1892 Sullivan vs Corbett Fight

34-year-old John L. Sullivan was knocked out by 26-year-old James J. Corbett for the world heavyweight championship. “Gentleman Jim” pocketed $25,000, tax free.

The first legal boxing match ever held in the United States was held in New Orleans in 1890. Boxing gloves were first used in an 1891 match here between Louis Nuckols and Charles Carroll.

The longest recorded fight was endured in New Orleans on April 6, 1893, between Jack Burk and Andy Bower. It lasted 110 rounds over a period of seven hours, 19 minutes and ended in a draw.

Neither man received a dime for his efforts. Rules of the day called for the winner to receive the entire purse. Since the fight ended in a draw, both men received cuts, bruises and battered bodies, but nothing else.

New Orleans is the only city to ever have three world championship fights staged on three consecutive days.

•Sept. 5, 1892: Jack McAuliffe knocked out Billy Meyers for the lightweight championship, with $9,000 to the winner.

• Sept. 6, 1892: George Dixon claimed the featherweight title by knocking out Jack Skelly. Dixon received $7,500.

• Sept. 7, 1892: A 34-year-old John L. Sullivan was knocked out by a 26-year-old James J. Corbett for the world heavyweight championship. “Gentleman Jim” pocketed $25,000, tax free.

Fight fans of New Orleans in the 1850s were so volatile that barbed wire had to be strung around the ring to protect the judges, referee and fighters from the populous. That’s taking a sport seriously!

Source: BUDDY STALL at http://clarionherald.org/20010329/stall.htm