On this day: John L. Sullivan defended his bare-knuckle heavyweight championship against Jake Kilrain in a brutal war of attrition.
At the peak of his powers, ‘The Boston Strong Boy’ was a revered competitor, cementing his status as an icon of the 19th century.
Sullivan, who’s considered by many to be the last bare-knuckle heavyweight champion, was one of the highest-paid athletes of his era.
His fights often made the newspapers, with one contest in particular still spoken about to this day.
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John L. Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain after 75 rounds
On July 8, 1889, John L. Sullivan put his heavyweight championship belt on the line against Jake Kilrain in a battle for the ages.
In the scorching 103°F Mississippi heat, the pair traded blows, with the challenger starting strong, landing fearsome blows on his adversary
Kilrain continued attempting to bully his opponent, having some success. But in the 20th round, he tasted his opponent’s venom and looked noticeably hurt.
However, by the 45th segment, it was Sullivan who was in serious trouble. The warrior, who’d supposedly had a huge breakfast and had reportedly drunk a quart of whisky during the bout, began to throw up.
Because of this, Kilrain suggested they call it a draw, which only motivated his rival further.
In round 68, the icon wobbled his opponent with a huge uppercut, and by the end of the 75th segment, Kilrain had nothing left, with his corner throwing in the sponge.
Following two hours and sixteen minutes, the last recognized sanctioned bare-knuckle heavyweight title fight was over.
John L. Sullivan was in the Boxing Hall of Fame’s original class
After his time in bare-knuckle fighting, Sullivan defeated Dominick McCaffrey to become the inaugural heavyweight world champion under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.
He eventually retired from the sport with a record of 47-1-2 with 38 wins via knockout.
In 1990, his remarkable achievements were recognized as he was inducted as part of the original class into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.