Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-02-03 | Page 32 | Sullivan World's Champion by all Rules of Fairness

SULLIVAN WORLD'S CHAMPION BY ALL RULES OF FAIRNESS ' I , Was John Jj. Sullivan ever champion of : ! the "world under either London prize ring rules or Marquis of Queensberry rules?' ! The above question is one that is asked ! almost every day by fans interested in i the boxing: game. During the past few years queries from various parts of the country have been received by the writer , ay to 'whether John L. was ever eham- , pi on under either style. and if so, ' whether James J. Corbet t was not cn-1 cn-1 titled to rank aa a world's champion. In 169 Tom Allen of England and Mike McCoole fought near St. Louis for tiie world's championship and McCoole won, on a foul, in nine rounds. Again in S?:! Turn Allen and McCoole fought and Allen regained the championship. H must be remembered that England and America were about the only countries where fighters were considered and cli a m pious were made in those, da ys. Joe (loss of England came over to America and fought Tom Allen nesir Covington, Cov-ington, Ky.. in J s 7:: , and w-m on a foul in tweni v-seven rounds. 1 1 was then that Paddy Ryan was matched with Joe (loss, the match being made in 3Sm! and Kyn n won after eighty -seven rounds a t Collier. YV Va. Now. as ;oss had beaten Tom Allen and was looked upon as eham-pion eham-pion at the time, why should not Ryu a be termed world's champion? Paddy Ryan Beaten. John L. Sullivan, the Joston boy. was brought to the front at tin's time and in XS- he was matched with IJaddy Ryan at Mississippi City. Miss., for ?.".ni)u a side and i !u title. This was on February 7, ;i nd Sulli va n won in nine rounds, knock-i knock-i nu I iva n out. Tli is was under London pri.c 'jn:r rules and I cannot see any nood reason why ,l"hn L. should not be i red it --d with tin- title "f world's champion cham-pion after his d-'feni of Ryan, If there were English (ham pious ;i fter that they wei.' in duiv IkmmhI t Ijeiit Sullivan he-fete he-fete thry ro'uM elaiiu the world's title. In I ,s.", ,!c m Smith clai ual tiie ueavy-w.-iuh 1 hampi'mship of England a nd fo.i-ut J:i I. I 'Liv is for the title and ?."no a side. Smith W'm and was hailed as