On July 8, 1889, world heavyweight boxing champion John L. Sullivan stepped into the ring to face Jake Kilrain, a 29-year-old fighter from Massachusetts, who also claimed to be the world champion. Their epic battle would be the last “bare knuckle” title fight.

The son of Irish immigrants, Sullivan grew up on the tough streets of Boston. By age 23 he was a full-time professional fighter, touring the country, taking on challengers, and offering $50 (a considerable sum at the time) to any man still on his feet after four rounds.

Although popular with the public, prize fighting was illegal nearly everywhere at the time, and authorities saw men like Sullivan as nothing more than professional criminals. In order to stage fights, it was often necessary to keep the locations secret until the last minute. So, when Paddy Ryan, recognized as the American champion, agreed to fight Sullivan on February 7, 1882, the contract only said the location of the fight would be “within 100 miles of New Orleans.” Once the fighters (and a crowd of prizefighting enthusiasts) were in New Orleans they boarded a special train the promoters had arranged and were taken to Mississippi City, a small town about 70 miles north of New Orleans, with the idea that everyone could dash back across the border after the fight, before Mississippi authorities had time to act. The fight was under London Prizefighting Rules—meaning the men fought with bare knuckles and wrestling was permitted. Each round continued for one minute or until a fighter was knocked down, with the fight to continue until one of the fighters was knocked out or had surrendered.

Ryan was stunned by Sullivan’s tenacity and ferocity. In the eighth round, just eleven minutes into the fight, his handlers threw in the towel. Ryan had been pummeled into submission and John L. Sullivan was about to become the first superstar boxing celebrity.

Most of Sullivan’s fights were gloved (Queensberry Rules) but it was as a bare-knuckle champion that he is best remembered. His success in the ring made “The Boston Strong Boy” a wealthy national and international celebrity. But along with his success came alcoholism and life decisions that took deep tolls on his health and fitness. Sullivan was 31 years-old and in decline when he stepped into the ring at a secret location in the small town of Richburg, Mississippi to face Kilrain, who claimed to be world champion after fighting the British champion to a draw in a 106-round bout that was eventually stopped for darkness. They didn’t know it at the time, but the Sullivan-Kilrain fight was to be the last bare knuckle world championship fight.

Sullivan and Kilrain slugged it out for over two hours, before Kilrain’s manager, fearing for his fighter’s life, threw in the towel at the start of the 76th round.

Sullivan came out of retirement three years later to face “Gentleman Jim” Corbett in a gloved (Queensberry) contest. In the only loss of his professional career, Sullivan was knocked out in the 21st round.

After leaving the sport, Sullivan and his third wife retired to a small house south of Boston. His body ravaged by boxing and alcohol abuse, Sullivan gave up drinking and became active in the Temperance Movement. When he died in February 1918 at age 59, the fortune he had earned from his fighting days was long gone.

John Lawrence Sullivan was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts on October 15, 1858, one hundred sixty-six years ago today. He was in the original class of inductees in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

The photo is from 1882

Thanks love it

Great history lesson.
Love these kind of posts.

Nice Scott,,,,,,
Irish kids were tough when i was a kid,,,,,wonder is they still are?

Great article but I’m missing something.
In the 8th round 11 minutes into the fight. How can that be?

Bare knuckle fighting- his hands must have looked mine at the end of a long trapping season.
Tough guy, surprised he lived that long.

Article said rounds were one minute long, or till one man was knocked down.