Show JOHN L EXPOUNDS THE HISTORY OF HIS RIGHT TO CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE John L Sullivan says he was champion of the world His argument Is as follows There has been so much diversity of opinion as to whether I was ever cham chain champi pi or of the world or simply champion of America that I want to put my friends right on this subject Let us begin at the start Tom Fig was considered d the first champion of Eng England England England land He bloomed In 1719 The next champlon cham champion champion pion plon of note was Tom Torn Cribb who received a championship belt that was not trans transferable transferable in 1819 The next champion was Tom Spring who vho ho was cock of the walk walkIn In 1820 1520 Then comes Jim Ward Yard who ap up appears appears pears five years later In iSIl Caunt Gaunt de defeated defeated defeated Nick Ward and got the belt In 1830 1850 Jerry the Tipton after his draw with Paddock claimed the tho cham chain championship championship but never defeated the then champion Bendigo In 1833 1 Perry again claimed d office because Harry Broome for forfeited felted a match with him Four years later Tom Sayers beat Perry for a new belt and anda a side Tom Sayers and Heenan fought their memorable battle In 1860 Chambers En Encyclopedia Encyclopedia cyclopedia under the head of boxing or pugilism has this to say of the Heenan Sayers fight tight The year 1560 however witnessed a strange revival of the pugilistic pugilIstic sport on occasion of a fight between Sayers the champion prize fighter of Eng England England England land and J Heenan the Boy an American for JOO a side and the belt belta a badge of honor won by the champion The battle which was elevated to the dig dignity dignity dignity of a great International contest by sporting papers took place at Farn Farnborough FarnI Farnborough borough April 18 1860 It lasted for more than two hours in which time the Ameri Amen American I can was beaten almost blind and the Englishman dreadfully bruised The con continuance continuance continuance of the battle was prevented by bythe bythe bythe the breaking in of the ring caused by the interference of the police In 1861 Jem Mace beat Hurst In 1863 1563 Tom King best beat Mace and claimed the thO belt which he subsequently gave up de declining declining clining dining again to meet the gypsy Mace again claimed the belt In 1866 1566 Jem Mace and Joe Goss fought a draw for tor 1000 a aside aside aside side and the belt In 1859 McCoole beat Tom Toni Allen In this country for the cham chain championship championship of ot the world In 1872 Jem Mace drew with Joe Coburn here hera for the cham championship championship championship of or the world In 1870 Jem Mace and Tom Allen fought for tor the title and at New Orleans Mace winning Tom Allen beat McCoole on Sept 23 1 73 at Chateau Island near St Louis and on Nov 18 12 same year Ben Hogan fought Tommy Allen for 2000 and the championship champl of the Pacific City Allen was winning when a wrangle broke up the fight On Sept 7 1876 1576 Joe Goes Goss fought Allen for or 2000 and the championship of the world In Kentucky Goss was de do declared declared dared winner The latter was brought over from England by Jem Mace On May SO ro 0 1880 1530 Joe Goss fought Paddy Ryan for 1000 and the championship at Col Cola CollIers hers llers Station W Va and after one hour and minutes of hard fight fighting fightIng fightIng ing Ryan won My victory over Slade of Australia A the Maori brought here by Jem Mace Is a 1 matter of at history as Is the slaughter of ot Charley Chanley Mitchell In Madison Square gar garden garden garden den when I 1 begged Captain Thorn to let me get one more crack at him This was wh n Charleys seconds had propped him against the ropes after the police inter interfered Interfered interfered during the third round Turning to Mitchell Captain Thorn said Go to your dressing room I stepped In to save Sul Sullivan Sullivan Sullivan livan from killing you Alt Alf Greenfield was brought from Eng England England England land In 1881 1384 to defeat me He lIe was sent over as champion On Nov 17 that year In Madison Square garden 1 had Alt Alf in a semiconscious state on the ropes and all hands principals and sec see seconds seconds were arrested Charley Johnson awarded the decision to me Greenfield again met me This time In a New England Institute at Boston M hI Keys of San Francisco refereed This was on Jan 12 lESS 1885 When Greenfield came back to life after the fourth round and he was asked if it I could hit hard he turned to Jack Burke and said Sullivan could beat you Mitchell and myself inthe In Inthe Inthe the same ring ringI I guess that came pretty near making me IDe the champion of the world |