The first heavyweight champion of the world - John Sullivan

The first heavyweight champion of the world - John Sullivan

The boxer who started the transformation in this sport

Boxing was not always the sport we see today. Competitors didn't always wear gloves, the rules weren't as strict, there was no round limit for some matches, and a bunch of other differences. It wasn't until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that boxing began to take shape as a professional sport with its own rules, including equipment to bring a bit more safety to the players. Since then, we can also talk about the first champions in the various categories. In the following lines, we will answer the question: "Who is the first heavyweight champion of the world?"

His name is John Lawrence Sullivan. Born in the middle of the 19th century, on October 15, 1958. in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Sullivan became the first boxer to win the world heavyweight title in the sport. At the same time, the "Boston Strongboy", as he is nicknamed by the media, is also the last world champion in the sport, while he fights without gloves. Sullivan is still considered boxing's first superstar, and many argue that he was also one of the highest paid athletes of his time.

But what is the story of the first heavyweight champion? It was the wish of Sullivan's parents, who were Irish immigrants to Boston, that he graduate from the city's Catholic school and become a priest. After a few months in college, however, the future boxing superstar began playing baseball and earning between $30 and $40 a week. He subsequently began arranging illegal fights, offering people money to fight him. Events that lead to quite a few of his arrests. Subsequently, he began to engage in legal battles.

Due to the lack of professional status, boxing did not have an official world champion at the time. However, on February 7, 1882, he defeated Paddy Ryan and was declared America's Heavyweight Champion, as Ryan held that title. However, the moment that is believed to be the first in which Sullivan received the title of champion of the world remains disputed. Some people claim it was after his victory over Frenchman Charlie Michel in 1888, others believe it was a year later when he knocked out Jake Kilrane. Some people are even willing to argue that Jem Mays was the first world champion since defeating Tom Allan in the 1970s, but no official authority would admit that anyway. One thing is certain, and that is that on August 8th, 1887, Sullivan received a belt that read: "Awarded to the Champion of Champions, John L. Sullivan by the citizens of the United States." This may also be the moment when the boxer receives the first ever world title.

Far more important is the date July 8, 1889, because then Sullivan fought Jake Kilrane in a match that lasted 75 rounds and ended after Kilrane's corner threw in the towel. What is more special is that this is the last heavyweight match to be fought without gloves. Three years followed in which Sullivan did not defend his title, as he coached one of his friends, Ike Weir, who became the first US featherweight champion.

September 7, 1892 was the first defense in which Sullivan had to fight with gloves against Jim Corbutt - The Gentleman. The fight ends in success for Korbut in the 21st round. Thus, in effect, "The Gentleman" was the first competitor to win a world title in a gloves match, but the first world champion to defend his title was Sullivan. From that moment on, no other battle for this honor was fought with bare hands.

On this date, Sullivan's career ends, having played a total of 51 official meetings, in which he has only one loss - that to Corbutt, and 38 of his 47 victories have come by knockout. Due to problems with alcohol and other addictions, the "Boston Strong Boy" lost his life on February 2, 1958, aged just 59, but left a legacy that people in his sport will talk about forever.

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