[1882 article] Ryan blames loss to John L. Sullivan on hernia; not impressed

The bare knuckle fight:

The fight took place in front of the Barnes Hotel, in Mississippi City. People crowded onto roof tops to watch, and the local Sheriff had business out of town that day. Ryan won the coin toss, and picked the ring with the sun to his back, so that Sullivan was looking into the sun.

Round 1
Ryan held his guard low and fought defensively. Sullivan's left had was described as being in constant motion as he moved around Ryan. The round heated up after Ryan missed with a right, and an exchange saw Ryan dropped one minute after the opening bell.

Round 2
Sullivan forced the fighting and Ryan fell back on his wrestling moves to negate him. They both fell to the canvas together, ending the round after 25 seconds.

Round 3
The fighters felt each other out for most of the round, feinting each other, until a right hand from Sullivan dropped Ryan on his back. Sullivan claimed first blood and was given it.

Round 4
Ryan was cut to the nose and bleeding from the mouth. He tried to counter Sullivan, but Sullivan was busier, and forced the fighting. A series of body shots forced Ryan into a clinch, and both men fell to the canvas, ending the round after 30 seconds.

Round 5
Again Sullivan forced the fighting, and Ryan's neck was starting to swell. Ryan clinched again, and Sullivan threw him, with both men going down.

Round 6
Both men feinted each other until Ryan landed an uppercut, and Sullivan responded with another, staggering Ryan. Sullivan followed up his attack drooping Sullivan after 30 seconds of the round.

Round 7
Sullivan continued to batter Ryan, and when Ryan clinched, Sullivan threw him to the canvas. One newspaper wrote that "Ryan was a wreck".

Round 8
Ryan fought more aggressively, but was still getting the worst of it. Again Ryan clinched, and again Sullivan threw him to the canvas.

Round 9
Ryan struggled to make it back to scratch, and seems to have offered little effective defense, getting battered all over the ring. Some observers said that a left to the neck ended the fight, and others a right to the chest.

The fact that the fight went nine rounds makes it sound competitive to the casual observer, but the timings tell a different story. The New York Herald wrote that the fight lasted 10 and a half minutes, and that the total fighting times was six minutes. Bear in mind that quick knockouts were almost unknown in bare knuckle fights. This is arguably one of the most brutal demolitions of a reigning champion of all time!

 

Aftermath:

Times Democrat:

"The greatest fistic battle of the last 20 years".

"It is generally conceded that the Boston boy is a wonder.His hitting powers are terrific, and against his sledge hammer fists the naked arms of a man are but poor defense. He forced the fighting from the start and knocked his opponent about like a football, receiving little punishment in return"

"Sullivan's style of fighting differed from that of any pugilist that has entered the ring in recent years. He is a rusher, and it is this quality and his tremendous hitting powers, that really make him a great pugilist. Besides he is a skillful wrestler, and a good in fighter, quick to dodge, and always on the alert for any opening that an opponent might leave."

New York Times:

"Sullivan exhibited remarkable skill as a two handed fighter."

John Wlash

"I think that Ryan is lucky to have escaped with his life. That boy from Boston is liable to kill a man with a blow".

Times Democrat

"It is amusing to observe the style in which the newspapers now speak of the Sullivan Ryan fight. They describe it contemptuously as a brutal hammering of Ryan by Sullivan. One would suppose that Ryan was a helpless of imbecile who had been inhumanely beaten by a cruel and callous giant. The fact is however, that previous to the battle, nine tenths of the sporting men in the country looked upon Sullivan's pretensions with open derision. He was alluded to as a green and gawky boy, a chap who had never fought without gloves. Ryan was alluded to as a Hercules."

"Sullivan won the fight by virtue of superior science, and irresistible strength."