James J. Corbett vs. Peter Jackson
James J Corbett 185 lbs fought without result Peter Jackson 197 lbs by NC in round 61
- Date: 1891-05-21
- Location: California A.C., San Francisco, California, USA
- Referee: Hiram Cook
Notes
- The San Francisco Chronicle stated before the fight: "This is unquestionably the greatest match ever made in the heavyweight class, as the two men are known the world over as the most skilled boxers that the ring has ever produced."
- The fight was staged before an overflow crowd in the auditorium of the California Athletic Club.
- The purse for the fight was $10,000, with $8,500 going to the winner and $1,500 going to the loser. Because the fight ended in a No Contest, each fighter was paid only $2,500 by the California Athletic Club. Both boxers angrily denounced the club and declared they would never again have anything to do with it, nor should anyone else in the boxing community. [1]
From the Salem Daily News, May 22, 1891:
Greater interest was never manifested in any fight which has occurred on the Pacific Coast than that created by the great heavyweight battle between Peter Jackson of Australia and Jim Corbett of San Francisco, which occurred last night at the gymnasium of the California Athletic Club. This was due not only to the merits and the prominence of the two principals, but also to the fact that the contest would open the way to settling the question of the championship of the world, as the winner is expected to meet [Frank] Slavin, the man who has defeated all tho best on the other side of the pond. The men had trained hard and carefully and both were said to be in better form than ever before in their lives. Jackson had the advantage of a little more beef than Corbett possessed, but in every other respect it was agreed by the sporting public generally that the men were evenly matched. Jackson was the favorite in the betting previous to the fight at 10 to 8, but this was due mainly to the fact that he had had greater experience in the ring than his opponent. At these odds many thousands of dollars have been wagered during the past two days. . . . As early as 6 o'clock the spectators began to assemble in the club room and they continued to arrive as fast as the officers at the narrow entrance could admit them. Twenty policemen were in attendance to preserve order. As 8 o'clock approached the crowd in the hall showed an eagerness to have the principals appear, though it was yet an hour before time for them to appear. Jackson and Corbett arrived at the club rooms about 8 o'clock. They entered by a side door without attracting attention and immediately went to their rooms. It was soon after 9 when the principals, with their seconds, entered the ring. Both men were enthusiastically received, showing that each had plenty of friends. The men, when stripped, appeared in magnificent shape, and a hum of admiration sounded through the hall. The weights were announced, Jackson 197, Corbett 185. After the gloves were adjusted the men advanced and shook hands. In the first six rounds Jackson had the best of it. From the sixth to the twenty-fifth the men fought fairly well, honors being easy, with Jackson showing less distress than Corbett. The latter was game and fought strongly, but it was plain that he was not such a seasoned slugger as Jackson. In the twenty-fifth round, in a rushing rally, Corbett punished Jackson with heavy body blows, and thereafter the black showed no eagerness for close work. It was not known until after the mill, however, that Jackson's ribs were broken, and that Corbett was also badly injured. The fight from the twenty-fifth to the sixty-first round was simply a standoff, no hard work being done. At the close of the sixty-first round the fight was stopped by the referee. The men were unfit to fight longer, and both were willing to stop. All bets were off, and the club holds on to the purses. So, if either gets the cash they will have to fight for it again. [2]