Posts about heavyweight fights in bare-knuckle prizefighting and professional boxing.
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 […]
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In this episode, we discuss the careers of Jim Londos and Primo Carnera leading into a review of the 1950 wrestling match. Update We start off with an update about our recording schedule. One of the team is on the injured reserve, so we will be recording on Skype for the next several episodes. I have converted the majority of […]
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In mixed style bouts between wrestlers and strikers, the adage is once the wrestler gets his hands on the striker, the fight is over. In most mixed style bouts between wrestlers or grapplers and boxers, the grappler normally wins after dragging the striker to the ground. Ray Steele defeated Battling Levinsky. “Judo” Gene LeBell smashed Milo Savage. In modern […]
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Update I have finished writing Origins of a Legend: The Making of Ed “Strangler” Lewis. After editing, it should be released in late January/early February 2024. We briefly discuss Vince Russo’s ideas for a women’s wrestling organization. We try to figure out the market for this material. We also suggest a therapist is probably warranted. Main Content Early mixed martial […]
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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. […]
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On Friday, November 27, 1891, former American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Joe Acton wrestled future World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Bob Fitzsimmons in San Francisco, California. The men wrestled for a reported $1,000.00 purse. Acton usually gave up size to his opponent but Acton outweighed the 148-pound Fitzsimmons by seven pounds. The men wrestled a two-out-of-three falls match according to catch-as-catch-can wrestling […]
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Update 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 book project, what I learned and […]
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On November 19, 1935, professional wrestler Ray Steele met professional boxer Kingfish Levinsky in a mixed wresting versus boxing bout. The Missouri State Athletic Commission created special rules for the match. The commissioners ruled the bout would consist of three-minute rounds like a boxing match. The commissioners allowed Levinsky to punch even if he was on the mat. Steele could […]
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On May 11, 1900, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion James J. Jeffries fought his former employer James J. Corbett. Corbett held the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in the early 1890s. Corbett hired the powerfully built Jeffires to help him prepare for his title challengers. Jeffries went on to win the world title from the man, who beat Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons. Corbett […]
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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. Sullivan signed an agreement to meet his toughest challenger, Jake Kilrain, in July 1889. Sullivan admitted he was in bad shape, […]
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