Ketchel Starches Sullivan

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Mike “Twin” Sullivan claimed the Welterweight World Boxing Championship, when he decisioned Honey Mellody in April 1907.  Possessing both heavy hands and better than normal boxing skills, Sullivan claimed victories over the great Joe Gans and future Welterweight World Boxing Champion Harry Lewis during his career.  Lewis won the welterweight title, when Sullivan could no longer make the 147 pound

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Ketchel Fights Light Heavy Champ

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1909 saw Stanley Ketchel continue his torrid pace through all the top fighters around the middleweight limit.  In March 1909, Ketchel faced a rare challenge, when he fought reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion Philadelphia Jack O’Brien. O’Brien was a slick boxer, who used his speed and elusiveness to pummel Ketchel in the early rounds.  Despite O’Brien’s size advantage, Ketchel was

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Jake Kilrain Boxes to a Draw

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While famous for fighting John L. Sullivan in the last world championship prizefight contested under bare knuckle rules, Jake Kilrain also took part in many gloved bouts.  Prizefighting was transitioning from bare knuckle rules to gloved bouts under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules (early amateur and professional boxing) in the late 19th Century. Like Sullivan, Kilrain would fight in major

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Muldoon Spars With Sullivan

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William Muldoon was the reigning World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and a noted physical culturist, when Muldoon was engaged by John L. Sullivan’s backers to get their fighter in shape.  Sullivan was the reigning World Heavyweight Bare Knuckle Prizefighting Champion.  He signed an agreement to meet his toughest challenger, Jake Kilrain, in July 1889. Sullivan admitted he was in bad shape,

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Ad Wolgast Wins Lightweight Title

ad-wolgast-1912-1913

On Tuesday, February 22, 1910, Ad Wolgast challenged World Lightweight Boxing Champion Battling Nelson for Nelson’s title at Richmond Arena in Point Richmond, California. The 28-year-old Nelson won the title by knocking out the great Joe Gans in 1908. Boxing experts did not expect Wolgast to defeat Nelson even though Wolgast held a newspaper decision over Nelson in 1909. Pundits

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