Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about 19th Century bare knuckle prizefighting.
During the 19th century, both prizefighters and duelists took advantage of the sandbar islands in the Mississippi River, around St. Louis, Missouri, to hold prizefights or duels. Authorities have frowned on duels to the death in any location. However, both Illinois and Missouri also outlawed prizefighting. Bloody Island in the middle of the Mississippi River just north of Downtown St.
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
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/eeqc2peen7iscvva/Episode_578wxzc.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn this episode, I discuss the upcoming podcast schedule and revisions to kenzimmermanjr.com. Update I removed many of the Legacy posts around genealogy, family life, and film. I discuss why in this episode about why I started blogging and how the website has changed over that time. You can leave a comment or ask
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/5vctyw/Episode_177wnp9.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadUpdate I will continue to release two episodes a month for the foreseeable future. The next episode will be released on Monday, January 23, 2023. I also share my thoughts on Vince McMahon forcing himself back onto the board of World Wrestling Entertainment. Main Content I speak about what I knew going into each
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
For the October 5, 1861 edition of the Cincinnati Daily Press, editors pulled a story off the wire service from the Spirit of the Times. The wire story reported on a fight between former English prizefighting champion Tom Sayers and current English champion Jem Mace. Both Sayers and Mace were touring with English circuses, when they stopped in at a
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,
Tom Allen was born in Birmingham, England but fought some of his most famous fights in America. In 1867, Allen moved to St. Louis, the largest city west of the Mississippi. Allen never left and would use St. Louis as his home base to train for prizefights. Allen fought mostly in bare knuckle prizefights as American boxing would not be
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
While bare knuckle prizefighter Tom Allen was born in England during 1840, he spent the majority of his adult life in St Louis after relocating to the United States in 1867. After a disappointing loss to Jem Mace in 1870, where he impressed spectators with a gallant performance in a losing effort, Allen started campaigning for a shot at American