Historic boxing match occurred 125 years ago this month in Richburg, Miss.

John L. Sullivan

I ran across an unusual sports-related story in an old newspaper the other day that I think many of you will be interested in reading about. The story involved an illegal prizefight that took place not far from our neck of the woods in July 1889 – 125 years ago this month.

Area newspapers reported in July 1889 that a prizefight between John L. Sullivan and Jake Kilrain took place on July 8, 1889 in Richburg, Miss., which is about 170 miles west of Evergreen. The fight took place despite the efforts of Mississippi Governor Robert Lowry, who tried to prevent it from taking place. Newspapers reported that Sullivan won the fight in the 76th round.

Sullivan and Kilrain are mostly forgotten today, but in 1889 they were prominent sports figures. Sullivan, a native of Roxbury, Mass., is recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing, and he was the first American athlete to make more than $1 million. Kilrain, a native of Greenpoint, N.Y., was a famous bare-knuckle boxer and was named the Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1887 by the National Police Gazette. Sullivan took exception to Kilrain’s claim to the world title and challenged him to a fight in 1889.

From an historical standpoint, the July 8, 1889 boxing match between Sullivan and Kilrain was a huge deal, in fact, the 1889 Sullivan-Kilrain fight is considered to be a major turning point in boxing history. According to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, this bout was the last world championship fight to be fought under the London Prize Ring Rules, which makes it the last bare knuckle heavyweight title fight in the history of boxing.

It also happened to be one of the first American sporting events to get national press coverage, making papers across the country in the days and weeks leading up to the fight, which was originally scheduled to take place in New Orleans. However, Louisiana Gov. Francis T. Nicholls outlawed the fight in his state, which led to it being held in Richburg, just outside of Hattiesburg.

Gov. Lowry outlawed the fight as well, but this didn’t keep officials with the Queen & Crescent Railroad, who saw an opportunity to make big bucks, from arranging for special trains to take spectators to the fight. Reports estimate that 3,000 spectators rode special trains to the fight, which began at 10:30 p.m.

The ensuing fight was nothing short of epic, and it should be remembered that this was a bare-knuckle fight. In the 44th (that’s not a typo) round, it looked like Kilrain had the upper hand when Sullivan began to throw up in the ring, but Sullivan bounced back like a true champ. At the start of the 76th round, Kilrain’s manager, Mike Donovan, threw in the towel (actually it was a sponge) even through Kilrain didn’t want to give up. Donovan said later he was afraid that Kilrain was going to die if the fight continued.

As soon as the illegal fight was over, Sullivan and Kilrain fled the state with the help of local railroad officials, but their troubles didn’t end here. According to a story on the front page of the July 19, 1889 edition of The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Sullivan made it to Nashville, Tenn. where Nashville’s Chief of Police arrested him. As it turns out, Gov. Lowry had telegraphed the chief with an offer of a $1,000 reward (about $26,000 in today’s dollars) for the arrest and delivery of Sullivan. However, Sullivan was released on a writ of habeas corpus.

“All persons and corporations connected in any way with the fight will be vigorously prosecuted,” the Monroe Journal reported. “The Queen and Crescent Railroad is beginning to show fight, but the governor says they will rue the day when they took legal advice and became parties to the late slugging-match in Mississippi.”

I’m not sure how the ensuing legal troubles unfolded, but after their boxing careers, Sullivan and Kilrain became good friends. Kilrain outlived Sullivan, who died in 1918 at the age of 59 with less than $10 to his name. Kilrain served as one of Sullivan’s pallbearers. Kilrain passed away at the age of 78, three days before Christmas in 1937, almost 50 years after his famous fight less than 200 miles from Evergreen.