
Professor John Donaldson from Cleveland held a reputation as โChampion of the Westโ who would fight with gloves under a mixture of Marquis of Queensbury and London Prize-ring. (aka/ bare-knuckle) rules.ย ย Some of the foes he had defeated include Dan Carr (Cleveland), Bryan Campbell (Pennsylvania), Bluett Boyd (Buffalo, New York โ a 1stย round knockout), and Jim Taylor (Michigan).ย ย Donaldson knocked down Taylor in all five rounds before Taylor retired within six minutes. ย ย ย Bostonian John L. Sullivan โ if perhaps this is an understatement โ was the Jack Dempsey, Sonny Liston, or Mike Tyson of his time.ย ย In a boxing world of dull, bare-knuckle champions โ Paddy Ryan of Ireland claiming the current December 1880 bare-knuckle heavyweight title โ there were many who believed this hard-punching GLOVED challenger was an IT GIRL โ the heavyweight darling who was going to define its future generation: albeit style, thoughts, tactics, aggression which emphasized slugger over boxer as glutinous conqueror for the โstyles make fightsโ boxing debate.ย ย ย ย Sullivan was a former professional 1870โs Boston baseball player — $50 for two games a week which was a great wage โ who gained attention during a carnival exhibition knocking the paid attraction, Irish boxer, Jack Scanell off the stage onto a piano with a thunderous right punch.ย ย His famed escalated with a 2ndย round โaccidentalโ knockout of English bare-knuckle Champion Joe Goss (before Ryan defeated him in a 78-round bout) during an exhibition.ย ย Sullivanโs latest conquest was George Rourke in Boston during a gloved exhibition knocking him down 7 times in two rounds before the show was closed.ย ย ย ย John L. Sullivan โAbout this time it was announced everywhere through the papers, that I was willing to fight anyone with gloves.ย ย The sporting men, therefore, sought to bring about a match with the โmittensโ between myself and (Professor John Donaldson), whom they considered to be the strongest to be found in that line.ย ย John McCormick, who was then with theย Cincinnati Inquirerย and who has written under the non de plume of โMaconโ, came to Boston and offered me $150 and expenses to go to Cincinnati and spar with Donaldson in Robinsonโs Opera House.โ ย ย ย Following three rounds which John L. Sullivan dominated โ Professor Donaldson wanted to quit.ย ย He was convinced to continue another round with Sullivan battering this Cleveland foe before knocking him down.ย ย Donaldson quit. ย ย ย The Cincinnati media attention โ and general buzz within the community โ brought further fame for both pugilists.ย ย People wanted a rematch, and the way to motivate these two pugilists was to procure money.ย ย ย ย ******** ******* ******* ******* ย ย ย (12/23/1880)ย ย ย Professor John Donaldsonย versusย ย ย John L. Sullivan ย ย ย Location:ย ย Cincinnati, Ohio at the Pacific Garden โ gloved bout (โhard, smallโ) โ prize: $100 bet (but with gamblers/backers either pugilist would win closer to $500 with victory) โ crowd: 30 fans โ Sullivan weighs 200 pounds โ Donaldson weighs 175 pounds.ย ย Donaldson is 5โ10 โ Sullivan is a bit taller with reach advantage.ย ย Sullivanโs seconds are Tom Ryan and Johnny Mormon.ย ย Donaldsonโs seconds are Dan Crutchley and Abe Smith. ย ย ย Pre bout:ย ย John Donaldson is from Ohio and the one with a greater reputation.ย ย Sullivan is challenged by the editor of theย Cincinnati Enquirerย โ to place his local Boston slugger reputation against someone esteemed as โprofessorโ with a thoughtful approach to pugilism.ย ย Donaldson is heavily favored โ expected to expose and deflate the (alleged) overrated knockout specialistโฆ.ย ย The small crowd does not indicate a lack of interest in bout, but an attempt to elude law enforcement location detection. ย ย ย Cincinnati dispatch (12/22):ย ย โYoung Sullivan, the Boston giant, who knocked Joe Goss out of time with the gloves, and John Donaldson of Cleveland signed articles tonight for a glove contest. The men sparred together a little over a week ago, when Sullivan had the best of it, and now there is considerable bad blood between them.โ ย ย ย There is a mixture of gloved and bare-knuckle rules as boxing in the midst of sports transition.ย ย London Prize Rules and Marquis of Queensbury combination have untimed rounds โ FIGHT to the FINISH โ each round conclusion with knockdown or pugilist touching ground โ one-minute rest instead of traditional 30 seconds.ย ย ย ย ROUND 1:ย ย Sullivan scores the 1st knockdown with an overhand right which lands to the side of head.ย ย ย ย ROUND 2:ย ย Sullivan scores his 2nd knockdown with unrecorded punch โ which is usually his famed right set-up by a left jab.ย ย ย ย ROUND 3:ย ย Sullivan dominates by battering Donaldson a bit before scoring his 3rd knockdown from an unrecorded specific punch.ย ย ย ย ROUND 4:ย ย Sullivan scores his 4th knockdown with a hard (likely right) punch to the mouth.ย ย Gamblers bet on โfirst bloodโ โ which Sullivan has accomplished.ย ย ย ย ROUND 5:ย ย Sullivan scores his 5th knockdown with a punch which lands to the left side of Donaldsonโs jaw โ felling the Cleveland pugilist. ย ย ย ROUND 6:ย ย Sullivan quickly scores his 6thย knockdown sending Donaldson down with a โterrible leftโ.ย ย ย ย ROUND 7:ย ย Donaldson falls to the ground โ it is unclear by knockdown or voluntarily (which is technically illegal).ย ย Sullivan attempts or lands some sort of punch.ย ย Donaldsonโs handlers claim foul thus want Sullivan disqualified.ย ย The referee orders the round over with bout to continue. ย ย ย ROUNDS 8/9:ย ย Donaldson intentionally falls to the ground โto avoid punishmentโ.ย ย ย ย ROUND 10:ย ย Sullivan batters Donaldson relentlessly.ย ย Donaldson attempts to grab the Bostonian around the neck, but Sullivan wiggles free wailing to top of the head of Cleveland foe.ย ย Donaldson falls to the ground for the 7thย or 8thย knockdown of bout. ย ย ย ROUND 11 (?):ย ย Donaldson cannot make time to continue.ย ย BOUT OVER โ Sullivan is the victor โ โthe fight lasted just twenty-two minutes,โ which is longer than most Sullivan foes had endured ย ย ย *********** ********* ******** ********.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Cincinnati dispatch (12/24):ย ย โTen rounds were fought, in every one of which Donaldson was either knocked down or went down to avoid punishment.ย ย At the end of the 10thย round, Donaldson said he was satisfied that Sullivan should take the money, and the fight was ended.โ ย ย ย Of course, the much-anticipated prize-fight between the Champion of the West, Professor Donaldson, and the newbie star from the East Coast, John L Sullivan disappointed with the latterโs dominance.ย ย Many felt that Professor Donaldson was afraid of the Bostonian with his famed, lethal right punch. ย ย ย John L. Sullivan:ย ย โThe next day, Christmas, (Professor Donaldson) was arrested, about an hour before I was.ย ย Bob Linn, a friend of mine, went bonds for both of us.ย ย We were charged the following Wednesday and discharged, as there was no bill found against us.ย ย The evidence of some of the witnesses for the government side was very amusing, particularly in the case of which Johnny Moran, a brother-in-law of Peter Morris, the well-known English featherweight, champion of England at one time, gave his testimony to the prosecuting attorney.โ ย ย ย On the witness stand which charged that Sullivan and Donaldson had engaged in an illegal prizefight โ the prosecutor sharply demanded of Englishman, Johnny Moran:ย ย โHad you or had you not witnessed a fight?โย ย Moran responded, โNo sir; I witnessed a foot-race,โ which received a loud laugh from courtroom spectators.ย ย Judge Fitzgerald appreciated that Professor Donaldson avoided fisticuffs with John L. Sullivan rather than engage.ย ย The prosecutor, perhaps sensing defeat, proceeds with Moran:ย ย โWho was ahead?โย ย ย Johnny Moran responded, โ(Professor) Donaldson,โโฆ.ย ย (pause) following more audible chucklesโฆ..ย ย โMr. Sullivan was running after him but could not catch him.โย ย The Cincinnati courtroom explodes with raucous laughter. ย ย ย The VERDICT: not-guiltyโฆ.ย ย Judge Fitzgerald, the prosecutor, Johnny Moran, Sullivan/Donaldson and other witnesses/spectators adjourn to a local Cincinnati tavern โ and well โ engaged in lots of laughter as everyone became blotto-drunk.ย ย It was a CELEBRATION of the great Sullivan/Donaldson bouts. ย ย ย Cincinnati dispatch โ (12/29):ย ย โIn the police court today, the case of John Sullivan of Boston and Professor Donaldson of Cleveland was dismissed, as the State failed to prove the men had fought for a prize.โ ย ย | | |