BoxRec

You have to go all the way back to John L. Sullivan when he made enemies with Richard Kyle Fox, publisher of The Police Gazette: the number one sports syndicate in the world in the 19th century.

After Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan, and made mincemeat of such men as Joe Goss, the sports publisher aquired the services of former world champion Jem Mace to search the four corners of the globe to find someone (anyone) who could dethrone Sullivan who publicly snubbed Fox.

While touring the continent of Australia, Mace heard of a giant, fast, powerful New Zealand submission style wrestler who was without equal in the Southern Hemisphere. Mace found the man, Herbert Slade (a Maori), and convinced him that under his tutleage he could take Slade's natural gifts and translate them over to boxing.

So for the next two years Mace trains Slade, and has him fight numerous test bouts and exhibitions until he felt Slade was more than ready to take Sullivan. In New York's Madison Square Garden, the match took place and people marveled at Slade's noticeable size advantage.

Many backed Slade. However, three punishing rounds later, Sullivan knocked Slade up and over the top rope with a devastating uppercut and it was over. Sullivan afterwards said the famous words, "The bigger they are the harder they fall."

I thought you were going to say Pete Rademacher against Patterson. Slade fight several exhibitions with Sullivan after their big "showdown".

HomicideHenry wrote:You have to go all the way back to John L. Sullivan when he made enemies with Richard Kyle Fox, publisher of The Police Gazette: the number one sports syndicate in the world in the 19th century.

After Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan, and made mincemeat of such men as Joe Goss, the sports publisher aquired the services of former world champion Jem Mace to search the four corners of the globe to find someone (anyone) who could dethrone Sullivan who publicly snubbed Fox.

While touring the continent of Australia, Mace heard of a giant, fast, powerful New Zealand submission style wrestler who was without equal in the Southern Hemisphere. Mace found the man, Herbert Slade (a Maori), and convinced him that under his tutleage he could take Slade's natural gifts and translate them over to boxing.

So for the next two years Mace trains Slade, and has him fight numerous test bouts and exhibitions until he felt Slade was more than ready to take Sullivan. In New York's Madison Square Garden, the match took place and people marveled at Slade's noticeable size advantage.

Many backed Slade. However, three punishing rounds later, Sullivan knocked Slade up and over the top rope with a devastating uppercut and it was over. Sullivan afterwards said the famous words, "The bigger they are the harder they fall."

That whole story sounds like a total Bullcrap fable from start to finish -- so I checked it out.. Slade was no "giant" -- Sullivan was bigger... Their weights were recorded and Sullivan held the advantage -- because Slade was a mere Cruiserweight.. His height was only 6'1" and even that may be exaggerated.. His entire boxing record was 0-6-1 so he never won a fight in his life.

Slade lost to good fighters and horrible fighters... He fought one Jack Brady whose career consisted of 1 victory in 7 fights: a quick KO over Herbert Slade.