Should John L Sullivan rank number one.

JJ expanded boxing thoughout the country...Sullivan did not! Among other things.

 

Sullivan probably expanded boxing more than any other fighter in history. He came along at a time when it had been stamped out in the UK, and was illegal in most of the United States, and transformed it into a legal sport with a global following.

It comes down to this:

Sullivan came along when the sport was in a state of chaos, and stabilised it. Johnson came along when the sport was stable, albeit along some pretty unpleasant racial lines, and threw it into a state of chaos. While you might argue that this was a positive thing, it was the polar opposite of what Sullivan did.

 

This is a proclamation of ignorance.

 

Yes, in historical significance for boxing. No on a more dominant champion.

You can't even make the full case he was the best man while active. For that he needs to fight Jackson or Slavin.

 

This has been explained to you enough times.

 

Janitor,

I keep asking who did he beat? Charlie Mitchell is his best gloved win! A short middle who by the way floored him. That's it. Check the box.

Sullivan was never tested on Jackson's or Slavin's level. I don't see Maher, Dooley, or Goodard either. He was never tested vs a good gloved fighter his size. Check that box too.

Then there is an excuse / fact that he was never the same after he broke his arm, which makes his prime rather short.

He could lay a glove on Corbett at age 33 ( and was much heavier in fights before Corbett ), and flat out admitted that boxing had changed to the point that he's have no chance vs. Jeffries

The film on Sullivan hitting a bad is beyond terrible. Sure he was old by then but he guys the same age look much better. Corbett late in life demonstrates skills. Sullivan did not, likely because he never had them in a gloved boxing sense.

John L was a big puncher in a time with few punchers, and pioneer into early gloved boxing. He also wasn't that big, just 5'10 1/2 tall and 190 pounds.

 

Historically speaking for the good of the sport. Yes. Without Sullivan the sport doesn't exist in the way we know it.

 

You do realize that Sullivan was essentially retired when Jackson arrived on US shores as a relative unknown?

He was essentially his era's Tyson, fast, powerful and overwhelming.

 

Who were they then? 1 ) Lots of guys he did not fight. 2 ) None in gloves better than Mitchell. Mitchell is a weak singature win, and one with a * since Sullivan was also down. Corbett made short work of the same man.

Sullivan ducked both Jackson ( Color line ) and Slavin.

These fights could have been made pre-Corbett. The Slavin duck was a bad one. Richard K Fox backed it.

Was he just a right hand puncher? Where's the left?

Yes you can.

The numbers say Sullivan had more left. Jeffries was 2 years older, and had to lose far more pounds than Sullivan did. And Jeffires was more competitive with Johnson than Sullivan was with Corbett/

I've seen older men hit a bag far more convincingly. Once again, Corbett and Dempsey at much older ages showed skill.

My point was there were few in Sullivan's era. Please name the others.
You'll see it short list and one that gets crushed as time rolls on.

No film make its hard to compare. Once again who are these punchers?

I'd say is all right. The onus is on you to educate, but you have issues with facts I present that can't be countered.

Then he was just 2 pounds over his best weight for the Corbett match. He's still a bit short and with a shorter reach.

190-229 lbs is his range. If you look a photo's Sullivan really doesn't stand out as a beastly type or speedy type.

 

JJ traveled all over the world to fight,Sullivan did not. the fact weather ppl liked or disliked even further supports mu opinion ,he led the other black fighters to also became pro boxers and paved the way..Sullivan has nothing on this man,but old worn drinking stories and pub fights.

 

Sullvian vs Mitchell

John L should have bounced him. Looks like the much smaller Mitchell gave him a fight.

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Are you illiterate or have just never read anything on Sullivan?

 

The headline “Mitchell proves himself a veritable coward from the start”, does not exactly support your argument here!