National Police Gazette Heavyweight Championship Belt

[Simon Lock]

I am attempting to trace the lineage of the National Police Gazette Heavyweight Championship Belt, and am having some trouble.

So far I have the following:

1) The initial title was held by John L Sullivan from 1882.
2) Sullivan was stripped by the Gazette in 1887 for avoiding multiple top challengers.
3) On 19th December 1887, Jake Kilrain beat Jem Smith, and the Gazette recognised Kilrain as champion.
4) On 8th July 1889, John L Sullivan beat Jake Kilrain and regained the title.
5) In June 1890, John L Sullivan retired from boxing, leaving the title vacant.
6) On 27th September 1890, Frank Slavin beat Joe McAuliffe and won the Gazette belt. Sullivan was questioned about the fight, and confirmed he was retired when asked if he would fight Slavin.

So far, so good.

Next, I have 2 conflicting pieces of information:

7) On 21st May 1891, James J Corbett fought Peter Jackson to a 61 round No-Contest. According to a report in the Gazette shortly before this fight, they were fighting for the Gazette's vacant world title. As there was no winner, neither man won the title.
8) On 16th June 1891, Frank Slavin beat Jake Kilrain. According to Boxrec's description of this bout, "Slavin defends his Police Gazette championship belt."

I don't understand how Slavin can defend his belt, if it was vacant for the Corbett-Jackson fight less than a month earlier. Either Slavin was still champion, in which case the Gazette was wrong about whether their belt was in play in the Corbett-Jackson fight, or Slavin had been stripped, in which case Boxrec is wrong to describe his fight with Kilrain as a title defence.

Following on from this, if Slavin was still Gazette champion after beating Kilrain, why didn't Peter Jackson become champion when he beat him in May 1892?

Any explanation for the above would be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Ambling Alp II]

Have never heard that the Police Gazette title was on the line for Corbett-Jackson. Guessing it wasn't.
Guessing that Jackson being a black man had something to do with him not getting awarded it after beating Slavin.

Really we are talking about what one guy (publisher Richard Fox) thought. He may have simply changed mind sometimes.

[p4p1]

Have never heard that the Police Gazette title was on the line for Corbett-Jackson. Guessing it wasn't.
Guessing that Jackson being a black man had something to do with him not getting awarded it after beating Slavin.

Really we are talking about what one guy (publisher Richard Fox) thought. He may have simply changed mind sometimes.

Don't forget that his hatred for John L was legendary which is the real reason why John L was stripped in the first place. It wouldn't surprise me if he, as you said just changed his mind. From my understanding, he was basically only beholden to himself when it came to the awarding of his championship belt. IIRC he also wasn't a fan of gloved fighting, which was another thing he had against Sullivan, who was a pioneer of gloved bouts.

[Simon Lock]

Thanks for the replies.

I believe I have found the answer in an article in the Gazette on 8th October 1892:

"Frank P. Slavin , the champion of Australia , challenged any man In the world to fight for the championship in 1890, and Joe McAuliffe accepted the challenge, and the match was arranged for a purse of $5,000, the "Police Gazette" belt, and the championship of the world. The fight was decided In the Ormonde Club, London, England, on Dec 10, 1890. Slavin won in two rounds, lasting 6 minutes 30 seconds. Slavin came to America to fight Sullivan for the "Police Gazette" belt and the championship in 1891, but Sullivan declined claiming he had retired and was under contract. After Sullivan's contract expired Slavin again visited New York and Sullivan challenged him to fight for $10,000 a side and the. championship, at the same
time depositing $1,500 forfeit. Slavin's backers disappointed him and he backed down and Sullivan again became champion
of the world."

[Ambling Alp II]

Interesting stuff, Simon.
Always wondered how much influence the Police Gazette had with fans. Slavin-Sullivan might have been a good fight at this time.

[Senya13]

Capt. Cooke in Boston Police News (May 21, 1887):

Great Jupiter! Who ever heard the like of that challenge of Kilrain's so-called "backer," directed to John L. Sullivan? The challenge is for Sullivan to fight Kilrain "in six months or less," under London prize ring rules, "with gloves!" London rules "with gloves" is a triumph of pugilistic knowledge. I can imagine Jem Mace, Joe Coburn, Phil Clair, Tom Allen, Ned Price, Mike Donovan, Arthur Chambers, Billy Edwards, Sam Collyer, Barney Aaron, Phil Daly, "Dublin Tricks," Tommy Kelly and the other surviving knights of the squared circle, bursting with merriment over the proposition to "fight with gloves under London rules." The belt that Sullivan is invited to battle for against Kilrain is a trophy that was offered Sullivan as a gift and declined by him because, as he said, he is not an advertising sandwich or a dog to wear a collar indicating that anybody owns him.

[Simon Lock]

Per the Gazette on 13th December 1890:

"After John L. Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain for $10,000, the "Police Gazette" championship belt and the championship of the world, he deposited $1,000 for its safe return, and when the famous pugilist decided to retire he returned the belt to the donor, Richard K. Fox, and his $1,000 was returned to him."