Tom Sullivan (boxer)

Thomas Sullivan, also known as "Tommy" and "Irish Tommy" (January 1, 1922 South Boston, Massachusetts-December 23, 1957 South Boston) was an American professional light heavyweight boxer who was murdered by the Charlestown Mob and Patriarca crime family.

Thomas O'Suileabhain-Sullivan was born to a first generation Brittany-Irish emigrants Thomas and his mother simply identified as "Margaret (Mary) Sullivan" (1875–1957). It is unknown if that is her maiden name, or married name, as that is how she is identified in the newspaper articles concerning her son. Upon arriving to America his parents Thomas and Mary settled in South Boston. Thomas and Mary conceived two sons, Thomas, named after his paternal grandfather, not his father as is popular in American culture, following the old Gaelic-Celtic tradition. He had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He had a younger brother also named Thomas after his paternal uncle who was a stillborn and a sister Leehna Maher-Sullivan. His father left Mary and their children at a very young age leaving all the responsibility to his mother. Mary Sullivan was a doting mother who supported her only son Tommy throughout his professional boxing career. In Joseph Barboza's autobiography Barboza, Sullivan is wrongly identified as "Rocky", not "Tommy". Thomas was known in the neighborhood as a "tough puncher" who later went to work as a longshoreman in Boston, Massachusetts and lived with his mother on East Fifth Street. Even after his boxing career finished he remained physically fit from working dock at the Boston Harbor as a longshoreman and sparred at a gym to maintain his lean physique. During the late night bar brawl with Edward McLaughlin Tommy showed immense strength and lifted up one end of the four-door sedan and was able to move the car and prop one of the wheel chassis up on the curb, putting the sedan on a tilt and allowing him access to the bloodied and battered cowering Edward McLaughlin who had retreated for cover underneath and continue the assault. His opponent, Edward was severely handicapped against Sullivan at the time of the fight, he was out of shape and was out of shape from alcoholism.

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