Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-01
THE GREATEST OF
 ALL PRIZE FIGHTS
(By John l.. Sullivan.)

am often asked the question "What was your greatest fight?' TO a man who has been through as many battles under as many different con- ditions as have, that is a rather hard thing to decide. I have knocked out 143 men, and only one man beat me; he beat me because I was not Tn con dition. and he would not stand up to me Mitchell and Paddy Ryan gave me great battles, and Corbett beat me. wore me down, though he did not hurt me. But I think the greatest fight ot my ring career was the one in Rlch- burg. Miss, when I beat Jake k1lrain in 75 rounds. The battle was fought on July &, 1889.
 Kilrain did not stand up and fight like Mitchell and Ryan, but the lengh of the fight and the constant wrestling made it hard, hard battle So I will take this up as the greatest fight of my career for those reasons and because I won out in the end.
 After the match with kilrain was made, and nine weeks ahead of the date set, went into training at Bel fast, x. Y. Billy Muldoon was my training partner.
 The articles, by the way, were sign ed in Toronto.
 Just one week before July s, Billy Muldoon and pulled stakes from Bel fast and set out for New Orelans. We took a big cask of the water l had been drinking with us. and that is plan I would recommend to all fight CTS to-day. All the time on the train and after we had arrived in New Or leans, and while We were in Richburg I drank the water I had been drink ing in Belfast.
 These fellows who are fighting to. day have no idea of what We had to go through in order to hold mill While every sheriff was on the look out for us. and the militia of two states would have camped on our trail if they had known the location of the battle-ground.
 The starting point for the fighting place was New Orleans. Nearly every body of note who wanted to see the mill gathered there to go up on spe- cial train. The state authorities in Louisiana thought that We were go- ing to fight in that state. and We had some trouble in getting away from them.
 We got into Richburg the night be fore the day of battle and l had a long sleep. awaking in the morning feeling fine.
 We were scheduled to be in the ring at 10 o'clock. but knew i. would be nearer i2. We were ready to start about 1O:3O. when We got word that there was some trouble with the sheriff. That was true. bu, it did not last long. It seemed that after the crowd had gathered about the ring the sheriff climbed over the ropes and read the riot act. or part of the law governing the case and commanded the crowd to break UT and leave.
 Renaud climbed into the ring and argued the ease with him for a few minutes. but the sheriff said he was there to stay. Finally Remand slip ped s25O in his hand. and then sev- eraI men gathered around him and Hustled him out of the ring That was all the trouble we had with the authorities.
 Billy MuIdOon and Mike Cleary who were to be my seconds. and my self started out about IT o'clock for the ring Riehburg is only a small town and the ring had been pitched in a Iittie piece of wood country about a quarter of a mile out of town
 can remember that scene as if had fought the battle yesterday. as told you this man Fisk oEned a ium - Der yard. and he had built up great rows of seats on all four sides Of the arena These were iaumef with sx cited men. yelling greetings and bes at each other across Jhe ring Thers were large trees all around behind the seats. and there were a lot Q men perched up in these
 The betting was even money. and there EsS certainly mOns- in bales