The Boston Strong Boy

John L. Sullivan
(the "Boston Strong Boy")
Sullivan was a boxing immortal, the link between bare knuckles and glove fighting, and the first great American sports idol. He was powerful, quick, could hit with either hand but had exceptional strength in his right, and could take punishment; He is considered still by some to be one of the best heavyweights ever. Sullivan was elected to the Intl. Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990
BORN : October 15 1858; Roxbury, Boston, MA
DIED : February 2 1918; Abington, MA

HEIGHT : 5-10 1/4 (Some report 5-10 1/2) WEIGHT: 190-229 lbs RACE : White; Irish-American
MANAGERS : Billy Madden, Al Smith, Frank Moran, Pat Sheedy, Harry Phillips, Charles E. "Parson" Davies, Ed Holske, Jimmy Wakely, Frank Hall, and Arthur T. Lumley (possibly William Muldoon at times)



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NON-PROFESSIONAL BOUTS
1877-1878
--- -- Jack Scannell Boston, Ma KO 1
--- -- Ramon Guiteras Boston, Ma D 4

PROFESSIONAL BOUTS
1879
--- -- Dan Dwyer Boston, Ma TK 3
--- -- Tommy Chandler Boston, Ma W 4
--- -- John A. "Patsy" Hogan Boston, Ma W 4
(Hogan knocked Sullivan down)
Mar 14 John "Cocky" Woods Boston, Ma TK 5

1880
Jan 5 John A. "Patsy" Hogan Boston, Ma Sched
Feb Mike Donovan Boston, Ma EX 4
Mar Jerry Murphy New York, NY EX
Apr 6 Joe Goss Boston, Ma EX 3
Gos was reigning American Titleholder, Sullivan dominated

Jun 26 Sulivan announces he will fight anyone in America,
with or without gloves, for $500

Jun 28 George Rooke Boston, Ma KO 2
--- Dan Dwyer EX
-Sullivan and Dwyer boxed several exhibitions
Nov Johnny Kenny New York, NY EX
Dec 20 John Donaldson Cincinnati, Oh EX 4
Dec 24 John Donaldson Cincinnati, Oh (21:00) KO 10
(hard gloves/London Prize Ring Rules)

Dec 27 -Sullivan and Donaldson arrested for
prizefighting; They were released two days
later

1881
Jan 3 Jack Stewart Boston, Ma TK 2
-Stewart was the Canadian Champion
Jan 3 Joe Goss Boston, Ma EX 3
Jan Jack Stewart Boston, Ma EX
Mar 21 Mike Donovan Boston, Ma EX 3
Mar 31 Steve Taylor New York, NY W 2
-Sullivan knocked down Taylor four times
May 16 John Flood Yonkers, NY (16:00) W 8
-London Rules and gloves were used for this bout;
This bout was held on a barge
Jun 13 John Flood New York, NY EX 3
Jul 11 Fred Crossley Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
-Crossley weighed 300 lbs
Jul 11 Billy Madden Philadelphia, Pa EX
Jul 21 Dan McCarty Philadelphia, Pa (0:30) KO 1
Aug 12 "Captain" James Dalton Chicago, Il KO 4
-Sullivan broke his hand
Sep 3 "Captain" James Dalton Chicago, Il W 4
Sep 3 Jack Burns Chicago, Il KO 1
-Burns was 6-6 1/2, 300 lbs
Sep George Godfrey Boston, Ma
-Both men were stripped for a fight to the finish;
Sullivan then said he would not fight Godfrey
Sep -Sullivan got into a street fight with a local bully
at Mount Clemens, Mi and knocked the man out
Oct Bob Farrell EX
Oct Steve Taylor New York, NY EX 3
Nov 5 Billy Madden New York, NY EX
Nov Pete McCoy Buffalo, NY EX
Nov 29 Billy Madden Cincinnati, Oh EX
Nov 29 Pete McCoy Cincinnati, Oh EX

1882
Feb 7 Paddy Ryan Mississippi City, Ms W 9 (10:30)
-Heavyweight Championship of America;
London Prize Ring Rules
Mar 27 Jack Douglas New York, NY EX 3
Mar 27 Billy Madden New York, NY EX 3
Mar 28 Steve Taylor Jersey City, NJ EX 3
Apr 20 John McDermott Rochester, NY TK 3
Jul 4 Jimmy Elliott Brooklyn, NY (7:00) KO 3
-Gloves were used for this bout; Weights: 195 - 185
Jul 17 Joe "Tug" Wilson New York, NY W 4
-Wilson went to the floor 24 times during the bout
to avoid being knocked out
Aug 19 Joe Goss North Adams, Ma EX
--- Joe ""Tug" Wilson
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Authorities prevented it
Sep 23 Henry Higgins Buffalo, NY TK 3
Oct 16 S.P. Stockton Fort Wayne, In KO 2
Oct 30 Charley O'Donnell Chicago, Il KO 1
Nov 16 an unnamed opponent Buffalo, NY SCH
Nov 17 P.J. Rentzler Washington, DC TK 2
-Police intervened
Nov 19 an unnamed opponent Pittsburgh, Pa SCH
Nov an unnamed opponent Cincinnati, Oh SCH
Dec 28 Joe Coburn New York, NY EX 3

1883
Jan 25 Harry Gilman Toronto, Ont, Can KO 3
Jan 29 Joe Coburn Troy, NY EX 3
Feb 22 Pete McCoy Boston, Ma EX 3
Mar 19 Steve Taylor Boston, Ma EX 3
Mar 19 Joe Coburn Boston, Ma EX 3
Mar 19 Mike Cleary Boston, Ma EX 3

May 14 Charley Mitchell New York, NY TK 3
-Mitchell knocked Sullivan down in the first round;
The bout was stopped by Police Captain "Clubber" Williams
May 15 Charley Mitchell Long Island, NY
-This bout was proposed by Joe Coburn as a
bare-knuckle fight to the finish; Mitchell
accepted but Sullivan did not; The bout
fell through
May 28 -Sullivan pitched for a semi-professional baseball team
at the New York, NY Polo Grounds
Aug 6 Herbert A. Slade New York, NY TK 3
-Gloves were used; Weights: 205 - 201
Sep -Sullivan fought some 50 minor opponents across America
and reportedly knocked out all of them; This tour took
place during Aug-Oct 1883
Oct 17 James McCoy McKeesport, Pa TK 1
Nov 3 Jim Miles East St. Louis, Il TK 1
Nov 25 Morris Hefey St. Paul, Mn KO 1
Dec 4 Mike Sheehan Davenport, Ia TK 1

1883-1884
-Sullivan continued his tour during late 1883 and early 1884;
He reportedly knocked out 29 men

1884
--- Jeff Tomkins Butte, Mt KO 1
--- Boiquet Victoria, BC, Can KO 1
Jan 14 Fred Robinson Butte City, Mt TK 2
Feb 1 Sylvester Le Gouriff Astoria, Or KO 1
Feb 6 James Lang Seattle, Wa KO 1
Mar 6 George M. Robinson San Francisco, Ca W 4
-Robinson went down 28 times to avoid being knocked out
--- Jack Traynor Dallas, Tx KO
-This was a "barroom" fight
Apr 10 Al Marx Galveston, Tx (1:55) KO 1
Apr 12 Pete McCoy New Orleans, La EX 2
Apr 28 William Fleming Memphis, Tn KO 1
Apr 29 Dan Henry Hot Springs, Ar KO 1
May 2 Enos Phillips Nashville, Tn W 4
May 30 Charley Mitchell New York, NY
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
Sullivan was drunk and unable to fight
Aug 13 Dominick McCaffrey Boston, Ma EX 3
Aug 13 Steve Taylor Boston, Ma EX 3
Aug 13 Tom Denny Boston, Ma EX 3
-The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
as part of Councilman Tom Denny's Exhibition
Oct 18 an unnamed opponent McKeesport, Pa EX
-Sullivan knocked out his opponent
Oct 19 an unnamed opponent Alleghany, Pa EX
Oct 20 an unnamed opponent Alleghany, Pa EX
Oct 20 an unnamed opponent Alleghany, Pa EX
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Oct an unnamed opponent Wheeling, WV SCH
Oct an unnamed opponent Steubenville, Oh SCH
Oct an unnamed opponent Newark, NJ SCH
Oct an unnamed opponent Columbus, Oh SCH
Oct an unnamed opponent Dayton, Oh SCH
-The previous 5 bouts were scheduled exhibitions;
The outcomes are not known
Oct 28 an unnamed opponent Cincinnati, Oh EX
Oct 29 an unnamed opponent Louisville, Ky SCH
Oct 30 an unnamed opponent Indianapolis, In SCH
Oct 31 an unnamed opponent Terre Haute, In SCH
-The previous 3 bouts were scheduled exhibitions;
The outcomes are not known
Nov 10 John M. Laflin New York, NY (7:00) W 4
-Weights: 196 - 205
Nov 17 Alf Greenfield New York, NY (6:15) W 2
-Police intervened; Weights: 198 1/2 - 160

1885
Jan 12 Alf Greenfield Boston, Ma (12:00) W 4
-Gloves were used for this bout
Jan 19 Paddy Ryan New York, NY (0:50) TK 1
-Police intervened
Apr 2 Dominick McCaffrey Philadelphia, Pa
-Police prevented the bout
Jun 13 Jack Burke Chicago, Il (15:00) W 5
-Queensberry Rules were used for this bout
Aug 29 Dominick McCaffrey Cincinnati, Oh (22:00) W 6
-Heavyweight Championship of America;
Queensberry Rules and gloves were used for this bout;
Seven rounds fought/Referee gave decison days after fight

1886
--- Billy Madden New York, NY EX
-Sullivan and Madden gave exhibitions for one week
Sep 18 Frank Herald Alleghany City, Pa W 2
-Queensberry Rules and gloves were used for this bout;
Police intervened; Weights: 225 - 185
Oct 31 Steve Taylor St. Paul, Mn EX
Nov 13 Paddy Ryan San Francisco, Ca KO 3
-Gloves were used for this bout
Dec Steve Taylor Tacoma, Wa EX 3
Dec 28 Duncan McDonald Denver, Co D 4

1887
Jan Steve Taylor EX
Jan 18 Patsy Cardiff Minneapolis, Mn D 6
-Sullivan broke a bone in his right arm;
Weights: 229 - 185
Mar 28 Steve Taylor Hoboken, NJ EX 4
Mar 28 Joe Lannon Hoboken, NJ EX 4
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 28 Jack Ashton London, Eng EX 3
Dec 9 Jack Ashton London, Eng EX 3

1887-1888
-Sullivan boxed 51 exhibitions in England

1888
Jan -Sullivan gave boxing exhibitions in Portsmouth, Eng
--- George Fryer Nottingham, Eng EX
Mar 10 Charley Mitchell Chantilly, Fr (3:10:55) D 39
-Some sources report this as a Heavyweight
Championship of the World contest; London
Rules and bare-knuckles were used for this
bout; Sullivan scored the first knockdown;
Mitchell drew first blood in the eighth
round; Weights: 166 - 200
May 15 an unnamed opponent Boston, Ma EX
Jun 4 an unnamed opponent New York, NY EX

1889
May 6 Jack Ashton Tarrytown, NY EX
Apr 24 Jack Ashton Brooklyn, NY EX 3
May 28 Billy Madden Cincinnati, Oh EX
May Mike Cleary Gloucester, NJ EX 3
Jul 8 Jake Kilrain Richburg, Ms (2:16:23) KO 75
-Heavyweight Championship of the America;
London Rules and bare-knuckles were used
Aug 2 Bill Muldoon New York, NY SCH
-This contest was to be a wrestling match
Aug 2 Mike Cleary New York, NY SCH
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled as part of a Benefit
for John L. Sullivan; The outcomes are not known
Sep 9 Mike Cleary New York, NY EX 3

1890
Feb 7 Joe Lannon Newark, NJ EX 3
Feb 12 Joe Lannon Hoboken, NJ EX 3
Dec 16 Joe Lannon New York, NY EX 3
Dec 16 Joe Lannon New York, NY EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date

1891
Jun 26 Jim Corbett San Francisco, Ca EX 4
Jul -Sullivan toured Hawaii and Australia but did not
have any official bouts; He possibly had some
exhibitions with Jack Ashton
Nov 26 Paddy Ryan San Francisco, Ca EX
Dec 20 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca EX 3

1892
May 29 Jack Ashton New York, NY EX 3
Aug 29 Jack Ashton Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Aug 29 Leonard Tracy Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
The previous 2 bouts were scheduled the same date
Aug 29 Joe Lannon Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was later scheduled for this date;
It probably replaced the Sullivan-Tracy bout;
The outcome is not known
Sep 7 Jim Corbett New Orleans, La (1:30) LK 21
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Five-ounce gloves were used for this bout;
Some sources report a time of 1:45 of round 21;
Weights: 212 - 178
Sep 10 Jack Ashton New York, NY SCH
Sep 10 Joe Lannon New York, NY SCH
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled the same date;
The outcomes are not known
Sep 17 Jack Ashton New York, NY SCH
Sep 17 Leonard Tracy New York, NY SCH
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled the same date;
The outcomes are not known but they were probably
cancelled since Sullivan boxed Corbett on this date
Sep 17 Jim Corbett New York, NY EX 3

1894
May 21 Paddy Ryan Boston, Ma EX 3
Jun 26 Paddy Ryan Boston, Ma EX 3

1895
Jun 8 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey New York, NY EX
Jun 27 Jim Corbett New York, NY EX 3
Jul 23 Paddy Ryan Bangor, Me EX 3
Jul 25 Paddy Ryan Bar Harbor, Me EX
Oct 3 Paddy Ryan Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 5 Paddy Ryan Cleveland, Oh
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
Mayor McKisson, of Cleveland, refused
to allow the bout
Oct 14 Paddy Ryan Jersey City, NJ EX 3
Nov 18 Paddy Ryan Buffalo, NY EX 3

1896
Aug 31 Tom Sharkey New York, NY EX 3
-One minute rounds were boxed

1897
Feb 17 Paddy Ryan Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
--- Bob Fitzsimmons Brooklyn, NY
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
The men were present and ready to spar;
Police intervened and prevented it

1900
Aug 29 Jeff Thorne New York, NY EX 3
Sep Jim Jeffries New York, NY EX 3

1905
Mar 1 Jim McCormick Grand Rapids, Mi EX KO 2