BoxRec

I have couple of questions of John L Sullivan,, I thought that maybe "The Great John L" or someone else might know about.

1. I read in a book called "The Legendary Champions" (by Rex Lardner) that Sullivan knocked Corbett down in the 17th round. I have never read or heard that Sullivan knocked Corbett down anywhere else.
Does anyone else know of this mentioned in a book, newspaper, or magazine anywhere else?

2. In another book on Sullivan, "John L Sullivan and His America" (by Micheal Isenberg) it mentions a fight that Sullivan had in 1905 thirteen years after his loss to Corbett. It says he knocked out Jim McCormick in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In one place it describes a the fight as an exhibition, and in another it seems to list it as a legitimate fight.
I have never read or heard about this anywhere else.
Does anyone know anything about this?

Ambling Alp wrote:I have couple of questions of John L Sullivan,, I thought that maybe "The Great John L" or someone else might know about.

1. I read in a book called "The Legendary Champions" (by Rex Lardner) that Sullivan knocked Corbett down in the 17th round. I have never read or heard that Sullivan knocked Corbett down anywhere else.
Does anyone else know of this mentioned in a book, newspaper, or magazine anywhere else?

2. In another book on Sullivan, "John L Sullivan and His America" (by Micheal Isenberg) it mentions a fight that Sullivan had in 1905 thirteen years after his loss to Corbett. It says he knocked out Jim McCormick in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In one place it describes a the fight as an exhibition, and in another it seems to list it as a legitimate fight.
I have never read or heard about this anywhere else.
Does anyone know anything about this?

The only book I have on my shelf with an actual newspaper account of the fight contains no reference to a knockdown. It's interesting reading an eyewitness report of the fight because it is quite different than most would assume. Based on the report, the fight was Corbetts from the beginning, but Sullivan had his moments. It mentions John L looking tired as early as the 6th round, yet describes many subsequent rallies. It also mentions Sullivan feinting and using left jabs, which most posters here seem to think was not in John L's aresenal.

As far as the McCormick fight, from what I have read, it appears to have been an exhibition, but I think exhibitions were a bit different then. Sullivan did indeed score a KO in that particular "exhibition".

Thanks Great John L - Let me know if you ever hear any more about either of these, especially the Corbett fight.

From what I have read the McCormick fight was an exhibition, but Sullivan was out to prove himself still capable and it seems that he went about it as if it were a regular bout. Fight reports state that Sullivan came into the exhibition at 273 pounds and although grey headed, 46 years old and terribly out of shape he still packed a heavy wallop in his right. Even in that condition, Sullivan still handled McCormick better than most did.