Sorry that this week's thread is a couple of days late, but Easter got in the way. This fight has always fascinated me, because it was a clash between the two biggest punchers of the era. While Sullivan was regarded as being the most dangerous finisher of the age, many saw Herald as being a harder hitter in terms of pure power. If Sullivan was the Mike Tyson of the era, then Herald seems to have been the Ernie Shavers figure! Frank Herald,also called the Nicetown Slasher or Nicetown Pet, was described as "the new wonder" or "the coming champion" by the press. At the time the fight was arranged Herald was coming off a win over the highly touted Mike Conley, also known as the Ithaca Giant. Sullivan at this time had not fought for a year. After a number of other venues fell through the fight was located to Allegheny City Pensylvania, at the Coloseum, on September 18 1886. The authorities were told that it would be an exhibition of scientific boxing, with no slugging or knocking out. The local press were clearly not fooled by this declaration, and said that it would certainly be be a real fight. The bout was scheduled for six rounds. The Pitsbugh Dispatch wrote that Sullivan had not touched a drop of liquor for eleven weeks before the fight. Most papers gave Sullivan's weight at 210lbs, though some said 205lbs or 220lbs. Herald's weight was given as 186lbs, or 187lbs depending upon the source. The glove size was given as 2, 3, ad 4 oz by different sources.
Round 1 Both men started cautiously, with Sullivan feinting. Sullivan held his left out in front, with his right across his chest. Herald used his footwork to keep out of range, and was describes as being "as lithe as a cat." Eventually Sullivan rushed Herald, and landed a right to the body. Herald countered to the body, but received a right to the head which sent him flying across the ring. Herald then stood his ground and entered an exchange with Sullivan. for the rest of the round he seems to have neutralized Sullivan's attacks by clinching. During one of the clinches Sullivan pushed Herald over the ropes, and their attendants separated them, resulting in the round ending about 20 seconds early. Round 2 Again the round started cautiously, with Sullivan feinting. Herald attacked first, but Sullivan clinched, and then returned fire with a succession of blows to the head. Herald retreated, then came back with a right hand below the eye, which seems to have staggered Sullivan. Sullivan covered up as Herald showered blows upon his guard, but Sullivan recovered to drop Herald with an uppercut to the chin. Herald got up and clinched, but was dropped again, though sources disagree as to whether it was a punch or a slip. At this point the police entered the ring, and separated the men, stopping the fight. The Pitsburgh Dispatch gave a detailed description of how the fight ended. They said that Herald missed with a right, and that Sullivan countered with a right which dropped him. After Herald got up, Sullivan hit him with a right to the jugular, which dropped him again. Herald got up again, and clinched after receiving a body shot, at which point the police mounted the stage. Both fighters wanted to resume the fight, but the Police Chief said that he was afraid that Herald would be seriously injured or killed if the fight resumed. The referee gave the fight to Sullivan, because Herald was clearly getting the worst of it.
One local dispatch wrote: Herld's blows did not affect Sullivan except to make him angry, while it was only a question of when Herald would be stopped, and he might be badly injured in addition. After the fight Sullivan rushed at Herald's time keeper, who drew a revolver, but the police disarmed him. Sullivan later said the the Police Chief: "What did you stop us for? I just wanted to get another square crack at that fellow Herald, and I would have paralyzed him." The Police Chief replied: I know that, and that is just why I stopped it!" Some observers expressed the opinion that Herald was better than McCaffrey based on his showing.
A few observations: Herald seems to have been viewed as a possible successor to Sullivan, who had been inactive for a year since the McCaffrey fight, and had been out of shape for his last couple of fights. Sullivan seems to have taken Herald much more seriously than Jack Burke, putting in a proper training camp, and abstaining from alcohol for eleven months. Herald seems to have been a good Queensbury fighter, with power, reflexes, and mobility, but lacking durability as his subsequent losses to Lannon and Killrain showed. Herald might actually have hurt Sullivan when he forced him to cover up, but Sullivan railed back quickly, and seems to have been dangerous when hurt like Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis.
Though Herald was stopped by the police against Kilrain, so I don't think it was really an issue of durability, his skills seemed quite limited though. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...-1/seq-1/#words=herald+kilrain+Herald+kilrain https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...-1/seq-2/#words=herald+kilrain+Herald+kilrain
Hard to get a handle on his skills from the Sullivan fight, because it didn't last very long. Some newspapers praised his movement. The Killrain fight doesn't tell us much either.
It is interesting how the timeline flows from here. Herald subsequently loses to Lannon, and Sullivan is matched to fight Lannon. No written article has been found, saying that fight went ahead, or even that it was cancelled or stopped! Killrain then beats both Herald and Lannon, and that combined with a few other wins, makes him look like a standout contender!
Some good stuff in this topic, I went for a search on Herald after his mention in a recent topic, and this certainly helped some.
