The Battle of New Orleans: The End of an Era
Posted: 23 Aug 2007, 18:00
He was world reknowned as the greatest boxer in the history of the sport in that time, and is regarded by historians as one of the more popular athletes the world has ever known, the true link between two eras, one seemingly forgotten and the other still alive and strong today.
He been the bare-knuckle champion since 1882, and later gained recognition as the 'world' champion under the Marquis of Queensbury rules in 1885, a distinction he would hold until 1892, a decade's worth of broken bones and spirits he left in his wake.
He once fought some 150 men in exhibitions in less than a year, knocking them all out, as well as defeating champions such as Charlie Mitchell of England and New Zealand's Herbert Slade, as well as his favorite punching bag Paddy Ryan and his greatest 'rival' Jake Kilrain. And that's not to mention the numerous street fights and bar room brawls he had done in the mean time.
This man was no short of the title "The King of Kings, The Champion of Champions", which was written on a flag adorned with the colors of America and Ireland, with his resemblace in the middle, that he took with him everywhere he went.
"I can lick any son of a bitch in the house [the world]" he proclaimed.
By 1892, however, he was more fond of drinking burbon out of beer steins and smoking big black cigars during training sessions, rather than putting on great performances. He vowed he would be "as great an actor as John Wilkes Booth", as he performed many a show on the stage.
John L. Sullivan was becoming "civilised", the beast of the ring was becoming a citizen, an entertainer...a shell of his former self.
In came 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett. A handsome man of high society, who had mastered the art of 'ring science'. To John L. Sullivan, men who fought in such ways were dandy's and weren't men at all, afraid to fight 'real men' and hide behind a jab and fancy foot work.
But Corbett had fought Peter Jackson to a draw, a man Sullivan had refused to fight at all due to his color and had defeated Jake Kilrain rather easily. It seemed only logical that the two men should meet in the ring.
Sullivan didn't take Corbett seriously, but he trained harder than he had in years, though he no longer had William Muldoon as his guru, a partnership that gave John L. his greatest victory against Kilrain, in what was the last bare-knuckle championship fight in history.
From the beginning it was clear Sullivan wasn't going to win...in the third round his nose was broken, and Corbett dictated the pace all throughout. Sullivan had one ace up his sleeve, a puncher's chance, and in the 18th round landed a solid right that shook up Corbett...but it wasnt to be...the slaughter continued.
In what can be compared to the Ali-Holmes affair in 1980, John L. Sullivan, the most beloved superstar in the sport of his time, was stopped in the 21st round (one hour, 20 minutes). An era had ended. The "sport of men" was forever changed, and would go through many changes since then.
Papers all around the country were either lamenting the loss of their champion, or were applauding the defeat, depended really on who loved or disliked "The Boston Strong Boy"...
“Sullivan appeared over-weight and slowed down by age and fast living. His old traditional slugging methods were doomed to defeat when matched with the much younger, faster Corbett.”
“The young, active, and brainy Corbett stepped jauntily around the massive hulk of what had once been a great fighting man.”
-San Francisco Chronicle-
“James J. Corbett lifted boxing out of the barroom slough, the evil influences of its habitués, and started it towards its moral revolution.”
-Police Gazette, "Science Replaces Force"-
http://www.ibhof.com/corbtick.jpg
To the best of my knowledge there is no pictures, unfortunately, of this earth shaking event, that truly changed, if not defined, boxing history.
He been the bare-knuckle champion since 1882, and later gained recognition as the 'world' champion under the Marquis of Queensbury rules in 1885, a distinction he would hold until 1892, a decade's worth of broken bones and spirits he left in his wake.
He once fought some 150 men in exhibitions in less than a year, knocking them all out, as well as defeating champions such as Charlie Mitchell of England and New Zealand's Herbert Slade, as well as his favorite punching bag Paddy Ryan and his greatest 'rival' Jake Kilrain. And that's not to mention the numerous street fights and bar room brawls he had done in the mean time.
This man was no short of the title "The King of Kings, The Champion of Champions", which was written on a flag adorned with the colors of America and Ireland, with his resemblace in the middle, that he took with him everywhere he went.
"I can lick any son of a bitch in the house [the world]" he proclaimed.
By 1892, however, he was more fond of drinking burbon out of beer steins and smoking big black cigars during training sessions, rather than putting on great performances. He vowed he would be "as great an actor as John Wilkes Booth", as he performed many a show on the stage.
John L. Sullivan was becoming "civilised", the beast of the ring was becoming a citizen, an entertainer...a shell of his former self.
In came 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett. A handsome man of high society, who had mastered the art of 'ring science'. To John L. Sullivan, men who fought in such ways were dandy's and weren't men at all, afraid to fight 'real men' and hide behind a jab and fancy foot work.
But Corbett had fought Peter Jackson to a draw, a man Sullivan had refused to fight at all due to his color and had defeated Jake Kilrain rather easily. It seemed only logical that the two men should meet in the ring.
Sullivan didn't take Corbett seriously, but he trained harder than he had in years, though he no longer had William Muldoon as his guru, a partnership that gave John L. his greatest victory against Kilrain, in what was the last bare-knuckle championship fight in history.
From the beginning it was clear Sullivan wasn't going to win...in the third round his nose was broken, and Corbett dictated the pace all throughout. Sullivan had one ace up his sleeve, a puncher's chance, and in the 18th round landed a solid right that shook up Corbett...but it wasnt to be...the slaughter continued.
In what can be compared to the Ali-Holmes affair in 1980, John L. Sullivan, the most beloved superstar in the sport of his time, was stopped in the 21st round (one hour, 20 minutes). An era had ended. The "sport of men" was forever changed, and would go through many changes since then.
Papers all around the country were either lamenting the loss of their champion, or were applauding the defeat, depended really on who loved or disliked "The Boston Strong Boy"...
“Sullivan appeared over-weight and slowed down by age and fast living. His old traditional slugging methods were doomed to defeat when matched with the much younger, faster Corbett.”
“The young, active, and brainy Corbett stepped jauntily around the massive hulk of what had once been a great fighting man.”
-San Francisco Chronicle-
“James J. Corbett lifted boxing out of the barroom slough, the evil influences of its habitués, and started it towards its moral revolution.”
-Police Gazette, "Science Replaces Force"-
http://www.ibhof.com/corbtick.jpg
To the best of my knowledge there is no pictures, unfortunately, of this earth shaking event, that truly changed, if not defined, boxing history.