Who Was the Last Bare-Knuckle Heavyweight Champion? John L. Sullivan, the Boston Strong Boy

The last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing is generally considered to be John L. Sullivan (1858–1918), who is also recognised as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing, holding the title in practice from 1882 to 1892. Nicknamed "the Boston Strong Boy", he was one of the highest-paid athletes of his era and arguably the first boxing superstar. His career sits exactly at the moment when boxing changed from a brutal, often illegal spectacle into a modern sport with gloves and rules.

A son of Irish immigrants

Sullivan was born on 15 October 1858 in Roxbury, Boston, to Irish immigrant parents. Boston's Irish community was large and often looked down upon, and Sullivan's later success made him a hero to many Irish Americans. He was strong and confident from a young age, and he turned to fighting as a way to make a name and a living.

Two kinds of boxing

In Sullivan's youth, prize fights were usually fought with bare fists under the old London Prize Ring rules, in which a round ended whenever a man went down, and fights could last for dozens of rounds. Such fights were illegal in many places. At the same time, a new set of rules, the Marquess of Queensberry rules, required padded gloves, three-minute rounds and a ten-second count after a knockdown. These rules eventually became the basis of modern boxing.

Champion of the bare knuckles

Sullivan won the bare-knuckle heavyweight championship by beating Paddy Ryan in 1882. His most famous bare-knuckle fight came in 1889 against Jake Kilrain, in the summer heat of Mississippi. It lasted 75 rounds before Sullivan won. It was one of the last great bare-knuckle championship fights in history.

Touring the country with gloves

Between bare-knuckle bouts, Sullivan made his fortune with gloved exhibitions, touring the United States and challenging local men to last a few rounds with him. These tours made him a national celebrity, and he became one of the best-paid athletes of his time. Newspapers followed his every move, and his face was recognised across the country.

The fall: Corbett, 1892

On 7 September 1892, in New Orleans, Sullivan defended his title under Queensberry rules against a younger, faster boxer, James J. Corbett. Corbett, known as "Gentleman Jim", used footwork and technique to avoid Sullivan's power and knocked him out in the 21st round.

The fight is often seen as the moment when scientific boxing, based on speed and skill, defeated the old style based on strength and endurance. Sullivan accepted the loss with a famous remark: if he had to be beaten, he was glad it was by an American.

A second career on stage

After boxing, Sullivan appeared in exhibitions, worked as a stage actor and gave public talks. In a surprising turn, the man who had been famous for hard drinking became a temperance lecturer, campaigning against alcohol. He died on 2 February 1918 in Abington, Massachusetts.

Legacy

Sullivan's exact fight record is hard to pin down, and sources disagree about it. What is clear is his place in history: the bridge between bare-knuckle prize fighting and modern boxing, and the first fighter to become a true national celebrity. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

Learn with John L. Sullivan: English phrases from boxing

Phrase	Meaning	Example
to throw in the towel	to give up	After three failed attempts, he threw in the towel.
to roll with the punches	to adapt to difficulties	Learning a language means rolling with the punches.
saved by the bell	rescued from trouble at the last moment	The teacher's phone rang: saved by the bell!
to pull no punches	to speak honestly and directly	Her feedback pulled no punches.
down for the count	completely defeated or exhausted	After the exam I was down for the count.

Try this: English uses lots of boxing idioms in everyday life. Write three sentences about a difficult week using "roll with the punches" and "throw in the towel".