Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-25
JOHN L. SULLIVAN LAST
 CHAMP UNDER LONDON RULES.
Never Lost a Decision at That Style of Fighting-Fousht Many Hard Bat ties.


 John L. Sullivan. the last of the American champions under London rules never lost a decision at that style of milling. His championship ti- tie was wrested from him under Queensbury rules, and by the first man of class the Bostonian had ever met in the ring-James J. Corbett.
 Sullivan was born in Boston in 1858, and is therefore 56 years of age today. He is very comfortably situated, his receipts from vaudeville work having netted him a snug fortune. He has a fine farm near Boston where he spends his time when not on the theatrical circuit doing his monologue.
 Sullivan, as a result of defeating a large number of nondescripts, acquired tremendous reputation at the outset of his career, but his latter conteo+s with men of the class of McCaffrey, Mitchell and Corbett proved conclu- sively that he was not a fighter of the first rank.
 Sullivan sprang into prominence by knockout blow that he landed on old Joe Goss ac an entertainment for the benefit of Goss in the Music hall at Boston in 1880. It was supposed to be an exhibition bout, but Sullivan watch ed his chance, swung on the old chap | and sent him to the ring floor. This between Goss and Ryan, in which , Ryan, a third rater. beat the old man | in ST rounds. Goss was AZ years of age at the time Sullivan foored him. and the Bostonian was 22.
 Sullivan then beat George Rooke | John Donaldson, Steve Taylor, John ] Flood and other mediocre performers ' and was matched with the third rater ! Paddy Ryan, who held the title as a ! result of his victory over Goss. Ryan | quit disgracefully and Sullivan became | champion.
 Billy Madden, who managed Sullivan | at this time. stipulated gloves for al | his contests, because there was less
 danger of Sullivan being beaten, and ! when the aged but still combat'vt
 knuckIe combat Madden refused, ana
 specified gloves. Sullivan easily vol l with the padded mitts.
 The same was true of Tug Wilson | who wanted a match with bare
 knuckles, but had to be content witf ! a four round glove bout, Wilson stay | ing the limit.
 | Charley Mitchell also challenged Sul. | livan to fight with bare knuckles ana | was compelled to accept a four oun [ glove bout in Madison Square Garden 1 Mitchell floored Sullivan in the second round and was making it hot for nj!
 big opponent in the third when th' police stopped the combat
 Jem Smith, champion of England | challenged Sullivan to fight in Engla:IG ! fTdnC6, put oulllNdn Sdlu n6 WOulS 1 fight Smith in Ireland, and no othel
 place Smith said all right, Irela .lC
 would do, and then Sullivan backed l out.
 After Sullivan had broken his ar1
 on Patsy Cardiff's head in Cleveland il
 a bout scheduled for six rounds, aaC
 the referee had called 1t a draw (des
 pite the fact that Sullivan was una aoI,
 to continue), the champion decided oI
 trip to Europe.
 Just as he was about to start he go
 @ challenge from Jake .Kilrain to ngh
 for the title and s5.000 a side Sullivan
 declared he fould not fight for les
 than s10.000 side. and when Kilrain'
 packer consented Sullivan dropped ..l
 negotiations and sailed away
 It was on this pretext that Kilrail
 claimed the title. but he never wa generally acknowledged as the cham
 pion and was set down as a secon,
 rater.
 When Sullivan arrived in Englan, Kilrain, who had preceded him, wa. matched with Jem Smith, and bot men were in strict training WIfl characteristic unfairness, Sullivan
 challenged Smith to a four round com , bat.
 However. Mitchell was eager for
 contest with Sullivan and made l match in a hurry. It was decided nea ] Chantilly, France, and Sullivan was badly whipped man when his manager Harry Phillips, sent S2.5OO around t : Jack Baldock, Mitchelrs chief second ; with a request that the battle be cal4e a draw.
 , The money was accepted and the re quest acceded to. Sullivan, although o [ the verge of certain knockout by
 160 pound man. emerged from the con
 test with a decision of drawn battle Sullivan came back to America afte ! that battle and after lodging matche with Peter Jackson. Frank Slavin, Jo 5 Goddard and others, he took on tn heavyfooted Kilrain for a champion ship bout at Richbury, Miss, July
 1889. kilrain made a stupid fight an
 while Sullivan was in poor conditio
 and ineffective. the combat dragged ii Il the 18th round, when Kilrain, showin 2 weakness. his seconds threw in th i sponge.
 : Sullivan then took to the stage an 5 devoted nearly all his time to Aelevat 2 ling the drama and lodging the goo heavyweights of his time. JacksO'
 Goddard. Slavin, McCaffrey, Fftzsim
 mons and others piled him with ch ll l lenges, but he turned deaf ear to al
 Finally, under pressure of publ opinion. he decided to take on JiI g Corbett, figuring that the California couid not hit hard AnOugh to hurt hin