Need clarification on Sullivan & his use of gloves

To give further context to this there was a major effort to stamp out prize fighting in the UK in the 1860s and 70s, and most of the top British fighters fled to the USA, including Tom Allen and Joe Goss. This made the American scene decidedly British, until Sullivan came along.

 

The point is that the fight was for the world championship was a much later consensus of historians. It wasn't considered as such by the most respected sporting publications of the day in England and USA.

 

The world title was a concept that the two fighters were trying to legitimize, by taking the fight.

Their purpose was undoubtedly to create a "world title."

Sometimes title claims put down roots, and sometimes they don't.

In this case it obviously did, and it has formed the basis for every heavyweight title fight since!