What if John Sullivan fought Jim Corbett under the bare knuckle rules he was used to fighting under?

I understand he overwhelmingly fought under modern rules anyway.

 

He did fight overwhelmingly gloved (not bareknuckle), and only had 3 bareknuckle fights, all be it some of his best known, though 1880's gloved is still very different from modern.

 

The bigger question is what if Sullivan wasn't completely shot.

The bareknuckle rules may well have benefitted Corbett, as they were less favorable to power punching (though it depends how his grappling would be which I'm not sure). And as stated above Sullivan had very little experience under bareknuckle, with only 3 fights under those rules, 2 being when he was past it.

 

Still don't think Sullivan wins. He was past it, Corbett still younger and fitter beats him to the punch. Still a win for JJC

 

It's debateable whether any of Sullivan's gloved contests before Corbett can be considered title defences. There was a widespread perception at the time that bouts under the Queensbury rules were no more than exhibitions and the only proper fights were with bare knuckles.

As the Boston Globe remarked before Sullivan's title-winning bareknuckle fight with Paddy Ryan:

"He has never been in the regular prize ring before, and his fame before the battle with Ryan proceeded entirely from his performances in boxing exhibitions... He is in fact the unconquered sparrer of the country under the Queensbury rules."

 

Read In the Ring With John L. Sullivan. It explains everything.

https://www.amazon.com/Ring-John-L-...g+with+john+l.+sullivan&qid=1615990664&sr=8-1

 

As others have said, Sullivan was predominantly a gloved fighter.

Even so, a man with two or three LPR fights, was seen as having a significant advantage over a man with none back then.

Having said that, if Corbett could ever have made the transition to LPR, then Sullivan was ready to be taken!

 

Great book

 

If Sullivan could make the transition, Corbett probably could as well. You still had trainers back then who could prep him for it, and the boxing technique was built with LPR in mind.

 

As Sullivan himself proved, it was possible for a gloved fighter to transition to the bare knuckle game, with very little experience under the rule set.

Having said that, I don't think that being a successful gloved fighter, was any guarantee of being a successful LPR fighter.

We might shorten the odds on Sullivan here, just because he is a known quantity under LPR.

 

I agree.

Remember, though, that even the champions before Sullivan didn't have many bareknuckle fights.