Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about professional boxing and prizefighting in the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
On Thursday, September 7, 1876, Tom Allen defended his World Heavyweight Bare Knuckle Prizefighting Championship against fellow Englishman Joe Goss. Allen, originally from Birmingham, England, settled in St. Louis, Missouri. Allen eventually became a U.S. Citizen. Allen showed a pugnacious personality, inside and outside the ring, making powerful enemies amongst the sporting men in the United States. Allen particularly irritated
On Tuesday, November 18, 1884, World Heavyweight Bare-Knuckle Prizefighting Champion John L. Sullivan fought Al Greenfield at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Sullivan needed to overcome more than just his opponent in this bout. The men originally agreed to fight on Monday, November 17, 1884, but New York City authorities threatened the men with arrest. The wrangling with
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
On a March night in San Francisco, heavyweight contender Marvin Hart proved pure aggressiveness could sometimes win a decision. After 20 rounds of boxing, referee Greggains, the only judge, awarded the decision over the great Jack Johnson to Hart. Hart met Johnson on March 28, 1905. Johnson entered the ring as the betting favorite. He also entered as one of
On January 5, 1900, four days before a showdown with Bantamweight Boxing Champion Terry McGovern, Featherweight World Boxing Champion George Dixon made an announcement to chill the spine of all his supporters. Dixon announced that win or lose, he would be retiring from the ring after the bout with McGovern. The last thing a manager wants to hear before a
On August 11, 1915, current World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Champion Sam McVey fought Sandy Ferguson in Boston, Massachusetts at the Atlas Athletic Association gym. McVey fought in an era where promoters froze out all the African American boxers, except the great Jack Johnson, from fighting for the world championship. McVey defeated most of the other great Black fighters of this
On Friday, March 13, 1891, Jake Kilrain fought George Godfrey at the California Athletic Club in San Francisco, California. The men fought for a trophy and $5,000. The men entered the ring at 9:52 p.m. William Muldoon, former World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, seconded Kilrain, who Muldoon trained for this fight. Muldoon trained Kilrain’s opponent, John L. Sullivan, for their 1889
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
On February 23, 1906, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Marvin Hart defended his title in Los Angeles. When James J. Jeffries retired as heavyweight champion, Hart and Jack Sharkey fought for the vacant title. Hart was the surprise winner of the fight. Hart refused to fight Jack Johnson, the recognized best heavyweight. Instead he fought Tommy Burns, a 5’07” skilled boxer.
The few people who know about the prizefighter Paddy Ryan probably know him as John L. Sullivan’s victim. Sullivan beat Ryan for the Heavyweight Prizefighting Championship in 1882. Ryan was a good fighter in his own right though. Ryan was born on March 15, 1851 in Ireland. His family emigrated to Troy, New York. Ryan was known through out his