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PRE
1899

Men's boxing in it's rarest form!

James Figg

The "First Known" Heavyweight Champion

James Figg, an Oxfordshire-born Englishman, is regarded as the first heavyweight champion in the sport's history and it is considered the first documentation of the first bare-fisted fight in history. According to news sources, in 1719, Figg helped popularize boxing by opening a training academy in London. [This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used. It should be noted, that this earliest form of modern boxing was very different. Contests in Mr. Figg's time, in addition to fistfighting, also contained fencing and cudgeling. Source: Wiki] Figg taught the sport to countless pupils and accepted the challenges of all comers. He retired as undefeated champion in 1734. A series of British fighters held the heavyweight crown after Figg. One of the more prominent pugilists was James Broughton, who fought from 1729 to 1750. He was recognized as a heavyweight champion and he too was the proprietor of a successful boxing academy. He is also considered the father of boxing because he was the first to establish rules, encouraged the use of gloves and set up the bouts in an area between ropes. Broughton's rules touched off a chain of reform in boxing that led directly to the Marquis of Queensberry rules. The Queensberry regulations, established in 1867 and the foundation of boxing as we know it today, introduced three-minute rounds and helped facilitate the transition from bare knuckle fights to gloved contests. Figgs is the EARLIEST known fighter whose records still exist. [Source: Legends and Lores, ©Copyrighted - ibhof.com/brithvy.htm]

[Early fighting had no written rules. There were no weight divisions or round limits, and no referee. In general, it was extremely chaotic. The first boxing rules, called the Broughton's rules, were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred.[7] Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Broughton also invented and encouraged the use of "mufflers", a form of padded gloves, which were used in training and exhibitions. The first paper on boxing was published in the late 18th century by successful Birmingham boxer 'William Futrell' who remained undefeated until his one hour and seventeen minute fight at Smitham Bottom, Croydon, on July 9, 1788 against a much younger "Gentleman" John Jackson which was attended by the Prince of Wales. Source: Wiki]

Broughton Writes First British Boxing Rules!

In 1743, Jack Broughton, who was well-educated, ran a boxing school in London. Broughton wrote the first British Boxing Rules. He made it illegal in the book of rules that a fighter could not hit "below" the belt, or that the fighter could not wrestle an opponent was was down, and only permitting above the waist techniques. Broughton also put in the rules rest periods of 30 seconds. According to news sources, these rules were used in England until 1889 when the last bare-knuckle championship bout was fought.

The FIRST Reported "Fixed" Fight in History!

In documented news sources, the earliest allegations of a fixed fight was in England on May 18, 1771, when Peter Corcoran knocked out Bill Darts in the first round. Apparently, Colonel Dennis O'Kelly, a gambler paid Darts 100 pounds the day before the fight to lose the match, and that O'Kelly ended up winning several thousand pounds on the match.

Molineaux Given His Freedom

Tom Molineaux, born in 1784, and died in 1818, was born a slave. Molineaux gained his freedom from slavery when he began boxing other slaves while the plantation owners bet on who would win. Molineaux defeated a slave from a rival plantation, and was untimately give his freedom and a sum of $500. In 1809 Molineaux left for England to pursue his dream of boxing. Molineaux won two fights in England and was then offered to fight British heavyweight champion Tom Crib. In December of 1810, Molineaux fought Crib, and after 39 rounds he collapsed from exhaustion. Molineaux rematched Crib on September 28, 1811. Monlineaux lasted only 11 rounds and was KO'd against Crib and Crib retained his title. In 1814, Molineaux fought William Fuller, and it was reported that the fight went two rounds that lasted over an hour. In 181, Monlineaux died in Dublin, Ireland.

Fifty Cents to Attend a Fight! What a deal....
March 3, 1835

March 3, 1825 - In the Democratic Press, dated in March of 1825. This particular paper had an announcement of an upcoming fight. The price of the tickets....50 cents! The notice said, "Respectfully informs his friends and the public, that he intends giving, scientifically, an Exhibition of the manly and useful art of SELF-DEFENCE, at Mr. Keating’s Long Room, (Shakespeare Building) on Thursday, March 3, 1825.

First Fatality to Occur in America in Boxing
September 13, 1842

NEW YORK -In 1842 the news reported that on September 13, in Hastings, there was a prize fight between Christopher Lilly vs. Thomas McCoy. Over 2000 boxing fans came to witness this fight. The fight lasted 2.41 hours, when in the 77th round, McCoy collapsed and died. According to news sources, the coroner's investigation of McCoy's remains showed that fluid from wounds that he had received during the fight had drained into McCoy's lungs and that he had drown! It was the FIRST FATALITY in an fight that took place in America.

Hotly disputed Fight ends in a Draw!
April 17, 1860
In Hampshire, England, John C. Heenen, 6'2", 182 lbs., fought a much shorter opponent, Thomas Sayers, 5'8", 154 lbs. The fight went on for six rounds, when Sayers fractured his right arm. BUT, the fight continued to 41 rounds, when it was declared a "draw." Both boxers were made champions and both received championship belts.

Twenty-Five Rounds Bout
(The fight was over in 35 minutes)
December 24, 1863

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 24, 1863 -The front page reports: "The Great Prize-Fight In England" "King Vanquishes Heenan" "Twenty-Five Rounds Fought" "The Fight Over in Thirty-five Minutes". Minor report followed by a round by round account of the fight.

Boxing: Without Equal, The First Jack Dempsey
By Dave Mckee- February 12, 2005 A fellow by the name of John Kelly was born in County Kildare, Ireland on the 15th of December, 1862. Twenty-one years later, having emigrated to America with his parents and taken up work as a cooper, John volunteered to substitute in a boxing match. Over the course of twenty-one rounds of combat that resulted in the knockout defeat of Ed McDonald, John Kelly was reborn as Jack Dempsey, later to be given the sobriquet "Nonpareil", meaning "having no equal." http://www.ringsidereport.com

Marquis of Queensberry
year of 1866
In 1866 in England, The Marquis of Queensberry, a prominent figure in British sporting circles, developed rules for the sport. Some of the major rules involved that fighters would wear gloves, no wrestling, three minutes rounds, with a one-minute rest, recovery time from a knockdown, etc. These rules were not readily accepted and it took time for the boxing community to accept such rules.

Bare Knuckles Championship held in Kenner, Louisiana - 1870!
In 1870, in Kenner, Louisiana, there was a bare knuckles championship fight was held on the banks of the Mississippi River in the southern part of the city. According to reporting news media there were over a thousand boxing fans who attending the event. The boxing match was between two British boxers.

John Sullivan Fights Flood
May 1881
John Sullivan faced John Flood "the Bullshead Terror" on a moonlit barge towed a few miles up the Hudson River, just outside the jurisdiction of the New York City police. The fight did not last too long, and Sullivan came out the winner. This led to a championship fight match with Paddy Ryan.

Sullivan Defeats Paddy Ryan!
February 7, 1882
John L. Sullivan defeated Irish-born Paddy Ryan by a TKO in the ninth round in Mississippi City, Mississippi, for the World bare knuckle title fought under the London Prize Ring rules. Ryan was recognized as THE heavyweight champ, he lost his crown to John L. Sullivan, a first-generation American of Irish decent. It was Sullivan's fearless, and brawling style who had a knockout punch that was responsible for the rise of boxing's popularity in America. (Source: Legends and Lores, ©Copyrighted - Link: http://www.ibhof.com/brithvy.htm)

First American World Champion
The great John L. Sullivan has been recognized as the first American world heavyweight champion. He gained world stature on February 7, 1882, when he stopped Paddy Ryan in nine rounds in Mississippi City. *Tom Hyer is generally considered the first U.S. champion, although he never received the world recognition that Sullivan did. Source: Ring magazine, August 1976

Amateur Boxing Makes its mark!
March 11, 1882

In March of 1882, it is documented that an Amateur event occurred in Boxing Trivia: First Fight Held in Ball Park
The first fight held in a ball park dated back to July 4, 1882, in Washington Park. The great John L. Sullivan KO'd Jimmy Elliot in three rounds.

Sullivan Wins over McCoffreyT!
August 29, 1885
John L. Sullivan won a six-round decision over Dominic McCaffrey in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the vacant World title fought under the Marquees of Queensbury rules with boxing gloves.

Publication About Boxing in 1888!

In 1888, this manual came out into publication "Art of Boxing" Numerous chapters were written on on training and boxing technique ~ guarding, ducking, countering, the Clinch, upper cuts, body blows, hard hitting, "In Chancery," Back-Heeling, Cross-Buttock and more.

Boxers Fight 75 Rounds!
July 8, 1889

Hard to believe that John L. Sullivan fought Jake Kilrain in a 75 round competition....The purse they receive...$20,000. Source: Boxing Illustrated - W.S. FarnsworthFarsworth who wrote: "The bell for the seventy-fifth round had sounded. Sullivan rushed from his corner and knocked Kilrain down. Jake was dazed as he was carried off the canvas by his handlers. The final punch was a wicked right-hander that landed cleanly on the button." When the bell rang for the 76th found, Kilrain was unable to continue. It was staged on the turf at turf at Richburg, Mississippi. A crowd of 5, 000 attended the battle, which was pronounced to be something phenomenal. The date was July 8, 1889. The purse of $20,000 was astoundingly large to ring followers of that era, but today is only small-time money. About the forty-fourth round Sullivan became sick The bell for the seventy-fifth round had sounded. Sullivan rushed from his corner and knocked Kilrain down. Jake was dazed as he was carried off the canvas by his handlers. The final punch Was a wicked right-hander that landed cleanly on the button. The bell for the seventy-sixth rang, but Kilrain was unable to toe the mark, and his chief second, Mike Donovan, threw the sponge in the ring. This was the last bare knuckle championship staged in the United States and marked the passing of the old London prize ring rules. This was a fight that would make the battles of the the present day look like pink-tea affairs. Anything and everything went. About the forty-fourth round Sullivan became sick and his backers began to get worried. Kilrain Evidently thought so also. "Do you want to draw the fight" Kilrain asked Sullivan. Sullivan said, "No you Loafer" and knocked him to the earth. In the forty-fifth round Sullivan committed a very apparent foul. After clinching with Kilrain, the latter went down, and Sullivan, falling on top, deliberately jumped on the fallen man’s head with his knees. Sullivan’s sickness disappeared in the fifty-second round and after that gave Kilrain a terrible beating. The Bontonian kept up the attack from then to the end.

September, 7, 1892 James J. Corbett defeated John L. Sullivan with a KO in the 21st round! The fight took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sullivan came out of semi-retirement to fight Corbett for the title using the Marquees of Queensbury rules. Boxing from now on would be governed by these rules. After a spectacular 10-year reign, Sullivan lost the belt to American James J. Corbett, who lost the belt to Bob Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons was born in England but fought primarily out of Australia and the United States. However, when American James J. Jeffries dethroned him in 1899, it began nearly a century-long drought of British heavyweight champions. (Source: Legends and Lores, ©Copyrighted - Link: ibhof.com/brithvy.htm)

Fitzsimmons Wins over Corbett
March 17, 1897 Bob Fitzsimmons defeated James J. Corbett when he KO'd Corbett in the 14th round. The fight took place on Carson City, Nevada.

June 9, 1899 James J. Jeffries KO'd Bob Fitzsimmons in the 11th round in Coney Island, New York.

November 3, 1899
Tom Sharkey (L) vs. Jim Jeffries in one of boxing's all-time classics, a 25-round decision won by Jeff.

Sharkey, a fighter with cauliflowered left ear, destined never to be touched By a plastic surgeon, battled no less than James J. Jeffries twice, losing both Both battles to the much-bigger Jeffries, but going the distance each time—The latter in a twenty-five round donnybrook for the heavyweight title that Left both a bloody mess and Sharkey with two broken ribs. Managed middleweight Champion Stanley Ketchel, was teasing Sharkey about his inability to read or write.

Corbett Announces his retirement from the ring

Published on WBAN.