Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about professional boxing from 1890 to 1930.
Jake Kilrain is best known as the last and toughest challenger to John L. Sullivan in the last bare knuckle world championship fight. Despite Kilrain’s inability to beat John L. Sullivan, he had a successful career both before and after the bout with the mighty Sullivan. Fighting for 10 more years in gloved bouts, Kilrain was mostly successful but on
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
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
Monte Attell was the younger brother of World Featherweight Boxing Champion Abe Attell. Monte would always be stuck in the shadow of his older brother but was a talented fighter in his own right. Monte would win the World Bantamweight Boxing Championship during his career and establish himself as a world class fighter. In 1904, he was a 19-year-old up-and-coming
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
During his first run as World Featherweight Boxing Champion, Abe Attell was based out of St. Louis, Missouri. Besides having his camp in St. Louis, Attell defended his title several times at St. Louis’ West End Athletic Club. At the time, St. Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi River in the United States. Born Abraham Washington Attell
Bob “Rudy Robert” Fitzsimmons was an English boxer, who won the undisputed middleweight, heavyweight and light heavyweight world championships, at the turn of the 20th Century. Often mistaken for an Australian because he started his boxing career there, Fitzsimmons traveled to the United States in 1890 to campaign for the middleweight championship. Fitzsimmons stood just under 6 feet tall but
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.
Johnny Reagan was an important fighter in the St. Louis boxing scene during the first decade of the 20th Century. Originally from Brooklyn, Reagan moved to St. Louis to train under Jack McKenna. McKenna based his operation out of St. Louis, where his fighter primarily fought at St. Louis’ West End Club. Reagan was a rising bantamweight at the time
On Monday, May 30, 1892, the great Peter Jackson boxed a gloved bout with former protégé Frank Slavin. Both men lived and fought in Australia, although fan interest led Jackson to tour the world to take advantage of the financial opportunities in the United States and England. As in Australia, Jackson often found white boxers unwilling to fight him. Few