland on an exhibition tour to teach the art of boxing.
George Cooper, a first-rate ringman, and the opponent in Donnelly's most celebrated victory. These two came to Dublin, heard of Donnelly, and invited him to meet them in a local pub. They prevailed upon him to fight Molyneux originally, and he said no. He had no desire to fight a conquered man, because Molyneux had just been beaten by the other man of the company, George Cooper. Molyneux was hurt by this curt refusal, but he was calmed down by his companion. Arrangements were made for the fight with Cooper.
The bout was set for December 13, 1815. Once again, it was to be staged at Donnelly's Hollow on the Curragh in County Kildare. News of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo was resounding around Europe. George Cooper was a hotter favorite than the Iron Duke had been in his bout with the Little Corporal. Cooper was a bargeman with a fearful reputation. He was of gypsy blood and he was 10/1 on to batter Dan Donnelly.
From early morning, crews began to converge on Donnelly's Hollow. They came from far and wide, using every horse-drawn contraption they could find, or on horseback. If they they couldn't do so, they gladly walked the distance. There were 20,000 people packed in there on that day. Excitement was intense.
Bets were made back then as is still customary to this day. Bets were made on the results of the fight, on who'd draw the first blood, or on who would score the first knockdown. There were rules, but they were designed to accommodate gambling, the public, and those who organized the fight. The boxers themselves were of no consequence.
It was a fight that went one way then the other for a round. Again, Donnelly's strength would always tell in a bare-knuckle fight to the finish. In one round, Cooper used the cross-buttock tactic with Donnelly and severely winded him. The cross-buttock was more a wrestling maneuver than a boxing one, but it was legitimate under the rules of the time. A competitor gets, more or less, in front of his opponent, and throws his adversary over his hip, causing him to land with great force on the ground.
If one popular story is to be believed, Donnelly, who was being badly beaten in the fifth round, was saved by the magical properties of a lump of sugar cane slipped to him by Captain Kelly's sister. She had been pleading with Dan to win, telling him she had bet her entire estate on the outcome. When Donnelly failed to respond, she slipped him a piece of the sugar cane, while urging him, "Now my charmer, give him a warmer!" The Irish champion was rejuvenated and the course of the fight changed.
In the seventh round, he sent Cooper flat on his back on the turf and jumped on top of him, winding Cooper so badly he could hardly rise. He did rise for the next round, but in the eleventh, Donnelly finished him off with a tremendous right hand that smashed Cooper's jaw.] The sound of the cheering was likened to the sound of artillery going off. The cheers could be heard in villages for miles around. Donnelly was the conquering hero.
As Donnelly proudly strode up the hill towards his carriage, fanatical followers dug out imprints left by his feet. Leading from the monument which commemorates the scene of his greatest victory, "The Steps to Strength and Fame" are still to be seen in Donnelly's Hollow. Donnelly politely declined all invitations to celebrate his triumph in the taverns of County Kildare. He had promised his friends and family he would return to Dublin immediately after the fight.
Newspapers in the 18th century had many references to boxing. However, this was bare-knuckle fighting, fighting that was severe and sometimes brutal. That type of boxing was at its most popular during Dan's time. Boxing champions in those days became well-renowned. He was aware that political conflict was very much to the fore then. He accepted that he was representing the Irish people in this area in which he was active. He was a patriot, who, if needed, would stand up for his beliefs.
In his third and final fight on July 21, 1819, he defeated Tom Oliver in 34 rounds on English turf, at Crawley Down in Sussex.
He had a reputation for being a gambler, a womanizer and a drunkard. After his victory over Cooper, Donnelly was the proprietor of a succession of four Dublin pubs, all of them unprofitable. Fallon's Capstan Bar is the only one still in existence.
Hibernia lamenting the Death of Donnelly, her favourite champion. He died at Donnelly's Public House, the last tavern he owned, on February 18, 1820 at the age of 32. An oval wall plaque commemorates the site of his death. A squat, weather-beaten, gray obelisk surrounded by a short iron fence marks the exact site of the Cooper bout. The inscription on the monument: DAN DONNELLY BEAT COOPER ON THIS SPOT 13TH DEC. 1815. Donnelly's arm Dan was laid to rest, albeit briefly, at Bully's Acre, one of the city's oldest cemeteries. After just a few nights, grave robbers put Donnelly's body in a sack and delivered him to an eminent surgeon who paid good money for cadavers for study. They may even have been working to order.
Donnelly's admirers tracked the body to the home of a surgeon by the name of Hall and threatened him with death. There was a quick negotiation and he agreed to give the body back as long as he could keep the right arm, the one that slew the English champions, for medical observation. The arm was preserved in red lead paint, and traveled to a medical college in Scotland where it was used by medical students for a number of years to study how all the bones worked together.
From an Edinburgh classroom, the arm became an exhibit in a Victorian travelling circus, and it journeyed around Britain many times. In the early 20th century, it finally came back to Ireland. In 1904, a Belfast bookmaker, Hugh "Texas" McAlevey, acquired the arm and displayed it in his pub.
The publican got tired of it and thought the grisly-looking sight might be frightening off customers, so he stuck it up in an attic. A betting parlor employee remembers as a teenager being told not to go up in the attic—that Donnelly's ghost was up there.
Donnelly's arm made it back to Kilcullen in the 1950s. Publican Jim Byrne came up with the idea of recreating Donnelly's fight with George Cooper in the Curragh. The fight was promoted by bringing Donnelly's arm back to where it defeated the English opponent.
The pageant brought the historic contest alive again, rekindling the Dan Donnelly fire. It was An Tóstal, an Irish festival started at that time nationwide in an effort to promote tourism.Each region was encouraged to have some sort of festival to attract visitors. This was the genesis of the Dan Donnelly pageant.
Kevin McCourt, an army officer, was picked to play George Cooper, the English champion; Jim Berney was chosen to portray Dan Donnelly, the Irish champion. George Cooper and Dan Donnelly, as played by McCourt and Berney, had a group of supporters as well, dressed up and cheering, carrying them down into the arena. Two "supporters" performed getting involved in a ruckus. Local sporting clubs and townspeople comprised the spectators.
"The longest arms in the history of pugilism." Donnelly's arm found a new home in Jim Byrne's pub, "The Hideout." It became a popular attraction in Kilcullen.
It was on display there for 43 years until Jim Byrne died and the pub passed to his son, Desmond. Des then eventually sold the pub.
Des died December 6, 2005. On that day, his son took a phone call from James J. Houlihan in America, looking to take the arm and display it there. Deciding this was not the appropriate time, he opted to call at a later date. In February of the following year, he called the widow Josephine and told her he was going to have an exhibition entitled "Fighting Irishmen: A Celebration of the Celtic Warrior". She was not interested at the time believing that he would take the arm and she would never see it again. He kept on writing her, phoning her, and asking her to look at his website. Convinced that he was an honorable, respected man, she agreed to put the trip in motion.
Josephine wouldn't let the human limb that was almost 200 years old go into a cargo hold for transportation to America. One of Des's bandmates had been Henry Donohoe, then the chief pilot for Aer Lingus. She called him and asked how to get the arm to the States. He told her that he would take it in the cockpit with himself.
Josephine sat in first class. A special box was made for the arm, crating around it to prevent it from getting banged around. It fit into the cockpit with two inches to spare.
As the centerpiece of the Fighting Irishmen Exhibit, Donnelly's arm went on display at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, in the fall of 2006.The show traveled across the city to the South Street Seaport Museum in 2007. Its next appearance was at Boston College's John J. Burns Library in 2008. The arm returned to Ireland in 2009 when the show arrived at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. 2010 was a homecoming when the exhibition appeared at the Gaelic Athletic Association museum at Croke Park in Dublin.
Almost two centuries after his death. Donnelly remains the subject of urban legend. One contends that he had the longest arms in boxing history, with the ability to touch his knees without bending down. Another claims that he was knighted by the Prince Regent. His arms were actually of normal length for a man of his size. No known documentation exists to support the latter.
Donnelly was born in the docks of Dublin, Ireland in March, 1788. He came from a family of seventeen children. His father was a carpenter, but suffered from chest complaints, probably bronchitis, and was frequently out of work. In those days there was no pay if you didn't work. It was a terrific struggle to bring up a family of that size. To Donnelly, like most kids of his time, this was the life he knew and was not particularly aware of the poverty around him. As soon as he was able, he went to work as a carpenter.
The country was still reeling from the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion when the Act of Union was passed. It merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. There was a smooth transition to the Union that was only slightly disrupted by a revolt in Dublin in 1803. This campaign was doomed to failure, but it had a profound effect on Dan Donnelly. One of his workmates at Connery's timber yard on Sir John Rogerson's Quay was the brother of Anne Devlin. Anne played a central role in the conspiracy. Anne Devlin was Robert Emmet's housekeeper. She was arrested, tortured, and jailed. Emmet, who led the revolt, was hanged and beheaded once dead.Donnelly now lived in a land that seemed leaderless and broken in spirit—a land in desperate need for someone to come along and give the British a bloody nose.
During the period between the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union, and O'Connell's political campaign, there was Dan Donnelly. He gave the Irish a sense of pride and self-respect at a time when it was badly needed. Boxing is democratic. In hurling, soccer, Gaelic football, or rugby, there are 11–15 members on a team. The boxer is on his own in the ring. There's no one there to back him up.
Even on the tough streets of Dublin, Dan Donnelly had a reputation of being a hard man to provoke, a man who would go to great lengths to avoid settling an argument in the traditional manner. But when the need arose—usually when the old, feeble, or female were mistreated—Donnelly was known to be handy with his fists, and he became the district's new fighting hero.
There was an instance where he heard the screams of a young woman down at the dockside area where he lived. He found two burly sailors were attacking this young woman. He went to her rescue. The sailors grabbed him, attacked him with stones, and kicked him. He ended up with a mangled arm, which would have certainly precluded any boxing career that might have lain ahead of him. Luckily, he was taken to the premises of Dr. Abraham Colles, a famous surgeon. At first he said the arm would have to be amputated, but he then delicately was able to put the arm together and put his arm around him and proclaimed him a "pocket Hercules". There was another instance where an old lady had died in poverty-stricken circumstances from a highly contagious fever. People were reluctant to approach the body, but Donnelly on hearing this, went to the room, hoisted the body up on his shoulders, and went off to a local graveyard, where he found grave diggers at work. He declared that the grave they were finishing would be for the woman. They refused, stating that it was reserved for a person of distinction.He insisted that she would be interred in that grave. The grave diggers stood back and let him do what he wanted to do.
He was a tall, strapping man. He was nearly six feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed almost 14 stone (196 lbs, 89kg). He was a courageous man. His strongest trait, however, was his outgoing, sociable personality. He was fond of the company of others and this was reciprocated.
News of Dan's fighting exploits with Dublin's feuding gangs spread swiftly. He gained a reputation for keeping the city's crooks in check. One boxer, recognized as Champion of the City, became jealous of Donnelly's reputation and took to following his foe around the local taverns demanding a fight. Eventually, Donnelly relented and the fight was staged on the banks of the Grand Canal. The event aroused a great deal of interest in Dublin, and a good crowd turned up. Right up to the time they took sparring positions, Donnelly tried to talk his rival out of fighting, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. As the fight dragged on, Donnelly gradually overcame his rival, and in a furious attack in the 16th round, beat him to the ground. Donnelly was declared the new Champion of the City.
"Sporting" Captain William Kelly, the man credited with "discovering" Donnelly. Around this time, an Irish aristocrat was sitting in an English tavern. Captain William Kelly listened on as a pair of English prize-fighters mocked Ireland's reputation as a nation of courageous men. Kelly considered this an affront to his native land and resolved to find a fighting Irishman to take up the challenge. His search eventually took him to Dublin and to Dan Donnelly.
When prize fights were first introduced, it was the Fancy who tended to the boxers. The Fancy were aristocrats who followed the sport in the 18th and 19th centuries. They organized the training, the matches, and the finance. Donnelly's first big fight under his new patronage, Captain Kelly, was staged at the Curragh in County Kildare on September 14, 1814. The spot was known at the time as Belcher's Hollow, a natural amphitheater that was regularly used for big prize fights. The opponent was a prominent English fighter, Tom Hall, who was touring Ireland, giving sparring exhibitions and boxing instruction. By one o'clock when the bout was due to start, an estimated 20,000 people packed onto the sides of the hollow, at the base of which a 22-foot (6.71 m) square had been roped off.
Jack Broughton's Rules, drawn up in 1743, lasted 110 years until replaced by the London Prize Ring Rules. Boxing at that time was very different to the boxing of today. There were few rules. There was no boxing organization to oversee the sport or lay down regulations or procedures. There was no formal end to the fights: they would go on until one fighter was unable to continue or would give up. A now obsolete practice was that of the seconds. The seconds would wait in the ring during the fight, and assist the boxer between rounds. There were no restrictions regarding fight tactics. For example, a fighter could hit his opponent's head off a corner post, or wrestle his opponent to the ground, or pull his hair, or wrap his arm around his neck in a choking motion and then hit him in the face with the other hand. The fights were very severe and often brutal, and they would continue until the end.
A round could last as long as six or seven minutes, or a little as 30 seconds. The round would end when one person was on the ground. He would then have 30 seconds to get up and continue the fight.
For a few rounds, Hall was showing his skill was paramount. He scored first blood, which was an important occasion in bare-fist boxing; there were bets made on who would draw first blood. But as the rounds went on, Donnelly's strength began to tell. Hall would slip down onto his knee, without being in any danger. This was a tactic, because once he went down the round was over, he got a 30-second rest, and came back refreshed. He was doing this just a bit too often for Donnelly's liking, and at one stage, Donnelly was just about to lash out when he was down, and his second shouted out an admonishment that Dan would lose the fight if he did so. Eventually he did lose his temper, and as Hall slipped down yet again, Donnelly lashed out and hit him on the ear; the blood flowed. That was the end of the round. Hall refused to continue, saying he had been fouled, that Donnelly should be disqualified. Donnelly fans voiced that no, Dan had definitely won, Hall didn't want to fight on, Donnelly was the champion. The fight ended in some controversy, but to the Irish, he was the conquering hero.
Belcher's Hollow was rechristened Donnelly's Hollow and Dan Donnelly was now acclaimed as Ireland's Champion. For a short while, at least, the country celebrated its new hero. The Irish saw sporting heroes like Dan Donnelly as the symbolic winner of the bigger fight. While Ireland was left without its own government, England was becoming increasingly more powerful. Whenever Dan's right hand bloodied an English nose, it was hailed as a strike, however small, against the oppressors.
It was the summer of 1815, and while Ireland was at its weakest, England had never seemed stronger. Wellington had beaten Napoleon at Waterloo and Britannia certainly ruled the waves. In the minds of the populace, Dan Donnelly epitomized the national struggle in an Ireland governed by mad old George III, championing their seemingly hopeless cause against the intransigent representatives of the Crown.
In Irish folk tradition, the hero took center stage. That goes back to the storytelling tradition which still exists today. The hero is revered; he's someone who is willing to stand up and fight for himself and his people. Dan was synonymous with Ireland as he was a patriot. He lived and fought in the period after the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union, and the Catholic Emancipation, which was led by Daniel O'Connell and the Nationalists. Spirits and morale were good in Ireland at that time. As a patriotic himself, the timing couldn't be better for Donnelly.
The political climate between Ireland and Britain is better and more peaceful today than it has been in a very long time, but if a rugby or soccer game is held between the two countries, there is a certain amount of tension or jingoism. Dan Donnelly and his boxing matches embodied this mentality in the early 19th century. It's symbolic of how the Irish and the English fought their political battles on the football pitch and in the boxing ring.
Donnelly was a national hero, but he was also broke. He drank away the purse from beating Tom Hall, but the chance of another big payday eventually presented itself. He was approached by George Cooper and Tom Molyneux, two leading prize-fighters who were touring Ireland on an exhibition tour to teach the art of boxing.
George Cooper, a first-rate ringman, and the opponent in Donnelly's most celebrated victory. These two came to Dublin, heard of Donnelly, and invited him to meet them in a local pub. They prevailed upon him to fight Molyneux originally, and he said no. He had no desire to fight a conquered man, because Molyneux had just been beaten by the other man of the company, George Cooper. Molyneux was hurt by this curt refusal, but he was calmed down by his companion. Arrangements were made for the fight with Cooper.
The bout was set for December 13, 1815. Once again, it was to be staged at Donnelly's Hollow on the Curragh in County Kildare. News of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo was resounding around Europe. George Cooper was a hotter favorite than the Iron Duke had been in his bout with the Little Corporal. Cooper was a bargeman with a fearful reputation. He was of gypsy blood and he was 10/1 on to batter Dan Donnelly.
From early morning, crews began to converge on Donnelly's Hollow. They came from far and wide, using every horse-drawn contraption they could find, or on horseback. If they they couldn't do so, they gladly walked the distance. There were 20,000 people packed in there on that day. Excitement was intense.
Bets were made back then as is still customary to this day. Bets were made on the results of the fight, on who'd draw the first blood, or on who would score the first knockdown. There were rules, but they were designed to accommodate gambling, the public, and those who organized the fight. The boxers themselves were of no consequence.
It was a fight that went one way then the other for a round. Again, Donnelly's strength would always tell in a bare-knuckle fight to the finish. In one round, Cooper used the cross-buttock tactic with Donnelly and severely winded him. The cross-buttock was more a wrestling maneuver than a boxing one, but it was legitimate under the rules of the time. A competitor gets, more or less, in front of his opponent, and throws his adversary over his hip, causing him to land with great force on the ground.
If one popular story is to be believed, Donnelly, who was being badly beaten in the fifth round, was saved by the magical properties of a lump of sugar cane slipped to him by Captain Kelly's sister. She had been pleading with Dan to win, telling him she had bet her entire estate on the outcome. When Donnelly failed to respond, she slipped him a piece of the sugar cane, while urging him, "Now my charmer, give him a warmer!" The Irish champion was rejuvenated and the course of the fight changed.
In the seventh round, he sent Cooper flat on his back on the turf and jumped on top of him, winding Cooper so badly he could hardly rise. He did rise for the next round, but in the eleventh, Donnelly finished him off with a tremendous right hand that smashed Cooper's jaw.] The sound of the cheering was likened to the sound of artillery going off. The cheers could be heard in villages for miles around. Donnelly was the conquering hero.
As Donnelly proudly strode up the hill towards his carriage, fanatical followers dug out imprints left by his feet. Leading from the monument which commemorates the scene of his greatest victory, "The Steps to Strength and Fame" are still to be seen in Donnelly's Hollow. Donnelly politely declined all invitations to celebrate his triumph in the taverns of County Kildare. He had promised his friends and family he would return to Dublin immediately after the fight.
Newspapers in the 18th century had many references to boxing. However, this was bare-knuckle fighting, fighting that was severe and sometimes brutal. That type of boxing was at its most popular during Dan's time. Boxing champions in those days became well-renowned. He was aware that political conflict was very much to the fore then. He accepted that he was representing the Irish people in this area in which he was active. He was a patriot, who, if needed, would stand up for his beliefs.
In his third and final fight on July 21, 1819, he defeated Tom Oliver in 34 rounds on English turf, at Crawley Down in Sussex.
He had a reputation for being a gambler, a womanizer and a drunkard. After his victory over Cooper, Donnelly was the proprietor of a succession of four Dublin pubs, all of them unprofitable. Fallon's Capstan Bar is the only one still in existence.
Hibernia lamenting the Death of Donnelly, her favourite champion. He died at Donnelly's Public House, the last tavern he owned, on February 18, 1820 at the age of 32. An oval wall plaque commemorates the site of his death. A squat, weather-beaten, gray obelisk surrounded by a short iron fence marks the exact site of the Cooper bout. The inscription on the monument: DAN DONNELLY BEAT COOPER ON THIS SPOT 13TH DEC. 1815. Donnelly's arm Dan was laid to rest, albeit briefly, at Bully's Acre, one of the city's oldest cemeteries. After just a few nights, grave robbers put Donnelly's body in a sack and delivered him to an eminent surgeon who paid good money for cadavers for study. They may even have been working to order.
Donnelly's admirers tracked the body to the home of a surgeon by the name of Hall and threatened him with death. There was a quick negotiation and he agreed to give the body back as long as he could keep the right arm, the one that slew the English champions, for medical observation. The arm was preserved in red lead paint, and traveled to a medical college in Scotland where it was used by medical students for a number of years to study how all the bones worked together.
From an Edinburgh classroom, the arm became an exhibit in a Victorian travelling circus, and it journeyed around Britain many times. In the early 20th century, it finally came back to Ireland. In 1904, a Belfast bookmaker, Hugh "Texas" McAlevey, acquired the arm and displayed it in his pub.
The publican got tired of it and thought the grisly-looking sight might be frightening off customers, so he stuck it up in an attic. A betting parlor employee remembers as a teenager being told not to go up in the attic—that Donnelly's ghost was up there.
Donnelly's arm made it back to Kilcullen in the 1950s. Publican Jim Byrne came up with the idea of recreating Donnelly's fight with George Cooper in the Curragh. The fight was promoted by bringing Donnelly's arm back to where it defeated the English opponent.
The pageant brought the historic contest alive again, rekindling the Dan Donnelly fire. It was An Tóstal, an Irish festival started at that time nationwide in an effort to promote tourism.Each region was encouraged to have some sort of festival to attract visitors. This was the genesis of the Dan Donnelly pageant.
Kevin McCourt, an army officer, was picked to play George Cooper, the English champion; Jim Berney was chosen to portray Dan Donnelly, the Irish champion. George Cooper and Dan Donnelly, as played by McCourt and Berney, had a group of supporters as well, dressed up and cheering, carrying them down into the arena. Two "supporters" performed getting involved in a ruckus. Local sporting clubs and townspeople comprised the spectators.
"The longest arms in the history of pugilism." Donnelly's arm found a new home in Jim Byrne's pub, "The Hideout." It became a popular attraction in Kilcullen.
It was on display there for 43 years until Jim Byrne died and the pub passed to his son, Desmond. Des then eventually sold the pub.
Des died December 6, 2005. On that day, his son took a phone call from James J. Houlihan in America, looking to take the arm and display it there. Deciding this was not the appropriate time, he opted to call at a later date. In February of the following year, he called the widow Josephine and told her he was going to have an exhibition entitled "Fighting Irishmen: A Celebration of the Celtic Warrior". She was not interested at the time believing that he would take the arm and she would never see it again. He kept on writing her, phoning her, and asking her to look at his website. Convinced that he was an honorable, respected man, she agreed to put the trip in motion.
Josephine wouldn't let the human limb that was almost 200 years old go into a cargo hold for transportation to America. One of Des's bandmates had been Henry Donohoe, then the chief pilot for Aer Lingus. She called him and asked how to get the arm to the States. He told her that he would take it in the cockpit with himself.
Josephine sat in first class. A special box was made for the arm, crating around it to prevent it from getting banged around. It fit into the cockpit with two inches to spare.
As the centerpiece of the Fighting Irishmen Exhibit, Donnelly's arm went on display at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, in the fall of 2006.The show traveled across the city to the South Street Seaport Museum in 2007. Its next appearance was at Boston College's John J. Burns Library in 2008. The arm returned to Ireland in 2009 when the show arrived at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. 2010 was a homecoming when the exhibition appeared at the Gaelic Athletic Association museum at Croke Park in Dublin.
Almost two centuries after his death. Donnelly remains the subject of urban legend. One contends that he had the longest arms in boxing history, with the ability to touch his knees without bending down. Another claims that he was knighted by the Prince Regent. His arms were actually of normal length for a man of his size. No known documentation exists to support the latter.
ANDY BOWEN
Andy Bowen (May 3, 1867 – December 15, 1894) was an American boxer from New Orleans. His promising career was cut short due to in ring injuries suffered in a fight against Kid Lavigne in his home town of New Orleans. He was 27.
Andy Bowen was undefeated going 13-0-2 in his first 15 fights.
On April 6. 1893 Andy Bowen and Jack Burke were involved in the longest fight in history. The fight lasted 111 rounds (consisting of 3 min rounds each), it took 7 hours and 19 mins until referee John Duffy called "no contest" after both men were too dazed and tired to come out of their corners. Jack Burke broke all the bones in both of his hands and considered retiring after the fight but chose to continue competing. Andy Bowen fought a few fights afterward.
The injury that killed Andy came from when "Kid" Lavigne knocked Bowen down and he hit his head on the wooden canvas. He died the next morning having never woken up. At first Lavigne was arrested for the death of Bowen but was found to be innocent of any wrongdoing. The actual article from 1894 is provided by the New York Times below.
Andy Bowen was undefeated going 13-0-2 in his first 15 fights.
On April 6. 1893 Andy Bowen and Jack Burke were involved in the longest fight in history. The fight lasted 111 rounds (consisting of 3 min rounds each), it took 7 hours and 19 mins until referee John Duffy called "no contest" after both men were too dazed and tired to come out of their corners. Jack Burke broke all the bones in both of his hands and considered retiring after the fight but chose to continue competing. Andy Bowen fought a few fights afterward.
The injury that killed Andy came from when "Kid" Lavigne knocked Bowen down and he hit his head on the wooden canvas. He died the next morning having never woken up. At first Lavigne was arrested for the death of Bowen but was found to be innocent of any wrongdoing. The actual article from 1894 is provided by the New York Times below.
JEM BELCHER
Jem Belcher (15 April 1781 – 30 July 1811) was an English bare-knuckle boxer and Champion of All England 1800-1805.
Born in Bristol, Belcher beat Paddington Tom Jones in April 1799 in the Middleweight Championship of England. He drew with champion Jack Bartholomew in a 51-round bout in 1799, and won the rematch in the following year to become champion. He lost an eye in 1803 whilst playing fives, and evaded challenges to his title until 1805 when he lost - in eighteen rounds - to Hen Pearce.
In 1807 Belcher returned to the Prize Ring and lost to the outstanding new talent Tom Cribb in 31 rounds. Virtually ruined by the huge gambling losses he sustained at this fight he caused a fracas after the bout, for which he spent four weeks in prison. He died in London in 1811, a broken man.
Born in Bristol, Belcher beat Paddington Tom Jones in April 1799 in the Middleweight Championship of England. He drew with champion Jack Bartholomew in a 51-round bout in 1799, and won the rematch in the following year to become champion. He lost an eye in 1803 whilst playing fives, and evaded challenges to his title until 1805 when he lost - in eighteen rounds - to Hen Pearce.
In 1807 Belcher returned to the Prize Ring and lost to the outstanding new talent Tom Cribb in 31 rounds. Virtually ruined by the huge gambling losses he sustained at this fight he caused a fracas after the bout, for which he spent four weeks in prison. He died in London in 1811, a broken man.
BENJAMIN BRAIN
Benjamin (“Big Ben”) Brain (1753 – April 8, 1794) was a bareknuckle prizefighter. A collier by trade, he was a valiant fighter whose career spanned twenty years. Brain was born in Bristol, England, at which point his surname was "Bryan" or "Brian": later in life this was sometimes corrupted into "Bryant" and also "Brain".
Prior to moving to London in 1774 in order to work as a coal porter at a wharf he had already defeated Jack Clayton, the champion of Kingswood, Bristol. and also a fighter called Harris.
His career as a prizefighter started properly in 1786, when he fought ,John Boone who was known as “The Fighting Grenadier”. Toughs broke into the ring and ganged up on Brain. In the resulting melée, Brain suffered a beating that almost closed one of his eyes. When order was restored and a surgeon had lanced the swelling around the eye, he resumed fighting and within ten minutes had forced Boone to quit in defeat.
He fought a man called Corbally at the end of 1788 in Navestock and then, in 1789, Brain was scheduled to fight the English champion, Tom Johnson for a prize of £500. When Brain fell ill and cancelled the bout, he forfeited the £100 he had put up for the fight. Later in that year he was well enough to fight Jacombs at Banbury.
In 1790 his 100 guinea fight against Bill Hooper at Newbury turned into a farce. Hooper became fearful after Brain's first successful hit on him and resorted to tactics such as falling over and spitting water in his face in order to distract him. The fight lasted over three hours before being declared a draw due to the darkness of evening setting in. Hooper had fallen 133 times during the fight.
Brain then got another opportunity to fight Johnson on 17 January 1791, the fight being arranged to take place at Wrotham in Kent. He was supported financially to the tune of 500 guineas by the Duke of Hamilton, It was a brutal but short-lived affair: despite being 7-4 favourite, Johnson was incapacitated after 21 minutes when he broke a finger by hitting a rail that surrounded the ring.
Soon after winning the championship in 1791, and with no challengers coming forward, Brain retired from boxing and the title of English Champion became vacant. There were attempts to arrange a fight against Isaac Perrins but these came to nothing and until 1794 Brain made his living by sparring and acting as a second to other fighters. In that February of that year he agreed to fight William Wood but then died, of a "scirrhous liver", on 8 April, at his house on Grey's Inn Road, London before the bout had taken place.
He was buried at St. Sepulchre's church, London, his funeral being attended by four fighters: Wood, Johnson, Bill Warr and John Symonds. The epitaph on his headstone read:
Farewell, ye honors of my brow,
Victorious wreaths, farewell!
One blow from Death has laid me low
By whom such brave ones fell. Yet bravely, I'll dispute the prize,
Nor yield, though out of breath;
'Tis not a fall - I yet shall rise,
And conquer even death. .
Prior to moving to London in 1774 in order to work as a coal porter at a wharf he had already defeated Jack Clayton, the champion of Kingswood, Bristol. and also a fighter called Harris.
His career as a prizefighter started properly in 1786, when he fought ,John Boone who was known as “The Fighting Grenadier”. Toughs broke into the ring and ganged up on Brain. In the resulting melée, Brain suffered a beating that almost closed one of his eyes. When order was restored and a surgeon had lanced the swelling around the eye, he resumed fighting and within ten minutes had forced Boone to quit in defeat.
He fought a man called Corbally at the end of 1788 in Navestock and then, in 1789, Brain was scheduled to fight the English champion, Tom Johnson for a prize of £500. When Brain fell ill and cancelled the bout, he forfeited the £100 he had put up for the fight. Later in that year he was well enough to fight Jacombs at Banbury.
In 1790 his 100 guinea fight against Bill Hooper at Newbury turned into a farce. Hooper became fearful after Brain's first successful hit on him and resorted to tactics such as falling over and spitting water in his face in order to distract him. The fight lasted over three hours before being declared a draw due to the darkness of evening setting in. Hooper had fallen 133 times during the fight.
Brain then got another opportunity to fight Johnson on 17 January 1791, the fight being arranged to take place at Wrotham in Kent. He was supported financially to the tune of 500 guineas by the Duke of Hamilton, It was a brutal but short-lived affair: despite being 7-4 favourite, Johnson was incapacitated after 21 minutes when he broke a finger by hitting a rail that surrounded the ring.
Soon after winning the championship in 1791, and with no challengers coming forward, Brain retired from boxing and the title of English Champion became vacant. There were attempts to arrange a fight against Isaac Perrins but these came to nothing and until 1794 Brain made his living by sparring and acting as a second to other fighters. In that February of that year he agreed to fight William Wood but then died, of a "scirrhous liver", on 8 April, at his house on Grey's Inn Road, London before the bout had taken place.
He was buried at St. Sepulchre's church, London, his funeral being attended by four fighters: Wood, Johnson, Bill Warr and John Symonds. The epitaph on his headstone read:
Farewell, ye honors of my brow,
Victorious wreaths, farewell!
One blow from Death has laid me low
By whom such brave ones fell. Yet bravely, I'll dispute the prize,
Nor yield, though out of breath;
'Tis not a fall - I yet shall rise,
And conquer even death. .
MICHAEL FARRAGHER
Michael Joseph Farragher (January 2, 1871 – October 21, 1934) was a well-known welterweight boxer from Youngstown, Ohio. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Farragher faced opponents in venues such as New York City; Wheeling, West Virginia; Cleveland, Ohio; and Homestead, Pennsylvania.
Early in his career, journalists compared Farragher to legendary prizefighter James J. Corbett, in terms of both his physical appearance and fighting style.
He was born in the working-class district of Brier Hill, on Youngstown's north side. The Farraghers were actively involved with St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, and at least two members of the family became well known athletes. Mike Farragher's younger brother, James Farragher, gained recognition as a left tackle on the University of Notre Dame's football team and is credited in official histories as an acting head coach of the "Fighting Irish..
Farragher "weighed in" at between 122 and 135 pounds and participated in almost 40 fights, with five "knock-outs" to his credit. In a career that lasted from 1891 to 1912, he defeated early champions such as Jim Gallagher, Jeff Powers, Tommy Broderick, Jimmy Reeder, and Stanton Abbott.
He was unable to fight in his hometown throughout 1894, because "local ministers took a united stand against the sport", while "the Catholic Institute barred all persons who had taken part in prize fights". Farragher was evidently undeterred. That year, he defeated Eastern champion Abe Lloyd in a bout of 27 rounds held in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
One of his most anticipated matches of 1895 involved English-born fighter John Parry, a resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania.". "At present there is no one in the ring whom Farragher would rather meet than the man Parry", the Youngstown Daily Vindicator reported on June 3, 1895. "According to Farragher, the young Englishman acted unlike a gentleman at a recent meeting Farragher had with [rival fighter James] Callagher, and at which contest Parry was behind Callagher". The following week, the Vindicator noted that Farragher was training for the match at O'Brien's Westake Crossing Gymnasium in Youngstown. "He is reported to be in his usual good shape and says he will have no trouble in getting to weight at the appointed time", the paper added.
In early July, Farragher completed his preparatory training in Pittsburgh, where Parry was said to be "a big favorite" and "considerable money will be wagered". On July 10, 1895, the Vindicator reported that Farragher, "the game and scientific Youngstown light-weight pugilist", had "knocked out" Parry in the 13th round of a "savage" contest held the previous evening in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Vindicator reported that, at the beginning of the final round, "Parry was sent in to knock Farragher out, and it was supposed by Parry's admirers that he could do so". After several of Parry's swings "missed their aim", however, Farragher delivered a powerful right blow to Parry, "who fell like one dead, and amid cheers from the crowd was counted out".
An obituary indicates that Farragher's career peaked between 1902 and 1906. He retired after defeating opponent Phil Cassidy in a fight held in Youngstown, on February 12, 1912.
Farragher was married on November 10, 1894, though this fact was not widely publicized until August of 1895. His bride was the former Rose Daley, a native of neighboring Warren, Ohio, who was described by the Vindicator as "an accomplished young lady, possessing a large number of friends". The Vindicator added that the secrecy surrounding the marriage ceremony had been purposeful. "It was the intention to keep the matter a secret, and how well they succeeded is fully demonstrated by the fact that until today nobody except the immediate relatives of the contracting parties and the witnesses were aware of it". The couple eventually had two daughters.
After leaving the ring, Farragher established a "popular" tavern on Commerce Street, in downtown Youngstown. The business remained in operation until the enforcement of Prohibition. At that point, Farragher became involved in real estate in the Youngstown and Detroit markets.
On the morning of October 21, 1934, Michael Joseph Farragher died at his daughter's south side home. An obituary notes he had suffered a debilitating stroke about 10 months earlier.Farragher was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Lawrence J. Moran, a son, Joseph Farragher of South America, and the following siblings: John and James Farragher, Mrs. John King, Miss Catherine Farragher, Mrs. John Barnes, and Mrs. Joseph Tobin. His wife, Rose, had died in 1924. His funeral service was held at St. Dominic's Church, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery, in Youngstown, Ohio.The passing of one of Youngstown's celebrated "old-time boxers" was duly noted in both of the city's daily newspapers.
Early in his career, journalists compared Farragher to legendary prizefighter James J. Corbett, in terms of both his physical appearance and fighting style.
He was born in the working-class district of Brier Hill, on Youngstown's north side. The Farraghers were actively involved with St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, and at least two members of the family became well known athletes. Mike Farragher's younger brother, James Farragher, gained recognition as a left tackle on the University of Notre Dame's football team and is credited in official histories as an acting head coach of the "Fighting Irish..
Farragher "weighed in" at between 122 and 135 pounds and participated in almost 40 fights, with five "knock-outs" to his credit. In a career that lasted from 1891 to 1912, he defeated early champions such as Jim Gallagher, Jeff Powers, Tommy Broderick, Jimmy Reeder, and Stanton Abbott.
He was unable to fight in his hometown throughout 1894, because "local ministers took a united stand against the sport", while "the Catholic Institute barred all persons who had taken part in prize fights". Farragher was evidently undeterred. That year, he defeated Eastern champion Abe Lloyd in a bout of 27 rounds held in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
One of his most anticipated matches of 1895 involved English-born fighter John Parry, a resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania.". "At present there is no one in the ring whom Farragher would rather meet than the man Parry", the Youngstown Daily Vindicator reported on June 3, 1895. "According to Farragher, the young Englishman acted unlike a gentleman at a recent meeting Farragher had with [rival fighter James] Callagher, and at which contest Parry was behind Callagher". The following week, the Vindicator noted that Farragher was training for the match at O'Brien's Westake Crossing Gymnasium in Youngstown. "He is reported to be in his usual good shape and says he will have no trouble in getting to weight at the appointed time", the paper added.
In early July, Farragher completed his preparatory training in Pittsburgh, where Parry was said to be "a big favorite" and "considerable money will be wagered". On July 10, 1895, the Vindicator reported that Farragher, "the game and scientific Youngstown light-weight pugilist", had "knocked out" Parry in the 13th round of a "savage" contest held the previous evening in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Vindicator reported that, at the beginning of the final round, "Parry was sent in to knock Farragher out, and it was supposed by Parry's admirers that he could do so". After several of Parry's swings "missed their aim", however, Farragher delivered a powerful right blow to Parry, "who fell like one dead, and amid cheers from the crowd was counted out".
An obituary indicates that Farragher's career peaked between 1902 and 1906. He retired after defeating opponent Phil Cassidy in a fight held in Youngstown, on February 12, 1912.
Farragher was married on November 10, 1894, though this fact was not widely publicized until August of 1895. His bride was the former Rose Daley, a native of neighboring Warren, Ohio, who was described by the Vindicator as "an accomplished young lady, possessing a large number of friends". The Vindicator added that the secrecy surrounding the marriage ceremony had been purposeful. "It was the intention to keep the matter a secret, and how well they succeeded is fully demonstrated by the fact that until today nobody except the immediate relatives of the contracting parties and the witnesses were aware of it". The couple eventually had two daughters.
After leaving the ring, Farragher established a "popular" tavern on Commerce Street, in downtown Youngstown. The business remained in operation until the enforcement of Prohibition. At that point, Farragher became involved in real estate in the Youngstown and Detroit markets.
On the morning of October 21, 1934, Michael Joseph Farragher died at his daughter's south side home. An obituary notes he had suffered a debilitating stroke about 10 months earlier.Farragher was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Lawrence J. Moran, a son, Joseph Farragher of South America, and the following siblings: John and James Farragher, Mrs. John King, Miss Catherine Farragher, Mrs. John Barnes, and Mrs. Joseph Tobin. His wife, Rose, had died in 1924. His funeral service was held at St. Dominic's Church, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery, in Youngstown, Ohio.The passing of one of Youngstown's celebrated "old-time boxers" was duly noted in both of the city's daily newspapers.
GEORGE GODFREY
George Godfrey (20 March 1853 – 17 October 1901) was the black Canadian heavyweight boxer that John L. Sullivan refused to fight as a champion. He is not to be confused with the American heavyweight George Godfrey who named himself after our subject.
Godfrey left Canada as a boy to find employment as a porter in Boston's silk importing offices. There he took up boxing, calling himself "Old Chocolate". At a fighting weight of 175 pounds on a 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) frame, he would be considered a light-heavyweight by today's standards. He would engage in an estimated 100 bouts, usually against significantly bigger opponents.
In 1881, a bare-knuckle fight against John L. Sullivan had been scheduled but was stopped by the police. After Sullivan had become champion, he would not fight Godfrey.
The most famous fighters Godfrey beat were Peter Maher, Denver Ed Smith, McHenry Johnson ("Minneapolis Star"), Irish Joe Lannon, Patsy Cardiff, Steve O'Donnell and Joe Doherty. He fought the 20 lbs heavier Peter Jackson from the Virgin Islands (based in Australia) in 1888 and lost the colored championship in the 19th round.
In 1892, at age 39, he was KO'd by Joe Choynski.
Godfrey left Canada as a boy to find employment as a porter in Boston's silk importing offices. There he took up boxing, calling himself "Old Chocolate". At a fighting weight of 175 pounds on a 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) frame, he would be considered a light-heavyweight by today's standards. He would engage in an estimated 100 bouts, usually against significantly bigger opponents.
In 1881, a bare-knuckle fight against John L. Sullivan had been scheduled but was stopped by the police. After Sullivan had become champion, he would not fight Godfrey.
The most famous fighters Godfrey beat were Peter Maher, Denver Ed Smith, McHenry Johnson ("Minneapolis Star"), Irish Joe Lannon, Patsy Cardiff, Steve O'Donnell and Joe Doherty. He fought the 20 lbs heavier Peter Jackson from the Virgin Islands (based in Australia) in 1888 and lost the colored championship in the 19th round.
In 1892, at age 39, he was KO'd by Joe Choynski.
JACOB HYER
Jacob Hyer (d. 1838[) was an American bare-knuckled boxer. He is generally credited as the first professional American boxer, due to his 1816 match with Tom Beasley, and has even been called "The Father of The American Ring".
In October 1816 in New York City, Hyer (a butcher) fought Tom Beasley (an English mariner) in what is traditionally said to be the first professional American bout, in that it was open to the public and English boxing rules were observed. The fight has been described as a "grudge match," because the two had previously been involved in a street fight, and decided to settle the matter in a more formal venue. Apparently the rules of boxing were at least followed at the outset of the match, but degenerated as the fight progressed. Different reports of the official bout stated that Beasley broke Hyers' arm (and thus Beasley won), that the match ended in a draw (due to the broken arm), or that Hyer won the match. Some modern sources state that Hyer won the match, though the basis for that conclusion is not stated. Hyer never fought again after this one fight.
Historian Elliot J. Gorn, writing in the 1980s, states that although Hyer broke his arm, Beasley had been badly beaten, so after mutual friends intervened it was declared a draw. Gorn also states that the match was not actually the first ring fight in America, or the first open to the public, but that its "significance lay in the perception that it was a historic event worth recording, in its being the earliest American fight kept alive as living memory of a heroic past. When men gathered at New York's Empire Club decades later, they recounted this battle time and again.... Hyer and Beasley were important because they were remembered as founding fathers."
Hyer was 6' 2" (1.88m) and approximately 182 pounds. He was born in New York, and was of Dutch descent. In 1969, Hyer was elected to the Ring Magazine Boxing Hall of Fame.
Hyer's son, Tom Hyer, became the first American heavyweight boxing champion. The younger Hyer's famous victory against Yankee Sullivan in 1849 greatly spurred the popularity of the sport and served to preserve the legacy of his father's pioneering fight.
In October 1816 in New York City, Hyer (a butcher) fought Tom Beasley (an English mariner) in what is traditionally said to be the first professional American bout, in that it was open to the public and English boxing rules were observed. The fight has been described as a "grudge match," because the two had previously been involved in a street fight, and decided to settle the matter in a more formal venue. Apparently the rules of boxing were at least followed at the outset of the match, but degenerated as the fight progressed. Different reports of the official bout stated that Beasley broke Hyers' arm (and thus Beasley won), that the match ended in a draw (due to the broken arm), or that Hyer won the match. Some modern sources state that Hyer won the match, though the basis for that conclusion is not stated. Hyer never fought again after this one fight.
Historian Elliot J. Gorn, writing in the 1980s, states that although Hyer broke his arm, Beasley had been badly beaten, so after mutual friends intervened it was declared a draw. Gorn also states that the match was not actually the first ring fight in America, or the first open to the public, but that its "significance lay in the perception that it was a historic event worth recording, in its being the earliest American fight kept alive as living memory of a heroic past. When men gathered at New York's Empire Club decades later, they recounted this battle time and again.... Hyer and Beasley were important because they were remembered as founding fathers."
Hyer was 6' 2" (1.88m) and approximately 182 pounds. He was born in New York, and was of Dutch descent. In 1969, Hyer was elected to the Ring Magazine Boxing Hall of Fame.
Hyer's son, Tom Hyer, became the first American heavyweight boxing champion. The younger Hyer's famous victory against Yankee Sullivan in 1849 greatly spurred the popularity of the sport and served to preserve the legacy of his father's pioneering fight.
PETER JACKSON
Peter "Black Prince" Jackson (3 July 1861 – 13 July 1901) was a heavyweight boxer from Australia who had a significant international career.
A common practice at the turn of the century was for athletes to have nude portraits taken. The athletic proportion of boxer Peter Jackson's body is clearly seen; he was six feet in height and weighed fourteen stone two pound. Jackson was born in Christiansted on the island Saint Croix, which was then the capital of the Danish West Indies. (Subsequently, it became part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.) His family originally came from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
His father, also called Peter Jackson, was a warehouseman and he was the grandson of a freed slave who had been owned by a planter with the surname of Jackson.
Born a free man, the future boxer was in fact a Danish citizen before he gained Australian citizenship. Jackson had a good primary school education before becoming a mariner. Landing in Sydney about 1880, he worked on the waterfront and in hotels before drifting to Brisbane, and thence into a career in boxing in 1882 under the tuition of Larry Foley, a famous Australian bare-knuckle pugilist and instructor.
Standing 6' 1½" tall and weighing in at 192–210 lbs he became the winner of the Australian Heavyweight championship in 1886. Originally working on ships as a deck hand in the Sydney Docks since he was 14, he used his fist to quell a mutiny. This garnered him some notoriety and brought him to the attention of Larry Foley and started his career in boxing. He came to be known as "Black Prince" and "Peter the Great".
Jackson won the Australian heavyweight title in 1886 with a knockout of Tom Lees in the 30th round, and the British Commonwealth title against Jem Smith by KO in the second round. In 1888 he beat "Old Chocolate" Godfrey to gain the world 'colored' heavyweight championship.
On 21 May 1891, in Benicia, California Jackson fought the future world champion James Corbett because the reigning title-holder, John L. Sullivan, would not fight him because he was black. The match with Corbett went 61 rounds before it was declared no contest, as both boxers were too exhausted to continue.
In 1898 he lost a bout to the powerfully built James J. Jeffries, another great boxer who would hold the championship of the world in the early 1900s.
Jackson's health began to fail towards the end of his career, hampering his performances in the ring.
He had been at one stage a pupil of "The Black Diamond" Jack Dowridge, a Barbadian Immigrant who pioneered boxing in Queensland, Australia. Among Dowridge's other pupils was "Gentleman Jack" John Reid McGowan, a fellow Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee.
Jackson died of tuberculosis in Roma, Queensland and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.
A short time after becoming the first black heavyweight champion of the world in 1908, "The Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson, made a pilgrimage to Jackson's grave, a measure of the respect in which the man was held not only in Queensland, but in the boxing community worldwide.
Jackson's tomb is emblazoned with the words "This was a man".
A common practice at the turn of the century was for athletes to have nude portraits taken. The athletic proportion of boxer Peter Jackson's body is clearly seen; he was six feet in height and weighed fourteen stone two pound. Jackson was born in Christiansted on the island Saint Croix, which was then the capital of the Danish West Indies. (Subsequently, it became part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.) His family originally came from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
His father, also called Peter Jackson, was a warehouseman and he was the grandson of a freed slave who had been owned by a planter with the surname of Jackson.
Born a free man, the future boxer was in fact a Danish citizen before he gained Australian citizenship. Jackson had a good primary school education before becoming a mariner. Landing in Sydney about 1880, he worked on the waterfront and in hotels before drifting to Brisbane, and thence into a career in boxing in 1882 under the tuition of Larry Foley, a famous Australian bare-knuckle pugilist and instructor.
Standing 6' 1½" tall and weighing in at 192–210 lbs he became the winner of the Australian Heavyweight championship in 1886. Originally working on ships as a deck hand in the Sydney Docks since he was 14, he used his fist to quell a mutiny. This garnered him some notoriety and brought him to the attention of Larry Foley and started his career in boxing. He came to be known as "Black Prince" and "Peter the Great".
Jackson won the Australian heavyweight title in 1886 with a knockout of Tom Lees in the 30th round, and the British Commonwealth title against Jem Smith by KO in the second round. In 1888 he beat "Old Chocolate" Godfrey to gain the world 'colored' heavyweight championship.
On 21 May 1891, in Benicia, California Jackson fought the future world champion James Corbett because the reigning title-holder, John L. Sullivan, would not fight him because he was black. The match with Corbett went 61 rounds before it was declared no contest, as both boxers were too exhausted to continue.
In 1898 he lost a bout to the powerfully built James J. Jeffries, another great boxer who would hold the championship of the world in the early 1900s.
Jackson's health began to fail towards the end of his career, hampering his performances in the ring.
He had been at one stage a pupil of "The Black Diamond" Jack Dowridge, a Barbadian Immigrant who pioneered boxing in Queensland, Australia. Among Dowridge's other pupils was "Gentleman Jack" John Reid McGowan, a fellow Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee.
Jackson died of tuberculosis in Roma, Queensland and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.
A short time after becoming the first black heavyweight champion of the world in 1908, "The Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson, made a pilgrimage to Jackson's grave, a measure of the respect in which the man was held not only in Queensland, but in the boxing community worldwide.
Jackson's tomb is emblazoned with the words "This was a man".
JOHN MORRISSEY
John Morrissey (February 12, 1831 – May 1, 1878), also known as Old Smoke, was an Irish bare-knuckle boxer and a gang member in New York in the 1850s and later became a Democratic State Senator and U.S. Congressman from New York, backed by Tammany Hall. Morrissey began his bare knuckle boxing career after a confrontation with a man known only as "Chroel" who was notorious for troubling his fellow townsmen. Although Morrissey was on the bitter end of his first bare knuckle bout, his display of bravery and fortitude earned himself the respect and historical acknowledgment of his peers.
John was born in Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1831. In 1833 his parents emigrated to the United States and settled in Troy, New York.
Desperate to escape poverty, he worked as a cargo thief and also as a collection agent for Irish crime bosses in the area, and before he was 18, he had been indicted twice for burglary, once for assault and battery, and once for assault with intent to kill. Along with his criminal and ferocious fighting abilities, Morrissey also displayed driving ambition, teaching himself to read and write while working as a bouncer at a South Troy brothel. After spending two months in jail, Morrissey left Troy for New York City.
During a fight with a gang member named Tom McCann, Morrissey was pinned on his back atop burning coals from a stove that had been overturned. Morrissey endured the pain as his flesh burned, fought off McCann, and got back on his feet. Enraged, Morrissey beat McCann senseless as smoke from his burning flesh rose up from his back. The event earned him the nickname "Old Smoke," which stuck with him through the rest of his life.
After two years in New York, Morrissey sailed to San Francisco, seeking fortune during the California Gold Rush. While he didn't have any luck in that endeavor, Morrissey became a renowned gambler and made a fortune winning gold from prospectors. It was also during this time that Morrissey appeared for the first time in a professional prizefighting ring. He knocked out George Thompson in the 11th round, earning $5.000. This success encouraged him to return to New York to fight the American Champion, Yankee Sullivan.
Morrissey returned to New York and challenged Sullivan repeatedly until the latter finally agreed.
Due to the violent nature of the sport, boxing was illegal in most places during the 1850s. The first boxing rules, called the London Prize Ring rules, were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Fights usually lasted for 20-30 rounds. Rounds continued until one fighter touched the ground with his knee, or simply fell down.
The fight between Morrissey and Sullivan was scheduled for October 12, 1853, in the hamlet of Boston Corner, which was then in Massachusetts, but out of reach of its authorities, and thus a good location for the illegal match. The fight took place in a field, and was supposedly viewed by over 3,000 spectators. Sullivan dominated the match for most of the fight, but Morrissey held his own, and the tough Irishman would not quit, though his face became distorted and unrecognizable. In the 37th round, more than an hour after the start of the fight, Sullivan lost after he knocked out Morrissey and there was a dispute over the rules Sullivan left thinking he won and got disqualified
Morrissey became involved in Democratic politics in New York City and a rivalry with William Poole, also known as "Bill the Butcher". Poole was an enforcer for the Know-Nothing Party, leader of the Bowery Boys, and a boxer. In 1854, Morrissey was hired to prevent Poole and his gang from seizing ballot boxes and rigging an election. As a reward for having stopped the ballot rigging, Morrissey and his gang, the Dead Rabbits, were permitted by Tammany Hall to open a gambling house without police interference. One of Morrissey's friends, Lew Baker, shot and fatally wounded Bill the Butcher at a saloon on Broadway in 1855, following Morrisey's loss to Poole in a boxing match a few weeks earlier. Morrissey and Baker were indicted for the murder, but the charges were dropped after three trials resulting in hung juries. Morrissey then retired from boxing at the insistence of his wife, and returned to Troy, New York. Morrissey's business ventures were unsuccessful, and he returned to boxing in 1858 to defend his championship in Long Point, Ontario, against fellow Troy, New York native John C. Heenan. The fight lasted 11 rounds, with Morrissey knocking out Heenan, for several minutes, to defend his title. Heenan claimed the title on Morrissey's retirement from boxing in 1859.
After establishing a successful gaming house in Saratoga Springs, New York, Morrissey created the Saratoga Race Course with the help of William R. Travers, John R. Hunter, and Leonard Jerome. He also established "The Club House," a casino in Saratoga that attracted such notable guests as Chester A. Arthur, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Ulysses S. Grant, as well as Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, John Rockefeller, and Mark Twain.
After his retirement from boxing, Morrissey focused his attention on gambling establishments, owning stake in 16 casinos at one point. In 1866 he ran for Congress with the backing of Tammany Hall and served two terms (1867-1871) in the House for the 40th and 41st Congress, representing the 5th Congressional District. As a Congressman, he always looked out for the interests of the Irish, and was known to use strong-arm tactics to accomplish his legislative goals, at one point declaring that he could "lick any man in the House." He eventually grew tired of the rampant corruption within Tammany Hall and left the House after his second term. He eventually testified against William Tweed, which helped put the notorious boss in prison. Following his service in Congress, Morrissey was elected to the New York State Senate in 1875 and was re-elected in 1877, serving in that capacity until his death in 1878.
Morrissey contracted pneumonia and died on May 1, 1878 at the age of 47. The state closed all offices and flags were flown at half-mast. The entire State Senate attended his funeral in Troy, and 20,000 mourners lined the streets to pay their last respects. He was buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, just outside of Troy. At the time of his death, Morrissey's estate was valued at more than $2 million.
John was born in Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1831. In 1833 his parents emigrated to the United States and settled in Troy, New York.
Desperate to escape poverty, he worked as a cargo thief and also as a collection agent for Irish crime bosses in the area, and before he was 18, he had been indicted twice for burglary, once for assault and battery, and once for assault with intent to kill. Along with his criminal and ferocious fighting abilities, Morrissey also displayed driving ambition, teaching himself to read and write while working as a bouncer at a South Troy brothel. After spending two months in jail, Morrissey left Troy for New York City.
During a fight with a gang member named Tom McCann, Morrissey was pinned on his back atop burning coals from a stove that had been overturned. Morrissey endured the pain as his flesh burned, fought off McCann, and got back on his feet. Enraged, Morrissey beat McCann senseless as smoke from his burning flesh rose up from his back. The event earned him the nickname "Old Smoke," which stuck with him through the rest of his life.
After two years in New York, Morrissey sailed to San Francisco, seeking fortune during the California Gold Rush. While he didn't have any luck in that endeavor, Morrissey became a renowned gambler and made a fortune winning gold from prospectors. It was also during this time that Morrissey appeared for the first time in a professional prizefighting ring. He knocked out George Thompson in the 11th round, earning $5.000. This success encouraged him to return to New York to fight the American Champion, Yankee Sullivan.
Morrissey returned to New York and challenged Sullivan repeatedly until the latter finally agreed.
Due to the violent nature of the sport, boxing was illegal in most places during the 1850s. The first boxing rules, called the London Prize Ring rules, were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Fights usually lasted for 20-30 rounds. Rounds continued until one fighter touched the ground with his knee, or simply fell down.
The fight between Morrissey and Sullivan was scheduled for October 12, 1853, in the hamlet of Boston Corner, which was then in Massachusetts, but out of reach of its authorities, and thus a good location for the illegal match. The fight took place in a field, and was supposedly viewed by over 3,000 spectators. Sullivan dominated the match for most of the fight, but Morrissey held his own, and the tough Irishman would not quit, though his face became distorted and unrecognizable. In the 37th round, more than an hour after the start of the fight, Sullivan lost after he knocked out Morrissey and there was a dispute over the rules Sullivan left thinking he won and got disqualified
Morrissey became involved in Democratic politics in New York City and a rivalry with William Poole, also known as "Bill the Butcher". Poole was an enforcer for the Know-Nothing Party, leader of the Bowery Boys, and a boxer. In 1854, Morrissey was hired to prevent Poole and his gang from seizing ballot boxes and rigging an election. As a reward for having stopped the ballot rigging, Morrissey and his gang, the Dead Rabbits, were permitted by Tammany Hall to open a gambling house without police interference. One of Morrissey's friends, Lew Baker, shot and fatally wounded Bill the Butcher at a saloon on Broadway in 1855, following Morrisey's loss to Poole in a boxing match a few weeks earlier. Morrissey and Baker were indicted for the murder, but the charges were dropped after three trials resulting in hung juries. Morrissey then retired from boxing at the insistence of his wife, and returned to Troy, New York. Morrissey's business ventures were unsuccessful, and he returned to boxing in 1858 to defend his championship in Long Point, Ontario, against fellow Troy, New York native John C. Heenan. The fight lasted 11 rounds, with Morrissey knocking out Heenan, for several minutes, to defend his title. Heenan claimed the title on Morrissey's retirement from boxing in 1859.
After establishing a successful gaming house in Saratoga Springs, New York, Morrissey created the Saratoga Race Course with the help of William R. Travers, John R. Hunter, and Leonard Jerome. He also established "The Club House," a casino in Saratoga that attracted such notable guests as Chester A. Arthur, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Ulysses S. Grant, as well as Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, John Rockefeller, and Mark Twain.
After his retirement from boxing, Morrissey focused his attention on gambling establishments, owning stake in 16 casinos at one point. In 1866 he ran for Congress with the backing of Tammany Hall and served two terms (1867-1871) in the House for the 40th and 41st Congress, representing the 5th Congressional District. As a Congressman, he always looked out for the interests of the Irish, and was known to use strong-arm tactics to accomplish his legislative goals, at one point declaring that he could "lick any man in the House." He eventually grew tired of the rampant corruption within Tammany Hall and left the House after his second term. He eventually testified against William Tweed, which helped put the notorious boss in prison. Following his service in Congress, Morrissey was elected to the New York State Senate in 1875 and was re-elected in 1877, serving in that capacity until his death in 1878.
Morrissey contracted pneumonia and died on May 1, 1878 at the age of 47. The state closed all offices and flags were flown at half-mast. The entire State Senate attended his funeral in Troy, and 20,000 mourners lined the streets to pay their last respects. He was buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, just outside of Troy. At the time of his death, Morrissey's estate was valued at more than $2 million.
TOM PADDOCK
Tom Paddock, born Thomas Paddock (c. 1822, Redditch – 30 June 1863) also known as the Redditch Needlepointer was a champion British bare-knuckle boxer in the early Victorian era.
Tom was baptised on 25 August 1822 in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, the son of George Paddock and Elizabeth (née Morris). Brought up on a farm, he was noted to have developed a size and endurance that lasted him well in his career as a boxer.
His professional career in boxing started in 1844; at the time he was just under six feet tall and weighed twelve stone. Between then and 1850 he was largely undefeated in the boxing ring, and gained a reputation not only for his courageousness but for his foul tactics and uncontrollable temper. It was William Thompson of Nottingham who spoilt his clean record in 1850 in Mildenhall, Suffolk.
In 1851 a fight against Harry Poulson in Belper ended in a riot when both men were jailed. Both served ten months hard labour.
Three years later Paddock challenged both Harry Broome and Bill Perry to a Heavyweight Championship of England bout but both turned it down. Paddock then claimed himself as the Heavyweight Champion of England by default, though this wasn't generally recognised until 1856 following fifty one rounds in the ring against Harry Broome in Manningtree.[ However his victory was short lived; he lost the title later the same year to Bill Perry. He attempted to regain the title twice but never actually managed it.
Paddock's last fight took place in 1860.He died of heart disease on 30 June 1863 in Marylebone.
A book on Paddock's fighting life is currently being penned by Tom Podmore, a Nottingham-based freelance boxing writer originally from Redditch.
Tom was baptised on 25 August 1822 in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, the son of George Paddock and Elizabeth (née Morris). Brought up on a farm, he was noted to have developed a size and endurance that lasted him well in his career as a boxer.
His professional career in boxing started in 1844; at the time he was just under six feet tall and weighed twelve stone. Between then and 1850 he was largely undefeated in the boxing ring, and gained a reputation not only for his courageousness but for his foul tactics and uncontrollable temper. It was William Thompson of Nottingham who spoilt his clean record in 1850 in Mildenhall, Suffolk.
In 1851 a fight against Harry Poulson in Belper ended in a riot when both men were jailed. Both served ten months hard labour.
Three years later Paddock challenged both Harry Broome and Bill Perry to a Heavyweight Championship of England bout but both turned it down. Paddock then claimed himself as the Heavyweight Champion of England by default, though this wasn't generally recognised until 1856 following fifty one rounds in the ring against Harry Broome in Manningtree.[ However his victory was short lived; he lost the title later the same year to Bill Perry. He attempted to regain the title twice but never actually managed it.
Paddock's last fight took place in 1860.He died of heart disease on 30 June 1863 in Marylebone.
A book on Paddock's fighting life is currently being penned by Tom Podmore, a Nottingham-based freelance boxing writer originally from Redditch.
ISSAC PERRINS
WILLIAM POOLE
William Poole (July 24, 1821 – March 8, 1855), also known as Bill the Butcher, was a member of the New York City gang the Bowery Boys, a bare-knuckle boxer, and a leader of the Know Nothing political movement.
Poole was born in Sussex County, New Jersey to parents of English descent. In 1832, his family moved to New York City to open a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan. William Poole trained in his father's trade and eventually took over the family store. In the 1840s, he worked with the Howard (Red Rover) Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34, Hudson & Christopher Streets and started the Washington Street gang.
We learn that at an early hour yesterday morning, two noted pugilists entered Florence's Hotel, corner of Broadway and Howard street, and without any provocation seized the bar-keeper and beat his face to a jelly. It appears that Thomas Hyer, William Poole, and several others entered the above hotel, and while one of the party held Charles Owens (the bar-keeper) by the hair of his head, another of the gang beat him in the face to such an extent that his left eye was completely ruined and the flesh of his cheek mangled in the most shocking manner. After thus accomplishing the heartless act, all of them made an effort to find Mr. John Florence, the proprietor of the hotel, with a view of serving him in the same manner, but not succeeding in their latter design, they found the hat of Mr. Florence and wantonly cut it into strips, and trampled it under their feet. The desperadoes then left the house, and in the meantime Mr. Owens was placed under medical attendance, and in the course of a short time he proceeded to the Jefferson Market Police, in company with Mr. Florence, where they made their affidavits respecting the inhuman outrage, upon which Justice Blakeley issued his warrants for Hyer, Poole, and such of the others who were concerned in the affair, and the same were placed in the hands of officer Baldwin for service. Since the above was written we have been reliably informed that the affray originated from the fact of the barkeeper having refused them drinks, after they had been furnished with them twice in succession.
Poole's archenemy, John Morrissey, was an Irish immigrant and enforcer for Tammany Hall. Morrissey was also a popular boxer and challenged Poole to a match. Though the two men were of differing ethnic backgrounds and political parties, the initial grounds for their dispute may have arisen from an earlier bet by Poole on a boxing match. Poole placed his bet on Morrissey's opponent, "Yankee Sullivan". The fight took place at Boston Corners on October 12, 1853.
Results of the boxing match were disputed, and Poole was against Morrissey being paid. In the boxing match Morrissey was knocked out but, instead of using a standard ten count, the Morrissey backers requested judgment by a call to the ring. Morissey was up again by then. Morrissey's opponent, having knocked out Morrissey, had left the vicinity of the ring thinking he had won. Poole and Morrissey squared off in the ring to settle their dispute on July 26, 1854, at Amos Dock, New York. The New York Daily Times reported the story on July 28, 1854:
Subjoined we give an account of the brutal affair, furnished by a person who witnessed it. He says: "Yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, an encounter took place between John Morrissey and William Poole on the pier at the foot of Amos Street, North River. For some time past Morrissey has entertained the idea of attaining the unenviable notoriety attached to a fighting man. He has frequently challenged Hyer to meet him in the ring and settle their animosities by a fisticuffs battle...
Morrissey plotted revenge and on February 25, 1855, Lew Baker, a friend of Morrissey, shot Poole at Stanwix Hall, a bar on Broadway near Prince, at that time a center of the city's nightlife. The New York Daily Times reported on February 26, 1855 the following:
"'Terrible Shooting Affray in Broadway - Bill Poole Fatally Wounded - The Morrissey and Poole Feud - Renewal of Hostilities - Several Persons Severely Wounded. Broadway, in the vicinity of Prince and Houston Streets, was the scene of an exciting shooting affair about 1 o'clock yesterday morning, which is but a repetition of a similar occurrence that transpired a few weeks ago under Wallack's Theatre between Tom Hyer, Lewis Baker, Jim Turner and several other noted pugilists...
Poole died on March 8, 1855 from the gunshot wound. He died in his home on Christopher Street, leaving a wife and a son named Charles Poole. His last words were, "Good-bye boys; I die a true American." He was buried on March 11, 1855, in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. A tombstone was added in 2004; the grave is number 48 and 49, F/G 6(v).
Louis Baker took the brig Isabella Jewett which was headed for the Canary Islands. George Law, Sr., furnished the clipper ship Grapeshot to pursue Baker. It intercepted the Jewett on April 17, 1855. Baker was captured and brought back. He was tried three times for the murder but all three trials ended in a hung jury. Morrissey went on to open up several bars and accumulated $1.5 million, but was never accepted by American aristocracy. He later served as a state senator and died of pneumonia in 1878.
Poole was the inspiration for the character of William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis), in Martin Scorsese's 2002 film Gangs of New York. Although the film's Cutting incorporates many aspects of Poole's character and history, he is depicted as living through the Civil War, being killed during the New York City Draft Riots of 1863, eight years after Poole's death.
Poole was born in Sussex County, New Jersey to parents of English descent. In 1832, his family moved to New York City to open a butcher shop in Washington Market, Manhattan. William Poole trained in his father's trade and eventually took over the family store. In the 1840s, he worked with the Howard (Red Rover) Volunteer Fire Engine Company #34, Hudson & Christopher Streets and started the Washington Street gang.
We learn that at an early hour yesterday morning, two noted pugilists entered Florence's Hotel, corner of Broadway and Howard street, and without any provocation seized the bar-keeper and beat his face to a jelly. It appears that Thomas Hyer, William Poole, and several others entered the above hotel, and while one of the party held Charles Owens (the bar-keeper) by the hair of his head, another of the gang beat him in the face to such an extent that his left eye was completely ruined and the flesh of his cheek mangled in the most shocking manner. After thus accomplishing the heartless act, all of them made an effort to find Mr. John Florence, the proprietor of the hotel, with a view of serving him in the same manner, but not succeeding in their latter design, they found the hat of Mr. Florence and wantonly cut it into strips, and trampled it under their feet. The desperadoes then left the house, and in the meantime Mr. Owens was placed under medical attendance, and in the course of a short time he proceeded to the Jefferson Market Police, in company with Mr. Florence, where they made their affidavits respecting the inhuman outrage, upon which Justice Blakeley issued his warrants for Hyer, Poole, and such of the others who were concerned in the affair, and the same were placed in the hands of officer Baldwin for service. Since the above was written we have been reliably informed that the affray originated from the fact of the barkeeper having refused them drinks, after they had been furnished with them twice in succession.
Poole's archenemy, John Morrissey, was an Irish immigrant and enforcer for Tammany Hall. Morrissey was also a popular boxer and challenged Poole to a match. Though the two men were of differing ethnic backgrounds and political parties, the initial grounds for their dispute may have arisen from an earlier bet by Poole on a boxing match. Poole placed his bet on Morrissey's opponent, "Yankee Sullivan". The fight took place at Boston Corners on October 12, 1853.
Results of the boxing match were disputed, and Poole was against Morrissey being paid. In the boxing match Morrissey was knocked out but, instead of using a standard ten count, the Morrissey backers requested judgment by a call to the ring. Morissey was up again by then. Morrissey's opponent, having knocked out Morrissey, had left the vicinity of the ring thinking he had won. Poole and Morrissey squared off in the ring to settle their dispute on July 26, 1854, at Amos Dock, New York. The New York Daily Times reported the story on July 28, 1854:
Subjoined we give an account of the brutal affair, furnished by a person who witnessed it. He says: "Yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, an encounter took place between John Morrissey and William Poole on the pier at the foot of Amos Street, North River. For some time past Morrissey has entertained the idea of attaining the unenviable notoriety attached to a fighting man. He has frequently challenged Hyer to meet him in the ring and settle their animosities by a fisticuffs battle...
Morrissey plotted revenge and on February 25, 1855, Lew Baker, a friend of Morrissey, shot Poole at Stanwix Hall, a bar on Broadway near Prince, at that time a center of the city's nightlife. The New York Daily Times reported on February 26, 1855 the following:
"'Terrible Shooting Affray in Broadway - Bill Poole Fatally Wounded - The Morrissey and Poole Feud - Renewal of Hostilities - Several Persons Severely Wounded. Broadway, in the vicinity of Prince and Houston Streets, was the scene of an exciting shooting affair about 1 o'clock yesterday morning, which is but a repetition of a similar occurrence that transpired a few weeks ago under Wallack's Theatre between Tom Hyer, Lewis Baker, Jim Turner and several other noted pugilists...
Poole died on March 8, 1855 from the gunshot wound. He died in his home on Christopher Street, leaving a wife and a son named Charles Poole. His last words were, "Good-bye boys; I die a true American." He was buried on March 11, 1855, in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. A tombstone was added in 2004; the grave is number 48 and 49, F/G 6(v).
Louis Baker took the brig Isabella Jewett which was headed for the Canary Islands. George Law, Sr., furnished the clipper ship Grapeshot to pursue Baker. It intercepted the Jewett on April 17, 1855. Baker was captured and brought back. He was tried three times for the murder but all three trials ended in a hung jury. Morrissey went on to open up several bars and accumulated $1.5 million, but was never accepted by American aristocracy. He later served as a state senator and died of pneumonia in 1878.
Poole was the inspiration for the character of William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis), in Martin Scorsese's 2002 film Gangs of New York. Although the film's Cutting incorporates many aspects of Poole's character and history, he is depicted as living through the Civil War, being killed during the New York City Draft Riots of 1863, eight years after Poole's death.
CHARLES MITCHELL
Charles Watson Mitchell (born November 24, 1861 in Birmingham, England — died April 3, 1918) was a world heavyweight boxing title contender.
Mitchell had exceptional ability at using London Prize Ring Rules to his advantage. During his career, he engaged in over 100 fights with both gloves and bare-knuckles, using the London Prize Ring Rules as well as the Queensberry Rules. He often fought men who outweighed him by 30 to 40 pounds. Mitchell took on all comers in
London, often fighting as many as four bouts in one night.
In 1880 he became the boxing instructor for the International Athletic Club at the "White Rose" in London, and opened a boxing school at the "Palais Rubens" in Antwerp, Belgium. Mitchell toured the United States and Canada with Jake Kilrain, and later Frank (Paddy) Slavin, putting on exhibitions, sometimes daily and sometimes on the same day as one of his fights. Mitchell was in Kilrain's corner on July 8, 1889 when he
fought John L. Sullivan for the world heavyweight boxing championship.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and fought John L. Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their second meeting took place in 1888 on the grounds of a chateau at Chantilly, France in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw.
The local gendarmerie arrived at this point and managed to arrest Mitchell, who spent the next few days in a cell and was later fined by the local magistrate boxing being illegal in France at that time. Sullivan managed to evade the law, swathed in bandages, and was taken back across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool. Mitchell acted as Sullivan's corner man for many
years after.
In 1894 Mitchell fought in his most noteworthy bout, against James J Corbett for the world heavyweight championship. Corbett won by KO in the 3rd round, winning $20,000.
Mitchell had exceptional ability at using London Prize Ring Rules to his advantage. During his career, he engaged in over 100 fights with both gloves and bare-knuckles, using the London Prize Ring Rules as well as the Queensberry Rules. He often fought men who outweighed him by 30 to 40 pounds. Mitchell took on all comers in
London, often fighting as many as four bouts in one night.
In 1880 he became the boxing instructor for the International Athletic Club at the "White Rose" in London, and opened a boxing school at the "Palais Rubens" in Antwerp, Belgium. Mitchell toured the United States and Canada with Jake Kilrain, and later Frank (Paddy) Slavin, putting on exhibitions, sometimes daily and sometimes on the same day as one of his fights. Mitchell was in Kilrain's corner on July 8, 1889 when he
fought John L. Sullivan for the world heavyweight boxing championship.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and fought John L. Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their second meeting took place in 1888 on the grounds of a chateau at Chantilly, France in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw.
The local gendarmerie arrived at this point and managed to arrest Mitchell, who spent the next few days in a cell and was later fined by the local magistrate boxing being illegal in France at that time. Sullivan managed to evade the law, swathed in bandages, and was taken back across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool. Mitchell acted as Sullivan's corner man for many
years after.
In 1894 Mitchell fought in his most noteworthy bout, against James J Corbett for the world heavyweight championship. Corbett won by KO in the 3rd round, winning $20,000.
GEORGE DIXON
Known as "Little Chocolate" or "The Chocolate Drop," Canadian-born boxer George Dixon became the first black boxer to hold a world championship when he defeated British fighter Nunc Wallace in 1890 to take the bantamweight crown. He later won the world featherweight championship as well, becoming the first boxer of any ethnicity to hold two championships of different weight classes. Dixon was noted for his defensive skills and precise style, and for many years after his retirement in 1906 he was hailed as a pioneer of "scientific" boxing. Considered one of the best small boxers of all time, Dixon faced racial hostility when he defeated prominent white fighters of the day.
Dixon was born in Africville, an African-Canadian community near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on July 29, 1870. He spent time in Boston, Massachusetts, with his family as a child, becoming inspired to try his hand at boxing after being sent to a match one day while he was working in a photographer's shop. Dixon stood five feet, three and a half inches and weighed only 87 pounds when he first stepped into the ring professionally in Halifax on November 1, 1886, but he knocked out opponent Young Johnson in the third round.
May Have Fought Bouts (800 ) That bout was the beginning of a boxing career that would be considered insanely strenuous by today's standards. Various figures have been given for his official record; the Boxing Registry credits him with 50 wins, 26 losses, and 44 draws. Those 120 fights, however, were just the beginning. Boxing was Dixon's life, and the main source of financing for what became deepening addictions to gambling and alcohol. Dixon spent his life on the road in the United States, England, and Canada, giving boxing exhibitions and
taking on anyone who was willing to fight him for money. Matches at that time ran until one fighter was knocked out or exhausted, often running 50 rounds or more, and boxing gloves were used only intermittently. The Cyber Boxing Zone Web site lists over 230 Dixon bouts, and estimates of how many matches he participated in have ranged as high as 800.
In 1888, after several victories in Boston over top fighters, Dixon claimed the world bantamweight championship. The sport's governing bodies at the time had an even less well-defined hierarchy than they do today, however, and others laid claim to the championship as well; one was Charles "Cal" McCarthy, against whom Dixon fought a grueling 70-round draw on February 7, 1890. Dixon sailed for England with his lifelong manager Tom O'Rourke on May 3 of that year, and after he knocked out the previously invincible Wallace in 18 rounds on June 27 he was widely recognized as the bantamweight champion.
Dixon defended his bantamweight title with a 40-round victory over Johnny Murphy in Providence, Rhode Island on October 23. By this time he weighed about 115 pounds, and he gave up his bantamweight title and moved up to the featherweight class. In a Troy, New York
fight against Cal McCarthy on March 31, 1891, Dixon earned the title of featherweight champion of the world and an unprecedented title at a second weight class with a 40-round knockout. He quickly defended his title against Abe Willis on July 28 in San Francisco, and he held the featherweight belt for most of the following nine years.
He lost occasionally, but several came back to win in a rematch against the same fighter. On October 4, 1897, Dixon relinquished his title to Solly Smith in a 20-round loss in San Francisco, but he came back to win a series of bouts in 1898 and 1899 that were billed as championships. Between 1890 and 1900 he lost only a handful of fights even as he took on numerous boxers in exhibition matches. On May 2, 1893 he fought against James "Sun" Ashe and Billy Nally within the course of a single day. On March 7, 1895 in New York, Dixon took on and beat Sam Bolen, who outweighed him by 20 pounds.
Dixon had many admirers in the white boxing community, and old-timers of later eras would fondly remember his career. In 1893 he wrote an autobiography, A Lesson in Boxing. But some of the same racial controversies that swirled around the career of heavyweight boxer Jack Johnson also plagued the high-living, sharp-dressing Dixon, who married the sister of his manager O'Rourke. After he knocked out Jack Skelly at the Olympia Club in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 6, 1892, the club banned mixed-race bouts. His fight against "Torpedo"
Billy Murphy on December 15, 1893, ended in a riot.
Still, some of Dixon's fights were considered classics. An example was Dixon's 25-round draw against Australia's Young Griffo on January 19, 1895. Those who attended the fight on Coney Island in New York, noted the Washington Post in 1915, "had the opportunity of witnessing an encounter between two boys who have certainly never been excelled, and probably never equaled, in the matter of ring science."
Paid Cost of High Living On January 9, 1900, Dixon came out on the losing end of an eight-round knockout at the hands of "Terrible Terry" McGovern in New York. Although Dixon claimed that McGovern had not made weight for the fight, he lost again to McGovern later that
year. Dixon fought Abe Attell for the featherweight title in 1901, but his long period of dominance was over. "Loose living," noted the Washington Post, "had made inroads on his constitution." The aging fighter toured England from late 1902 through 1905, hoping to stave off financial problems that had left him with little more in the way of assets than a home he owned in Boston; he was reported to have burned through winnings of more than $100,000. After a December 10, 1906, loss to a boxer named Monk the Newsboy, Dixon retired from the ring.
Hospitalized because of complications from alcoholism, Dixon died in New York on January 6, 1909. He was remembered after his death by boxing tacticians, who admired his artistic style; never a brawler, Dixon was a quick, agile fighter who could duck punches with ease and who anticipated the counterpunching styles of a later era of the sport. Dixon was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1956 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and several boxing historians ranked him among the top bantamweights of all time.
Dixon was born in Africville, an African-Canadian community near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on July 29, 1870. He spent time in Boston, Massachusetts, with his family as a child, becoming inspired to try his hand at boxing after being sent to a match one day while he was working in a photographer's shop. Dixon stood five feet, three and a half inches and weighed only 87 pounds when he first stepped into the ring professionally in Halifax on November 1, 1886, but he knocked out opponent Young Johnson in the third round.
May Have Fought Bouts (800 ) That bout was the beginning of a boxing career that would be considered insanely strenuous by today's standards. Various figures have been given for his official record; the Boxing Registry credits him with 50 wins, 26 losses, and 44 draws. Those 120 fights, however, were just the beginning. Boxing was Dixon's life, and the main source of financing for what became deepening addictions to gambling and alcohol. Dixon spent his life on the road in the United States, England, and Canada, giving boxing exhibitions and
taking on anyone who was willing to fight him for money. Matches at that time ran until one fighter was knocked out or exhausted, often running 50 rounds or more, and boxing gloves were used only intermittently. The Cyber Boxing Zone Web site lists over 230 Dixon bouts, and estimates of how many matches he participated in have ranged as high as 800.
In 1888, after several victories in Boston over top fighters, Dixon claimed the world bantamweight championship. The sport's governing bodies at the time had an even less well-defined hierarchy than they do today, however, and others laid claim to the championship as well; one was Charles "Cal" McCarthy, against whom Dixon fought a grueling 70-round draw on February 7, 1890. Dixon sailed for England with his lifelong manager Tom O'Rourke on May 3 of that year, and after he knocked out the previously invincible Wallace in 18 rounds on June 27 he was widely recognized as the bantamweight champion.
Dixon defended his bantamweight title with a 40-round victory over Johnny Murphy in Providence, Rhode Island on October 23. By this time he weighed about 115 pounds, and he gave up his bantamweight title and moved up to the featherweight class. In a Troy, New York
fight against Cal McCarthy on March 31, 1891, Dixon earned the title of featherweight champion of the world and an unprecedented title at a second weight class with a 40-round knockout. He quickly defended his title against Abe Willis on July 28 in San Francisco, and he held the featherweight belt for most of the following nine years.
He lost occasionally, but several came back to win in a rematch against the same fighter. On October 4, 1897, Dixon relinquished his title to Solly Smith in a 20-round loss in San Francisco, but he came back to win a series of bouts in 1898 and 1899 that were billed as championships. Between 1890 and 1900 he lost only a handful of fights even as he took on numerous boxers in exhibition matches. On May 2, 1893 he fought against James "Sun" Ashe and Billy Nally within the course of a single day. On March 7, 1895 in New York, Dixon took on and beat Sam Bolen, who outweighed him by 20 pounds.
Dixon had many admirers in the white boxing community, and old-timers of later eras would fondly remember his career. In 1893 he wrote an autobiography, A Lesson in Boxing. But some of the same racial controversies that swirled around the career of heavyweight boxer Jack Johnson also plagued the high-living, sharp-dressing Dixon, who married the sister of his manager O'Rourke. After he knocked out Jack Skelly at the Olympia Club in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 6, 1892, the club banned mixed-race bouts. His fight against "Torpedo"
Billy Murphy on December 15, 1893, ended in a riot.
Still, some of Dixon's fights were considered classics. An example was Dixon's 25-round draw against Australia's Young Griffo on January 19, 1895. Those who attended the fight on Coney Island in New York, noted the Washington Post in 1915, "had the opportunity of witnessing an encounter between two boys who have certainly never been excelled, and probably never equaled, in the matter of ring science."
Paid Cost of High Living On January 9, 1900, Dixon came out on the losing end of an eight-round knockout at the hands of "Terrible Terry" McGovern in New York. Although Dixon claimed that McGovern had not made weight for the fight, he lost again to McGovern later that
year. Dixon fought Abe Attell for the featherweight title in 1901, but his long period of dominance was over. "Loose living," noted the Washington Post, "had made inroads on his constitution." The aging fighter toured England from late 1902 through 1905, hoping to stave off financial problems that had left him with little more in the way of assets than a home he owned in Boston; he was reported to have burned through winnings of more than $100,000. After a December 10, 1906, loss to a boxer named Monk the Newsboy, Dixon retired from the ring.
Hospitalized because of complications from alcoholism, Dixon died in New York on January 6, 1909. He was remembered after his death by boxing tacticians, who admired his artistic style; never a brawler, Dixon was a quick, agile fighter who could duck punches with ease and who anticipated the counterpunching styles of a later era of the sport. Dixon was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1956 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and several boxing historians ranked him among the top bantamweights of all time.
Jerry Jerome
Jerry Jerome (1874-1943), stockman and boxer, was born on 24 May 1874 at Jimbour Station, 10 miles (16 km) north of Dalby, Queensland, son of Wollon Charlie, an Aboriginal labourer, and his wife Guli. Jerry was of Yiman descent and won local renown as a horseman, athlete and show boxer. About 1906 he married Alice Davis at Dalby. He entered the ring officially in 1908—at an age when most fighters are 'washed-up'. Competing at the Olympic Stadium, Albert Street, Brisbane, in August 1912 he defeated 'Black Paddy', the noted Aboriginal middleweight from Western Australia, over sixteen rounds before a large crowd and the newfangled camera. Jerome's career of 63 fights for 39 wins included knocking out fellow contender Charlie Godfrey in four rounds on 7 September 1912 in Brisbane to claim the vacant Australian middleweight crown. He became the first of many Aboriginal titleholders.
Standing 5 ft 8½ ins (174 cm) tall, and fighting at weights between 11 st. 2 lb. (71 kg) and 12 st. 1 lb. (77 kg), Jerome was neither a trained nor a scientific boxer. He confused his opponents with his unorthodox southpaw stance, his dancing and weaving tactics (which greatly amused the crowds) and his dazzling bursts of hurricane-like speed punching. He had a quick right lead, could punch effectively at long range or close quarters, and his left (somewhat 'agricultural') swing was his most dangerous blow. Thirty-two of his wins were by a knockout or by the retirement of his opponent through exhaustion. He had memorable fights against highly rated light-heavyweights, losing twice to Dave Smith and four times to Les O'Donnell, 'the cleverest boxer in the country'. Jerome first lost to O'Donnell on 2 November 1912, after claiming a low blow in the fourteenth round (a view the referee did not share) and refusing to continue. On 14 December that year he suffered a universally unpopular points decision over twenty rounds against the same opponent. In November 1913 he fought himself to exhaustion before losing to O'Donnell on a technical knockout. Jerome also experienced exhaustion at times when he fought with too much weight. Not only did he have a reputation for dodging roadwork, but his age worked against maintaining his fighting-weight. R. L. 'Snowy' Baker once remarked that, if Jerome could keep fit, 'he would be the greatest middleweight fighter in the world'. Commentators were adamant that he never abused alcohol.
While managed by George Lawrence in 1913, Jerome fought fourteen times (a total of 161 rounds) in nine months against top, sometimes heavier and imported boxers. He defeated the French champion Ercole de Balzac twice in early 1913, earning ovations from the Sydney crowd. On 20 December, at the end of this hectic period, he lost his title to Arthur Evenden, on points over twenty rounds. He was next trained by Peter Felix, a West Indian who was a former Australian heavyweight champion. In 1914 Jerome had only four bouts, three against visiting boxers, losing twice to the Frenchman Jules Dubourg and once to the American Eddie McGoorty after Jerome's arm was broken in the fifth round. He fought nine times in 1915, then retired from a ring career that had reaped £5000. A quarter of his earnings was placed in trust, always notoriously difficult for Aborigines to access.
Jerome fought on in boxing tents before retiring penniless to Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement where he coached youngsters. He maintained his independent and fighting ways: the Chief Protector of Aborigines J. W. Bleakley claimed that he sought to 'obstruct discipline and defy authority'. Survived by his three sons and one of his two daughters, Jerome died on 27 September 1943 at Cherbourg and was buried in Murgon cemetery, among his people, whom he never denied in the White world of boxing.
Jerry jerome is also one of the few Aboriginal Boxers to be inducted into the Australian National Boxing hall of Fame.
JOHN L . SULLIVAN
John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also
known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring rules. He was the first American sports hero to become a national celebrity and the first American athlete to earn over one million dollars.
He was born in the South neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents, Michael Sullivan from Abbeydorney, County Kerry and the former Catherine Kelly from Athlone, County Westmeath/County Roscommon. Sullivan was nicknamed The
Boston Strongboy. As a youth he was arrested several times for participating in bouts where the sport was outlawed, and he went on exhibition tours offering people money to fight him. In 1879, when he challenged anyone in America to fight him for $500, Sullivan had won
over 450 fights in his career.
In 1883 - 1884 Sullivan went on a coast-to-coast tour by train with five
other boxers. It was scheduled to comprise 195 performances in 136 different
cities and towns over 238 days. To help promote the tour, Sullivan announced
that he would box anyone at any time during the tour under the Queensberry Rules for $250. He knocked
out eleven men during the tour.Paddy Ryan, 1887
In Sullivan's era, no formal boxing titles existed. He became a champion after defeating Paddy Ryan in Mississippi City, near Gulfport, Mississippi on February 7, 1882. Modern authorities have retroactively labelled Ryan the "Heavyweight Champion of America", but any claim to Ryan's being a "world champion" would have been dubious; he'd never contendedinternationally as Sullivan had. Depending on the modern authority, Sullivan was first considered world heavyweight champion either in 1888 when he fought Charley Mitchell in France, or the following year when he knocked out Jake Kilrain in round 75 of a scheduled 80-round bout. Arguably the real first World Heavyweight champion was Jem Mace who defeated Tom Allen in 1870 at Kenner, Louisiana, but strong anti-British sentiment within the mostly Irish American boxing community at that time chose to disregard him. When the modern authorities talk of the heavyweight championship of the world, they are probably referring to the championship belt presented to Sullivan in Boston on August 8, 1887. The belt was inscribed
Presented to the Champion of Champions, John L. Sullivan, by the Citizens of
the United States.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and fought Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their second meeting took place in 1888 on the grounds
of a chateau at Chantilly, France in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had
suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw.
The local gendarmerie arrived at this point and managed to arrest Mitchell, who spent the next few days in a cell and was later fined by the local magistrate, boxing being illegal in France at that time. Sullivan managed to evade the law, swathed in bandages, and was taken back across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool. Mitchell acted as Sullivan's corner man for many years
The Kilrain fight is considered to be a turning point in boxing history because it was the last world title bout fought under the London Prize Ring rules and therefore the last bare-knuckle heavyweight title bout. It was one of the first American sporting events to receive national press coverage.
For the first time, newspapers carried extensive pre-fight coverage, reporting on the fighters' training and speculating on where the bout would take place. The center of activity was New Orleans, but the governor of Louisiana had forbidden the fight in that state. Sullivan had trained for months in Belfast, New York under trainer William Muldoon, whose biggest problem had been keeping Sullivan from liquor.
Rochester reporter Arch Merrill commented that occasionally Sullivan would "escape" from his guard, and the cry was heard in the village, "John L. is loose again. Send for Muldoon!" Muldoon would snatch the champ away from the bar and take him back to their training camp.
On July 8, 1889, an estimated 3000 spectators boarded special trains for the secret location, which turned out to be Richburg, a town just south of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The fight began at 10:30 the following morning, and it looked as if Sullivan was going to lose, especially after he vomited during the 44th round. But the champion got his second wind after that, and Kilrain's manager finally threw in the towel after the 75th round.
Undefeated at that point, Sullivan did not defend his title for the next four years.
Sullivan agreed to defend his title in 1892, against challenger "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. The match was on 7 September in New Orleans, Louisiana. It began at 9PM in the
electrically illuminated Olympic Club in the upper Ninth Ward neighborhood now known as Bywater section, the venue filled to its 10,000
person capacity despite hefty ticket prices ranging from $5 to $15 (approximately $117 to $353 in 2009 dollars). The heavyweight contest occurred
under the Marquess of Queensberry rules, but it was neither the first title fight under those rules nor was it the first title fight using
boxing gloves. Corbett was younger, faster and his boxing technique enabled him to dodge Sullivan's crouch and rush style. In the 21st round Corbett landed a
smashing left "audible throughout the house" that put Sullivan down for good. Sullivan was counted out and Corbett declared the new champion. When Sullivan
was able to get back to his feet, he announced to the crowd, "if I had to get licked I'm glad I was licked by an American".
Sullivan is considered the last bare-knuckle champion because no champion after him fought bare-knuckled. However, Sullivan had fought with gloves under
the Marquess of Queensberry ruJohn Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the
London Prize Ring rules. He was the first American sports hero to become a national celebrity and the first American athlete to earn over one million dollars.
john L. Sullivan 1898Sullivan retired to Abington but appearedin several exhibitions over the next 12 years, including a three-rounder against
Tom Sharkey and a final two-rounder against Jim McCormick in 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He continued his various careers outside boxing such as
stage actor, speaker, celebrity baseball umpire, sports reporter, and bar owner.
Overweight and unhealthy from a long life of overindulging in food and drinks as well as from the effects from prizefighting, Sullivan died at age 59 and is
buried in the Old Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan, now a neighborhood of Boston. He died with barely 10 dollars in
Sullivan retired to Abinggton but appeared in several exhibitions over the next 12 years, including a three-rounder against Tom Sharkey and a final two-rounder against Jim
McCormick in 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He continued his various careers outside boxing such as stage actor, speaker, celebrity baseball umpire, sports reporter, and bar owner.Overweight and unhealthy from a long life of overindulging in food and drinks as well as from the effects from prizefighting, Sullivan died at age 59 and is
buried in the Old Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan, now a neighborhood of Boston. He died with barely 10 dollars in his pocket
known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring rules. He was the first American sports hero to become a national celebrity and the first American athlete to earn over one million dollars.
He was born in the South neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents, Michael Sullivan from Abbeydorney, County Kerry and the former Catherine Kelly from Athlone, County Westmeath/County Roscommon. Sullivan was nicknamed The
Boston Strongboy. As a youth he was arrested several times for participating in bouts where the sport was outlawed, and he went on exhibition tours offering people money to fight him. In 1879, when he challenged anyone in America to fight him for $500, Sullivan had won
over 450 fights in his career.
In 1883 - 1884 Sullivan went on a coast-to-coast tour by train with five
other boxers. It was scheduled to comprise 195 performances in 136 different
cities and towns over 238 days. To help promote the tour, Sullivan announced
that he would box anyone at any time during the tour under the Queensberry Rules for $250. He knocked
out eleven men during the tour.Paddy Ryan, 1887
In Sullivan's era, no formal boxing titles existed. He became a champion after defeating Paddy Ryan in Mississippi City, near Gulfport, Mississippi on February 7, 1882. Modern authorities have retroactively labelled Ryan the "Heavyweight Champion of America", but any claim to Ryan's being a "world champion" would have been dubious; he'd never contendedinternationally as Sullivan had. Depending on the modern authority, Sullivan was first considered world heavyweight champion either in 1888 when he fought Charley Mitchell in France, or the following year when he knocked out Jake Kilrain in round 75 of a scheduled 80-round bout. Arguably the real first World Heavyweight champion was Jem Mace who defeated Tom Allen in 1870 at Kenner, Louisiana, but strong anti-British sentiment within the mostly Irish American boxing community at that time chose to disregard him. When the modern authorities talk of the heavyweight championship of the world, they are probably referring to the championship belt presented to Sullivan in Boston on August 8, 1887. The belt was inscribed
Presented to the Champion of Champions, John L. Sullivan, by the Citizens of
the United States.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and fought Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their second meeting took place in 1888 on the grounds
of a chateau at Chantilly, France in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had
suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw.
The local gendarmerie arrived at this point and managed to arrest Mitchell, who spent the next few days in a cell and was later fined by the local magistrate, boxing being illegal in France at that time. Sullivan managed to evade the law, swathed in bandages, and was taken back across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool. Mitchell acted as Sullivan's corner man for many years
The Kilrain fight is considered to be a turning point in boxing history because it was the last world title bout fought under the London Prize Ring rules and therefore the last bare-knuckle heavyweight title bout. It was one of the first American sporting events to receive national press coverage.
For the first time, newspapers carried extensive pre-fight coverage, reporting on the fighters' training and speculating on where the bout would take place. The center of activity was New Orleans, but the governor of Louisiana had forbidden the fight in that state. Sullivan had trained for months in Belfast, New York under trainer William Muldoon, whose biggest problem had been keeping Sullivan from liquor.
Rochester reporter Arch Merrill commented that occasionally Sullivan would "escape" from his guard, and the cry was heard in the village, "John L. is loose again. Send for Muldoon!" Muldoon would snatch the champ away from the bar and take him back to their training camp.
On July 8, 1889, an estimated 3000 spectators boarded special trains for the secret location, which turned out to be Richburg, a town just south of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The fight began at 10:30 the following morning, and it looked as if Sullivan was going to lose, especially after he vomited during the 44th round. But the champion got his second wind after that, and Kilrain's manager finally threw in the towel after the 75th round.
Undefeated at that point, Sullivan did not defend his title for the next four years.
Sullivan agreed to defend his title in 1892, against challenger "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. The match was on 7 September in New Orleans, Louisiana. It began at 9PM in the
electrically illuminated Olympic Club in the upper Ninth Ward neighborhood now known as Bywater section, the venue filled to its 10,000
person capacity despite hefty ticket prices ranging from $5 to $15 (approximately $117 to $353 in 2009 dollars). The heavyweight contest occurred
under the Marquess of Queensberry rules, but it was neither the first title fight under those rules nor was it the first title fight using
boxing gloves. Corbett was younger, faster and his boxing technique enabled him to dodge Sullivan's crouch and rush style. In the 21st round Corbett landed a
smashing left "audible throughout the house" that put Sullivan down for good. Sullivan was counted out and Corbett declared the new champion. When Sullivan
was able to get back to his feet, he announced to the crowd, "if I had to get licked I'm glad I was licked by an American".
Sullivan is considered the last bare-knuckle champion because no champion after him fought bare-knuckled. However, Sullivan had fought with gloves under
the Marquess of Queensberry ruJohn Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the
London Prize Ring rules. He was the first American sports hero to become a national celebrity and the first American athlete to earn over one million dollars.
john L. Sullivan 1898Sullivan retired to Abington but appearedin several exhibitions over the next 12 years, including a three-rounder against
Tom Sharkey and a final two-rounder against Jim McCormick in 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He continued his various careers outside boxing such as
stage actor, speaker, celebrity baseball umpire, sports reporter, and bar owner.
Overweight and unhealthy from a long life of overindulging in food and drinks as well as from the effects from prizefighting, Sullivan died at age 59 and is
buried in the Old Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan, now a neighborhood of Boston. He died with barely 10 dollars in
Sullivan retired to Abinggton but appeared in several exhibitions over the next 12 years, including a three-rounder against Tom Sharkey and a final two-rounder against Jim
McCormick in 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He continued his various careers outside boxing such as stage actor, speaker, celebrity baseball umpire, sports reporter, and bar owner.Overweight and unhealthy from a long life of overindulging in food and drinks as well as from the effects from prizefighting, Sullivan died at age 59 and is
buried in the Old Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan, now a neighborhood of Boston. He died with barely 10 dollars in his pocket
A great photo of Jerry Jerome v Dave Smith at the sydney stadium 19th april 1913
WILLIAM MULDOON
William A. Muldoon (May 25, 1852 – June 3, 1933) was the
Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. He once wrestled
a match that lasted over seven hours. Nicknamed "The Solid Man,"[1] Muldoon established himself as champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 1880s and over the years gained a remarkable measure of public influence that would continue through his days as a health farm proprietor in Westchester County and his service on NYSAC. Muldoon was a mainstay in New York sports for over 50 years.
Born in Allegany County, New York, Muldoon was the
son of Irish immigrants. His father was a farmer. Showing a knack forstrength athletics at a young age, Muldoon gained a local reputation as a standout in caber-tossing, powerlifting, sprinting and amateur wrestling. His youth was otherwise characterized by a brutish, flash temper, and his
desire to be treated with the respect of an adult despite being a child.
In April 1864, Muldoon joined the Sixth Cavalry, Company I and served in the Civil War as a drummer boy. He was at the Battle of Opequon, when Union General Russell was killed as Confederate General Early's forces were being pushed back. Muldoon would recall years later the impromptu wrestling bouts held by fellow soldiers as being among his fondest memories. He was dubbed by his comrades "The Colonel" for his audaciousness in spite of his youth.] After the war he journeyed west with the Sixth and fought in the Indian Wars of the Great Plains, opening up Yellowstone National Park.
Muldoon journeyed to Paris to serve as a volunteer in the French Army in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, where he met publisher James Gordon Bennett, Jr., who told Muldoon he had the potential to be the best Greco-Roman wrestler in the world if he concentrated on it.
By 1876, Muldoon was living in New York City, where he accepted appointment to the New York Police Department at the behest of Senator John Morrissey, former bare-knuckle boxing champion. At the time of his resignation in 1881 Muldoon was a detective
In 1880, Muldoon gained recognition as World's Greco-Roman Champion with a win over title claimant Thiebaud Bauer. His rise to prominence brought challengers from across the globe, including Edwin Bibby and Tom Cannon of England, Donald Dinnie of Scotland, “Mat” Sorakichi of Japan, Carl Abs of Germany,William Miller of Australia, and John McMahon and Clarence Whistler, the latter being Muldoon's opponent in a titanic seven-hour match in 1881, where neither could gain a single fall.
Following the celebrated match with Whistler, Muldoon assembled an athletic combination and toured the country promoting athletic events and defending his title against all comers. Muldoon became involved in theater around this time, stemming from his fame in athletics. In 1883 he shared the bill with Maurice Barrymore in
Madame Modjeska's production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It." In 1887, he appeared on Broadway as "The Fighting Gaul" in "Spartacus."
Muldoon was one of a party of gentlemen entertained by Robert Emmet Odlum, brother of women's rights activist Charlotte Odlum Smith, on the morning of May 19, 1885, the day he jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge and was killed. Muldoon assisted in unsuccessful resuscitation efforts and summoned an ambulance, which was too late to save Odlum.
In 1889 Muldoon trained John L. Sullivan for his famous 75-round fight against Jake Kilrain for the world heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing championship. He had done so on a friendly wager and offered to absorb expenses if Sullivan lost. Sullivan won and Muldoon gained national notice for restoring the boxing champion to fighting form after Sullivan was dismissed by the press and sporting public as a hopelessly dissipated wreck. Muldoon's methods at accomplishing Sullivan's rejuvenation gained much public interest.
Muldoon was never defeated for his Greco-Roman Championship. He wrestled in his final championship match in 1890, defeating Evan Lewis in Philadelphia. Despite being implored by promoters and challengers to come out of retirement, Muldoon never wrestled another finish match or claimed any active championship. He symbolically passed his World's Greco-Roman Championship to protégé Ernest Roeber (whom Lewis later defeated). Muldoon would make his final public appearance as a
wrestler in a charity exhibition match against Roeber at Madison Square Garden in 1894.
That same year Muldoon moved his health farm from Belfast, New York to White Plains. As he tapered off direct involvement in professional athletics he devoted more time to devising his system on restoring one's health. Muldoon continued to train boxers and wrestlers until boxing was banned in New York at the turn of the century.
In 1900, Muldoon opened what would become the work of his life, the well-known health institute "The Olympia," at Purchase, New York. In subsequent years through the success of the Olympia Muldoon would again gain national notice as he treated such notables there as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Hodges Choate, publisher Ralph Pulitzer, Senator Chauncey Depew, Major General J. Franklin Bell, essayist Elbert Hubbard novelist Theodore Dreiser and Secretary of State Elihu Root, who was sent to Muldoon by President Roosevelt. In 1907 there was talk that Muldoon would be appointed to the president's cabinet to oversee physical health. For his uncompromised methods at his health farm Muldoon was dubbed the "Professor." Journalist Nellie Bly was the first woman to complete Muldoon's system.
In the spring of 1909 Muldoon made a final return to the stage in a theatrical tour organized in benefit of The Lambs. Muldoon dedicated a Civil War monument to the town of Belfast, New York, listing the names of local veterans in 1915, including that of his older brother John.
In 1921 Muldoon was personally tapped by Governor Nathan Lewis Miller as theiinaugural Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, when professional boxing's status was legally restored in New York. While on NYSAC, Muldoon's czarish decrees characterized hisi inflexible sense of integrity to the press and sporting public. He was dubbed in the papers the "Iron Duke."
In 1927 Muldoon was profiled by “The New Yorker” magazine and in 1929 by “The Saturday Evening Post”. A biography was published in 1928, with a foreword by Jack
Dempsey.
James Muldoon died at age 81 in Weschester County, New York, and was interred in a grandiose private mausoleum at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.
In 1996, Muldoon was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
In 2004, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum under the "Pioneer Era" category Muldoon claimed to be a lifelong bachelor. However, he was married twice; the first marriage ended in divorce, the other in separation. His housekeeper of 30 years Leonie Lutringer left her entire estate to Muldoon in 1922. It was revealed later in his life that he had adopted his longtime secretary Margaret Farrell – she received his entire estate at his death. Muldoon was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1931, though his doctors did not reveal the nature of his illness to him. Muldoon died two years later. Retired boxing champion Gene Tunney, a disciple of Muldoon, remarked to the Times at the time of Muldoon's death, “All I know about training I learned from him…. His patience, intellectual courage and wisdom were inspirational.” William Muldoon was interred at Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY.
Muldoon was a strong advocate of compulsory military service, equestrianism, physical culture and the Boy Scouts of America, citing the latter as the only organization left devoted to leadership-building for young men.
Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, physical culturist and the first chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. He once wrestled
a match that lasted over seven hours. Nicknamed "The Solid Man,"[1] Muldoon established himself as champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 1880s and over the years gained a remarkable measure of public influence that would continue through his days as a health farm proprietor in Westchester County and his service on NYSAC. Muldoon was a mainstay in New York sports for over 50 years.
Born in Allegany County, New York, Muldoon was the
son of Irish immigrants. His father was a farmer. Showing a knack forstrength athletics at a young age, Muldoon gained a local reputation as a standout in caber-tossing, powerlifting, sprinting and amateur wrestling. His youth was otherwise characterized by a brutish, flash temper, and his
desire to be treated with the respect of an adult despite being a child.
In April 1864, Muldoon joined the Sixth Cavalry, Company I and served in the Civil War as a drummer boy. He was at the Battle of Opequon, when Union General Russell was killed as Confederate General Early's forces were being pushed back. Muldoon would recall years later the impromptu wrestling bouts held by fellow soldiers as being among his fondest memories. He was dubbed by his comrades "The Colonel" for his audaciousness in spite of his youth.] After the war he journeyed west with the Sixth and fought in the Indian Wars of the Great Plains, opening up Yellowstone National Park.
Muldoon journeyed to Paris to serve as a volunteer in the French Army in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, where he met publisher James Gordon Bennett, Jr., who told Muldoon he had the potential to be the best Greco-Roman wrestler in the world if he concentrated on it.
By 1876, Muldoon was living in New York City, where he accepted appointment to the New York Police Department at the behest of Senator John Morrissey, former bare-knuckle boxing champion. At the time of his resignation in 1881 Muldoon was a detective
In 1880, Muldoon gained recognition as World's Greco-Roman Champion with a win over title claimant Thiebaud Bauer. His rise to prominence brought challengers from across the globe, including Edwin Bibby and Tom Cannon of England, Donald Dinnie of Scotland, “Mat” Sorakichi of Japan, Carl Abs of Germany,William Miller of Australia, and John McMahon and Clarence Whistler, the latter being Muldoon's opponent in a titanic seven-hour match in 1881, where neither could gain a single fall.
Following the celebrated match with Whistler, Muldoon assembled an athletic combination and toured the country promoting athletic events and defending his title against all comers. Muldoon became involved in theater around this time, stemming from his fame in athletics. In 1883 he shared the bill with Maurice Barrymore in
Madame Modjeska's production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It." In 1887, he appeared on Broadway as "The Fighting Gaul" in "Spartacus."
Muldoon was one of a party of gentlemen entertained by Robert Emmet Odlum, brother of women's rights activist Charlotte Odlum Smith, on the morning of May 19, 1885, the day he jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge and was killed. Muldoon assisted in unsuccessful resuscitation efforts and summoned an ambulance, which was too late to save Odlum.
In 1889 Muldoon trained John L. Sullivan for his famous 75-round fight against Jake Kilrain for the world heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing championship. He had done so on a friendly wager and offered to absorb expenses if Sullivan lost. Sullivan won and Muldoon gained national notice for restoring the boxing champion to fighting form after Sullivan was dismissed by the press and sporting public as a hopelessly dissipated wreck. Muldoon's methods at accomplishing Sullivan's rejuvenation gained much public interest.
Muldoon was never defeated for his Greco-Roman Championship. He wrestled in his final championship match in 1890, defeating Evan Lewis in Philadelphia. Despite being implored by promoters and challengers to come out of retirement, Muldoon never wrestled another finish match or claimed any active championship. He symbolically passed his World's Greco-Roman Championship to protégé Ernest Roeber (whom Lewis later defeated). Muldoon would make his final public appearance as a
wrestler in a charity exhibition match against Roeber at Madison Square Garden in 1894.
That same year Muldoon moved his health farm from Belfast, New York to White Plains. As he tapered off direct involvement in professional athletics he devoted more time to devising his system on restoring one's health. Muldoon continued to train boxers and wrestlers until boxing was banned in New York at the turn of the century.
In 1900, Muldoon opened what would become the work of his life, the well-known health institute "The Olympia," at Purchase, New York. In subsequent years through the success of the Olympia Muldoon would again gain national notice as he treated such notables there as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Hodges Choate, publisher Ralph Pulitzer, Senator Chauncey Depew, Major General J. Franklin Bell, essayist Elbert Hubbard novelist Theodore Dreiser and Secretary of State Elihu Root, who was sent to Muldoon by President Roosevelt. In 1907 there was talk that Muldoon would be appointed to the president's cabinet to oversee physical health. For his uncompromised methods at his health farm Muldoon was dubbed the "Professor." Journalist Nellie Bly was the first woman to complete Muldoon's system.
In the spring of 1909 Muldoon made a final return to the stage in a theatrical tour organized in benefit of The Lambs. Muldoon dedicated a Civil War monument to the town of Belfast, New York, listing the names of local veterans in 1915, including that of his older brother John.
In 1921 Muldoon was personally tapped by Governor Nathan Lewis Miller as theiinaugural Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, when professional boxing's status was legally restored in New York. While on NYSAC, Muldoon's czarish decrees characterized hisi inflexible sense of integrity to the press and sporting public. He was dubbed in the papers the "Iron Duke."
In 1927 Muldoon was profiled by “The New Yorker” magazine and in 1929 by “The Saturday Evening Post”. A biography was published in 1928, with a foreword by Jack
Dempsey.
James Muldoon died at age 81 in Weschester County, New York, and was interred in a grandiose private mausoleum at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.
In 1996, Muldoon was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
In 2004, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum under the "Pioneer Era" category Muldoon claimed to be a lifelong bachelor. However, he was married twice; the first marriage ended in divorce, the other in separation. His housekeeper of 30 years Leonie Lutringer left her entire estate to Muldoon in 1922. It was revealed later in his life that he had adopted his longtime secretary Margaret Farrell – she received his entire estate at his death. Muldoon was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1931, though his doctors did not reveal the nature of his illness to him. Muldoon died two years later. Retired boxing champion Gene Tunney, a disciple of Muldoon, remarked to the Times at the time of Muldoon's death, “All I know about training I learned from him…. His patience, intellectual courage and wisdom were inspirational.” William Muldoon was interred at Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY.
Muldoon was a strong advocate of compulsory military service, equestrianism, physical culture and the Boy Scouts of America, citing the latter as the only organization left devoted to leadership-building for young men.
PADDY MONAGHAN
Paddy Monaghan must be regarded as one of the best Bareknuckle fighters the
world has ever seen.Paddy retired undefeated and holds a record of 114 fights
with no losses. Aswell as being an outstanding fighter he is also a true
Gentleman and a good friend to Many fans and indeed fighters as well.
This is an interview i had the pleasure to have with Paddy a while ago.
Question 1. Hi Paddy as a retired unbeaten BKB
world champion can you explain the main differences between BKB and modern gloved boxing?
A. the main difference is you box with wraps instead of gloves,title fights are 10 rounds instead of 12 and its alot harder and tougher on your bones.
Question 2. With not using gloves in BKB how to you as a fighter limit the chances of hand injuries and what are the main target areas on an opponent?
A. I limited the chance of hand injuries by going for the largest target area of an opponents body - the torso - also the softest target, thus limiting hand injuries.
Question 3 .I read as a child you were fairly small and suffered bullying as a consequence,did this make you decide to learn BKB as opposed to gloved boxing to defend yourself.?
A. I was introduced to BKB at the age of 16 when my manager Tommy Heard approached me, i first learnt to
fight from an early age at school by having to defend myself and others from the school bullies.
Question 4. Was the training routine similar to gloved boxing ie full time trainers,sparring
partners,road work and healthy food.
A. My training routine was similar but harder than any gloved boxer, i pushed myself to such a limit that gloved boxers would loose stamina, yet i did not. i built myself up to the highest possible standard of fitness.
Question5. Without trying to compare BKB to gloved boxing are there any gloved boxers past/present that has the style to adapt to BKB, as i would imagine Floyd Mayweather with his speed and great defence would be a candidate.
A. FM is a great boxer but in BKB would get him nowhere,when i was a kid i modelled myself on Rocky Marciano and Carmen Basilio, basilio in particular was one of the greatest to set foot in a gloved ring.
Question 6. I first saw you on a TV programme called " An audience with Muhammed Ali" , and it was obvious you
had struck up a great friendship with the champ himself how did this friendship begin and how was ali outside the ring?
A. I first met ali in 1963 when he came for the first Cooper fight and he was so genuine outside the ring and we have remained long time friends ever since.
Question 7. Your stats Paddy are might impressive, 114 fights undefeated,this clearly shows how dominant you were at
BKB. What was your hardest fight of them all and was there ever a time you thought you might loose your unbeaten record.?
A.My toughest britsh fight was against Ian Widley, i stopped Ian on cuts in the 8th round . All the BKB fights were tough, and that particular fight with Ian some say it was the bloodiest and goriest fight they had ever seen. Another tough one was against Jobie Wilson for the British title, then came the European champion from Italy, i had to pull out all the stops to beat him and was an extremely hard fight.Then of course that qualified me to fight for the world title against the title holder at the time Jean-Paul-durrellwhich i won by KO,they were all tough,hard,bloody gory and bitterly fought fights. I won the world title in 1974 and held on to it for 6 years making a record of 27 defences and retiring undefeated champion in 1980. You asked was there a time i thought i going to loose my undefeated record, to that question i can honestly say "NEVER" , the fights were the toughest of the toughest but defeat NEVER. All fighters are different just as people are and i'm glad i was different
I wanted to retire at 120 fights undefeated BUT i had to retire with a record of 114 undefeated due to my damaged
hands, which in fact i have now been told i have to have 6 seperate hand operations and one on my wrist.
Question 8. Were you ever tempted to make a comeback once you retired?
A. I was never tempted to make a comeback because im very proud of my undefeated record and only up until after my last fight did i realise it was hurting me more landing a punch than it was for them who was taking it, So tempted to make a comeback...NO.
Question 9 There has been huge support for you from all over the world to recognise your achievements in the ring to induct you into the hall of fame, you would have good company in the likes of John L Sullivan who was the last BKB fighter to be inducted, when will there be a decision Paddy and what would it mean to you?
A.You mention about the IBHOF and the huge amount of support i i have from all over the world to place me along side the all time greats, well my fans have started off a petition for the IBHOF to have me inducted and i'll let my fans do as they wish and i think it would mean more to them than me..I'll let them continue but already we've had tastes of beaurocracy and hypocracy saying that as i was a BKB they are opposed to it..I'm asking them for nothing, my fans are, and if they ignore my thousands of fans then thats there option,but its the people that want it.Sure i'd like to be inducted
for the fans sake representing them but i will Not grovel or ask for induction, naturally i'd be proud to accept for my fans and my peers.People comment and sayohh John L Sullivan is in the IBHOF and he only had 38 fights and was beaten twice ', if i was inducted i'd be the first BKB fighter since him over 100 years ago, but i think the beaurocrats and hypocracy will have their way by the old guard.
Question 10. Ive read with interest that a film of your life called " The Rough Diamond" is in the pipeline,has it
been hard work and can i have an exclusive on who is playing your part. haha ?
A.You ask of my forthcoming film called The Rough Diamond, ive been approached several times by production companys that wanted to make the film about me but every time it came to reading the script for approval i said No..Now my son Tyrone is a script writer and i'd never thought about him doing it, he asked then i said okay go ahead.No one on earth knows me better than Tyrone so when he showed me the script i was amazed after i read it, hes done a brilliant job and i'm confident the film will be a big success. Theres more to life than boxing so its going to be a very hard hitting ,nail biting drama, and its going to be a film that all of you will remember. You ask who is going to be playing my role, we have a list that will be auditioning for it so i don't know who its going to be yet.
Question 11. And finally Paddy how would you like to be remembered?
A. HE who kneels in front of the Lord can stand up to any man.
Its been a pleasure Paddy and thanks for your time.
world has ever seen.Paddy retired undefeated and holds a record of 114 fights
with no losses. Aswell as being an outstanding fighter he is also a true
Gentleman and a good friend to Many fans and indeed fighters as well.
This is an interview i had the pleasure to have with Paddy a while ago.
Question 1. Hi Paddy as a retired unbeaten BKB
world champion can you explain the main differences between BKB and modern gloved boxing?
A. the main difference is you box with wraps instead of gloves,title fights are 10 rounds instead of 12 and its alot harder and tougher on your bones.
Question 2. With not using gloves in BKB how to you as a fighter limit the chances of hand injuries and what are the main target areas on an opponent?
A. I limited the chance of hand injuries by going for the largest target area of an opponents body - the torso - also the softest target, thus limiting hand injuries.
Question 3 .I read as a child you were fairly small and suffered bullying as a consequence,did this make you decide to learn BKB as opposed to gloved boxing to defend yourself.?
A. I was introduced to BKB at the age of 16 when my manager Tommy Heard approached me, i first learnt to
fight from an early age at school by having to defend myself and others from the school bullies.
Question 4. Was the training routine similar to gloved boxing ie full time trainers,sparring
partners,road work and healthy food.
A. My training routine was similar but harder than any gloved boxer, i pushed myself to such a limit that gloved boxers would loose stamina, yet i did not. i built myself up to the highest possible standard of fitness.
Question5. Without trying to compare BKB to gloved boxing are there any gloved boxers past/present that has the style to adapt to BKB, as i would imagine Floyd Mayweather with his speed and great defence would be a candidate.
A. FM is a great boxer but in BKB would get him nowhere,when i was a kid i modelled myself on Rocky Marciano and Carmen Basilio, basilio in particular was one of the greatest to set foot in a gloved ring.
Question 6. I first saw you on a TV programme called " An audience with Muhammed Ali" , and it was obvious you
had struck up a great friendship with the champ himself how did this friendship begin and how was ali outside the ring?
A. I first met ali in 1963 when he came for the first Cooper fight and he was so genuine outside the ring and we have remained long time friends ever since.
Question 7. Your stats Paddy are might impressive, 114 fights undefeated,this clearly shows how dominant you were at
BKB. What was your hardest fight of them all and was there ever a time you thought you might loose your unbeaten record.?
A.My toughest britsh fight was against Ian Widley, i stopped Ian on cuts in the 8th round . All the BKB fights were tough, and that particular fight with Ian some say it was the bloodiest and goriest fight they had ever seen. Another tough one was against Jobie Wilson for the British title, then came the European champion from Italy, i had to pull out all the stops to beat him and was an extremely hard fight.Then of course that qualified me to fight for the world title against the title holder at the time Jean-Paul-durrellwhich i won by KO,they were all tough,hard,bloody gory and bitterly fought fights. I won the world title in 1974 and held on to it for 6 years making a record of 27 defences and retiring undefeated champion in 1980. You asked was there a time i thought i going to loose my undefeated record, to that question i can honestly say "NEVER" , the fights were the toughest of the toughest but defeat NEVER. All fighters are different just as people are and i'm glad i was different
I wanted to retire at 120 fights undefeated BUT i had to retire with a record of 114 undefeated due to my damaged
hands, which in fact i have now been told i have to have 6 seperate hand operations and one on my wrist.
Question 8. Were you ever tempted to make a comeback once you retired?
A. I was never tempted to make a comeback because im very proud of my undefeated record and only up until after my last fight did i realise it was hurting me more landing a punch than it was for them who was taking it, So tempted to make a comeback...NO.
Question 9 There has been huge support for you from all over the world to recognise your achievements in the ring to induct you into the hall of fame, you would have good company in the likes of John L Sullivan who was the last BKB fighter to be inducted, when will there be a decision Paddy and what would it mean to you?
A.You mention about the IBHOF and the huge amount of support i i have from all over the world to place me along side the all time greats, well my fans have started off a petition for the IBHOF to have me inducted and i'll let my fans do as they wish and i think it would mean more to them than me..I'll let them continue but already we've had tastes of beaurocracy and hypocracy saying that as i was a BKB they are opposed to it..I'm asking them for nothing, my fans are, and if they ignore my thousands of fans then thats there option,but its the people that want it.Sure i'd like to be inducted
for the fans sake representing them but i will Not grovel or ask for induction, naturally i'd be proud to accept for my fans and my peers.People comment and sayohh John L Sullivan is in the IBHOF and he only had 38 fights and was beaten twice ', if i was inducted i'd be the first BKB fighter since him over 100 years ago, but i think the beaurocrats and hypocracy will have their way by the old guard.
Question 10. Ive read with interest that a film of your life called " The Rough Diamond" is in the pipeline,has it
been hard work and can i have an exclusive on who is playing your part. haha ?
A.You ask of my forthcoming film called The Rough Diamond, ive been approached several times by production companys that wanted to make the film about me but every time it came to reading the script for approval i said No..Now my son Tyrone is a script writer and i'd never thought about him doing it, he asked then i said okay go ahead.No one on earth knows me better than Tyrone so when he showed me the script i was amazed after i read it, hes done a brilliant job and i'm confident the film will be a big success. Theres more to life than boxing so its going to be a very hard hitting ,nail biting drama, and its going to be a film that all of you will remember. You ask who is going to be playing my role, we have a list that will be auditioning for it so i don't know who its going to be yet.
Question 11. And finally Paddy how would you like to be remembered?
A. HE who kneels in front of the Lord can stand up to any man.
Its been a pleasure Paddy and thanks for your time.