Sullivan it appears wrote a ongoing article concerning the state of boxing for the San Fran call. Interesting reading. In May of 1905 a few months after the Johnson-Hart bout he wrote that he felt Johnson "layed down" for Hart and that the "fight stunk" (as in a fix). Another very interesting article written by Sullivan concerning Jeffries giving his title to Fitz (?) and that Fitz ignored his (Sullivan's) challenge to fight him. Sullivan wrote he was in training to fight for the championship and beating a "middleweight" in Fitz would be easy pickings for him.
Interesting, Sullivan could talk about boxing just as good as anyone in his time. I know one time they were going to fight a exhibition but the police stopped it. Would've been interesting to see how that would've gone if they both were going to be serious. Although I doubt Sullivan would've won at that time. If Sullivan couldn't have gotten in shape for Corbett. He wouldn't have been able to do it when Fitz was champion. I also believe he challenged Jeffries once as well.
We are talking 1905 here not 1897. What John is saying is at some point early in 1905 Jeffries announced Fitz was the new champion. Sullivan then challenged Fitz and Fitz ignored that challenge. So this was prior to the Hart and then Burns holding the title. Sullivan in 1905 wanted a title shot.
Oh I see, still if Sullivan had gotten a fight I still don't think he was too far gone to win. Even Fitz of 1905. Although I wondered where Sullivan heard that Jeffries gave his title to Fitz? I've never read anything like that anywhere.
Was Sullivan present at the Johnson-Hart fight? Did he write a ringside report? If so, it is perhaps interesting. If not, his article appears to be a self-serving attempt to put Hart down in order to promote a championship fight involving Sullivan.
From memory, Sullivan had challenged Jeffries for a brief period, claiming that a fight with him would be a unification bout, since he was still the reigning LPR rules champion! Jeffries soon retired after these challenges and John L claimed it was because he didnt want to face him and was ducking him. When this happened it left claimants as follows (from memory): Fitzsimmons - the previous champion and i think he was also the light heavy champion, Root/Hart - who had been handed the belt by jeffries. Common sense says a Sullivan - Fitzsimmons world title shot would garner more interest than a Sullivan Hart title shot. If Lennox Lewis were challenging Wlad at themoment and Wlad decided to retire, i would expect Lewis to support recognition of Vitali as champion, over the winner of Wilder/Povetkin. I think like nearly all newspaper articles back then and even now, it was written with an agenda.
I never read that Sullivan was present at Hart vs Johnson. Less than 6,000 people saw the fight if my memory is correct. While Sullivan would have been flattened by Fitz in the late 1890's to early 1900's, Fitz declined around 1905. I think you're right, Sullivan wanted a piece of the action. In other words one more big pay day. When Jeffries retired in 1905, he became a prominent referee. I'm not sure if Sullivan achieved such status after he retired.
