John L. Sullivan
| John L. Sullivan | |
|---|---|
Sullivan in his prime during the 1880s
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | John Lawrence Sullivan |
| Nickname(s) | Boston Strong Boy |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 10 1⁄2 in (1.79 m) |
| Reach | 74 in (188 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
October 15, 1858 Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 1918 (aged 59) Abington, Massachusetts, U.S.] |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 44 |
| Wins | 40 |
| Wins by KO | 34 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 1 |
John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also known as the "Boston Strong Boy", was an American boxer recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing, holding the title from February 7, 1882, to 1892. He is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring Rules.
John Lawrence Sullivan was born in 1858 in the South End neighborhood of Boston to Irish immigrant parents, Michael Sullivan from Abbeydorney, County Kerry and the former Catherine Kelly from Athlone, County Westmeath.
He attended public schools in his native Boston, attending the Dwight Grammar School, performing well academically.
Sullivan's parents aspired for their son to enter the priesthood as a Roman Catholic priest. To this end Sullivan enrolled at Boston College circa 1875 but after only a few months he turned to playing baseball professionally, earning the substantial sum of $30 to $40 a week for his efforts. As Sullivan recalled in 1883:
"...I threw my books aside and gave myself up to it. This is how I got into the base-ball profession and I left school for good and all. From the base-ball business I drifted into boxing and pugilism."
As a professional fighter Sullivan was nicknamed The Boston Strongboy. As a youth he was arrested several times for participating in bouts where the sport was outlawed. He went on exhibition tours offering people money to fight him. Sullivan won more than 450 fights in his career.
There is some controversy among boxing historians, over whether Sullivan had sparred with black boxer James Young at Schieffelin Hall in Tombstone, Arizona in 1882. It is significant because Sullivan insisted that he never fought a black boxer. If it did occur, Sullivan possibly had a brief sparring session with the resident from Tombstone, and didn't regard it seriously as a bout.
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