Certamina ludis Historicus et Martialis Artist
Posts about bare knuckle prizefighting and professional gloved contests from the 1850s to 1930s.
An age old question in combat sports is “Who will win between a boxer and a wrestler?” The speculation around this question led to several boxer versus wrestler matches through out history, most notably the disaster between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in 1976. The matches are mostly no-win affairs except at the box office, unde et auctorum
After Jack Johnson became champion, a lack of strong contenders caused public pressure to mount on James J. Jeffires, the retired former heavyweight champion, to end his retirement and fight Johnson. Jeffries was considered the first and most credible of the “White Hope” contenders. In his prime, Jeffries probably couldn’t beat Johnson. At 35 years of age and nearly 300
Aprilis, 17, 1909, African-American heavyweight boxer Joe Jeanette met World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Champion Sam McVey for the title in a fight to the finish. Before the classic bout was complete, the men would box for 49 rounds over 3 hours and 30 minutes. From February 5, 1903, when he beat “Denver” Ed Martin to December 26, 1908, cum
John L. Sullivan had dominated the prize ring during his career. Possessing a record of 40 wins, no losses and two draws, “The Boston Strong Boy” was considered invincible. Sullivan won the world championship in 1882 and dispensed all challengers culminating with the Fight of the Nineteenth Century with Jake Kilrain. After defeating Kilrain in this epic bout, John L.
Sam McVey tired of the lack of opportunity for black fighters in the United States during the early Twentieth Century. McVey decided to leave for Europe in 1907, where he fought until 1911. McVey fought in Australia for three more years before returning to the United States. This brief highlight film from France in 1911 with “Battling” Jim Johnson shows
In December 8, 1903, Sam Langford pugnavit caestu fortissimus regnantis leve est in patria Bostono, Massachusetts. Prior ad pugnantes Langford, maxime peritorum boxing comissationesque sensit Joe Gans non potuit in legitimo verberabitur. Natus est in Baltimore, Maryland, Gans was able to break the color barrier by winning the World Lightweight Boxing Championship. Sam Langford is often considered
John Morrissey posuit in Mundus risus in nuda Knuckle Prizefighting disputate IRCA Yankee Sullivan in October 1853. Et plagis eius participatione caedis crimine caedis Valerius “Lanio” To, E contra Ioannem constitutum defendere titulo Morrissey. Heenan, “Puer autem Benicia”. “Old Fumus” Morrissey Heenan percussit in October 1858 bout held in
John Camel Heenan was known to 19th Century bare knuckle prizefighting fans as “Puer autem Benicia”. Despite an 0-1-1 record as a professional fighter, Heenan claimed the World Prizefighting Championship based on a draw with Tom Sayer in an 1860 English prize-fight. Heenan’s first professional fight had been with the reigning World Heavyweight Prizefighting Champion John Morrissey’s last professional fight
Tom Hyer parta patrocinium in American Nudis Knuckle Prizefighting 1841. Sicut maxime prizefighting pugiles saeculi XIX, et non dimicavit persaepe. Hyer solet solvit rogationibus quasi exactor quia factionibus politicis in New York,. Originally, Hyer talenta ad Whigs usus est sed ad fidelitates flectendum “Know Nothing Party” with his friend William
Octobris 12, 1853, 23 year-old John Morrissey would meet 40 year-old “Yankee” Sullivan for the American and possibly World Heavyweight Prizefighting Championship. Sullivan had been considered the champion since Tom Hyer, who had beaten Sullivan previously, retired instead of fighting Sullivan in a rematch. Sullivan claimed the title and was backed by Hyer, who had made peace with Sullivan.