El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-01

1851 and, after knocking out
George Rookie in two rounds, he went
to Cincinnati where he fought John
Donaldson OF Cleveland, and defeated
him in 20 minutes.
His first fight of inheritance. prob
ably regarded so because 1t was mis-
first fight in the vicinity of New York
was against John Flood of that cizy
on a barge anchored in the Hudson
river opposite YOnkers- About three
hundred persons witnessed the affair
and paid $40 each.
Tho following is quoted from the
New York Herald of May II. 1881, the
day after the fight 1t was a most IN
satisfactory fight Neither seemed 70
understand the rudiments Of the art
of self defence. 1t was all pull and
haul and hitting at close quarters
Sullivan had the better Of the fight
from the start to the finish and in the
eighth round knocked Flood down as
soon as they met and the latter was
unable to respond at the call of time
and sullivan was declared the win
ner."
sullivan was trained for the fight
by Billy" Madden and was seconded
by his trainer and Joe" GOss.
1t was Floods first fight He was
80 years Of age and weighed 1S5
pounds, while Sullivan weighed $50. The
Herald further remarked: Flood IN
derstOOd nothing about the business he
was engaged in, and there is no nkeIi-
hood of his ever appearing again IS
pugilist"-
The battle lasted 16 minutes.
Rough at the Start.
At that time Sullivan undoubtedly
was crude and gave little promise Il
later becoming the great fighter that
he was. He steadily improved, and
ere long fought Paddy" Ryan for the
championship OF the world under the
old London prize ring rules Then ne
toured the country and introduced the
now famous four-rOund exhibition
bouts He was the originator Of the
knockout punch to the point Of the
chin
One of the most remarkable things
in the career of Sullivan was his fight
with CHARLEY Mitchell the heavy
weight champion of England Although
he weighed but 143 pounds, Mitchell
was the first man TO knock Sullivan
off his feet
Mitchell created such a sensation by
has showing that he and sullivan met
March 10 at Chantilly, France, and
lbcxed 80 rounds TO a draw
1t has always been claimed by some
who We're interested in that fight that
Mitchell was sold OUT by one OF his
seconds. 1t was said that Sullivan be
came arm weary and, while Mitchell
could not hurt him, he could not hurt
Mitchell At any. rate the lighters
agreed TO call halt at the end of the
39th round.
In 1887 Jack" Kilrain challenged
oulllhan 4DE t0-UUur u4eALLlOAAu ntAL arr
the championship under London prize
ring rules. Sullivan refused TO make
ARRANGEMENTS for the match.
Kilrain then claimed the champion
ship of America by default and 1t
was not until Sullivan had fought him
IS rounds at Richburg, Miss, July s,
1855, for a purse Of $4,000, the lars-
est amount offered in this country
until September z, 1892. that Sullivan
regained the American title
Net COrbett On Tour.
Sullivan again toured this country,
and while thus engaged met James j.
Corbett. amateur champion of San
Francisco, in an exhibition bout 1t
was then that COrbett realized that
he had chance to take the champion
ship away from Sullivan, and sue
ceeded in so doing September Z, 1892, al
New Orleans in q rounds.
After that Sullivan engaged in only
4 Few more fights notably a three
round affair with Tom Sharkey- lie
tried his hand at several occupations,
and it was not until during the St
Louis worlds fair that he settled down
to home life, as he called it.
He still is Good old John l." to de-
voices Of boxing, and always will be-