5 Longest boxing matches in history

In modern sports, absolutely everything is controlled. Boxing is no exception. The rules are written down to the smallest detail, judges control every move.

In modern sports, absolutely everything is controlled. Boxing is no exception. The rules are written down to the smallest detail, judges control every move, and if you try to go beyond the existing norms, the most severe penalties are immediately applied.

Today, the duration of a classic fight is 12 rounds, and no one is going to challenge this. Being in the ring for more than an hour (including breaks), boxers spend a huge amount of strength and energy. Longer fights will be regarded as uncivilized and inhumane. However, this was not always the case. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when there were no sports federations and the rules were loosely followed, amazing things could happen in the ring.

In this article, we will discuss 5 unimaginably long fights that could not happen today. These five stories will make you think about the meaning of sport and the cost of entertaining the audiences.

How did boxing rules develop?

In the 19th century, boxing had not yet received official status. At that time, boxing events were illegal, police persecuted them, and participants could be arrested and charged with beating people. Since there were no rules, no licenses, and no official regulations, the authorities did not allow sports fighting.

Although boxing was not considered a sport, the first set of rules for fist fighting was invented by Jack Broughton back in the first half of the 18th century. The rules required:

Fighting without gloves;
The fight could be limitless;
Fighters continued to battle up to the judge's decision.

Obviously, the judges did not pay attention to strikes by heads, elbows, and other dangerous actions. During breaks, participants often drank alcoholic beverages.

Such a code was not strict. Usually, before the start of the fight, the fighters agreed on the rules in the presence of the judges. We can say that every battle in those days was a unique event that could result in serious damage to health and even death.
Later, the much stricter and more formal rules of the Marquis of Queensberry were adopted. This aristocrat loved fist fights and developed his own set of norms in his sports club:

3-minute rounds and minute breaks between them appeared.
Sweeps and strikes with anything other than fists were strictly prohibited.
The 10-second rule appeared when scoring a knockdown.

It was under these rules that the longest fight in boxing history took place — between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke.

Jack Burke vs. Andy Bowen (1893)

Andy Bowen began competing as a boxer in 1887 at the age of 20. And three years later, he became the champion of the Olympic Club of New Orleans. He approached the longest fight in history with a score of 12 wins, 0 losses, and 2 draws. This was an excellent result, considering the attitude towards the rules. Andy entered the main fight of his career as a contender for the Southern States lightweight champion title.
Bowen's opponent was supposed to be Jack Burke's student, who dropped out of the fight at the last moment. Therefore, the teacher took the place of the student. Despite his status as a coach, Jack was a much less experienced fighter than Andy. At the time of the fight, Burke had 6 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws.

Burke and Bowen met in the ring on April 6, 1893, in New Orleans. The fight started at 21:00 and lasted 110 rounds. The final round ended at 4:19 a.m., after which the only remaining judge, John Duffy, recorded a draw. Where were the other judges at this time? The fact is that due to the enormous duration of the fight, not only spectators but also the judges began to leave the stands.

Before the fight, Bowen was considered the overwhelming favorite. His experience, physical condition, and public support were on his side. However, despite this, it was Burke who dominated the first 25 rounds. By the 25th round, Jack suffered fractures to both arms, which gave Andy the opportunity to seize the initiative. The favorite pulled himself together and even knocked down his opponent once.

The fight continued, and the fighters showed great endurance and tenacity. However, the public was less engaged. By the 50th round, approximately half of the spectators had gone home, and some of the remaining fell asleep. During the break after the 108th round, the only remaining judge, John Duffy, informed the fighters that they needed to finish the fight before the end of the 110th round or it would be declared a draw. And so it happened. The boxers were so tired at the end of the fight that they could not get out of their corners.

In total, about 9,000 people came to watch the competition. The ticket price, according to the posters, was 25 cents, which in modern money is equivalent to about 10 dollars. And stake was $2,500 thousand, which was divided in half.

Why did this fight last so long? Experts identify several factors:

The fighters fought in the lightweight category. This allowed them to not only get tired less but also reduced the chances of a knockout.
Both athletes regularly ran marathons and relied on endurance.
Both were known for winning in the late rounds when the opponent was so tired that he was ready to fall from the slightest blow. This training made them accustomed to long hours of physical activity.
The boxers were young, which also influenced their ability to distribute force.

The physical damage received was so colossal that it affected the entire future life of the fighters. During the fight, they lost almost 5 kilograms of weight. After the fight, Burke was hospitalized with multiple arm fractures. Having recovered, he simply could not continue his career. Jack Burke died on October 25, 1913, aged 44. In the last years of his life, he suffered from memory loss and chronic wrist injuries.

Bowen received a serious concussion in battle, which in those days practically could not be treated. Surprisingly, this did not stop him from entering his next fight a month later and having several more fights. About a year after the fight with Burke, Andy suffered a traumatic brain injury in the ring and died without regaining consciousness. He was 27 years old.

John Sullivan vs. Jake Kilrane (1889)

One of the greatest champions in boxing history is undoubtedly John Sullivan. Since 1878, he began to play sports professionally. The boxer, with a devastating right hand, was successful from the very beginning of his career. Sullivan's skill in the ring and his ferocious character brought the athlete many friends and made him an idol for American fans. In 1889, he won the last barefoot championship, defeating Jake Kilrain in Richburg, Mississippi.

The fight with Kilrain lasted 75 rounds and was also one of the longest in boxing history. The first round ended with Kilrain apparently throwing Sullivan to the ground with a wrestling move. Jake constantly dodged Sullivan's blows, which infuriated him. In the fifth round, Kilrain managed to cut the skin on Sullivan's face, but John countered with a right hand, and Kilrain fell to the ground. Jake gradually lost strength and began to fall at times even without blows, only to get half a minute to rest. In the thirty-sixth round, Kilrain looked so exhausted that Sullivan asked the referee to stop the match, but he refused.

In the forty-fourth round, Sullivan suddenly vomited, presumably from the iced tea he drank alternately with whiskey between rounds. The idea that John might be sick from whiskey was not considered by anyone. With each round, the boxers drank more and more. Eyewitnesses said that during the battle, Kilrain drank more than a liter of whiskey.

In the seventy-fifth round, Jake was so exhausted that after another blow, he could not get up within the required 30 seconds. Sullivan's meeting with Kilrain lasted 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 23 seconds. It was one of the longest fights among heavyweights.

Ad Wolgast vs. Battling Nelson (1910)

Among the ultra-long fights, a special place is occupied by the fight for the world lightweight title, which took place in 1910 in the USA. For 40 rounds, American Ad Wolgast and Dane Battling Nelson beat each other, filling the ring with blood. The fight was stopped by the referee at the request of the spectators, who could no longer watch this barbarity. The consequences of the fight were sad for both boxers.

Oscar Matteo Nelson (later calling himself Battling) was born in Copenhagen on June 5, 1882. When the boy was one year old, the family moved to the United States and settled in Chicago. Nelson took up boxing early and began his professional career at the age of 14. Wolgast was six years younger than his opponent. At the age of 16, Ad left home and began to earn a living by doing whatever he had to do: shine shoes, sell newspapers, etc. And then he tried boxing. The American began his professional career in 1906.

The first fight between these boxers ended in Ad's victory, but almost immediately, a rematch was scheduled. The second battle began cautiously. Surprisingly, by the end of the first round, Battling began to have a severe nosebleed. He patiently allowed the blood to be wiped off and did not agree to stop the fight. The boxers were beating each other, but no significant events occurred. The audience even started to get bored.

In the middle of the 22nd round, Nelson's right cross knocked Wolgast down. Ad sat down on his knee but immediately jumped up and began to fight more actively. The next ten rounds the battle took place in a frantic mode. Battling finally lost sight due to the blood filling his eyes. In the 35th round, the boxers' punches became even more violent and fast. Wolgast hit much more often, and in the final rounds, the fight turned into a beating. Referee Eddie Smith hardly intervened in what was happening. In the 40th round, spectators demanded to stop the brawl. Wolgast was declared the winner.

James Kelly vs. Jack Smith (1855)

This fight is considered the longest fight without gloves (Bowen and Burke fought with gloves). It lasted more than 6 hours and was in Australia. The meeting of the fighters took place in the open air and attracted the attention of the local community. Despite the bad weather, there were many spectators. It should be noted that the fight took place in an era when the police could easily disperse the participants.

For about two hours, Smith kept his opponent at a distance, and no serious clashes occurred. The crowd forced the boxers to take more active action. Kelly wanted the same thing. In the 17th round, he provoked Smith and struck him hard in the neck. This was the final point that stopped the battle.

Jack Jones vs. Patsy Tunney (1825)

This fight is notable not only for its duration (4 hours 30 minutes) but, above all, for the largest number of rounds — 276. The fact is that before the introduction of the Queensberry rules in 1867, each round of the fight lasted until someone got knocked down. At this point, the fighters returned to their corners, and then the fight began again. There were no restrictions on time or number of rounds.

Conclusion

Sports have always been a means of demonstrating strength, endurance, and will. The great athletes of the past set the first records and wrote history. Boxing is no exception. Fist fights have been around for many centuries, and they have always attracted great enthusiasm from the public. Today, you can hardly find a pastime as exciting as watching a boxing match. Perhaps only mobile casino no deposit can compete with boxing. And 100-200 years ago, fist fighting was undoubtedly the most entertaining sport.

Famous boxers such as John Sullivan or Ad Wolgast demonstrated superhuman endurance when they spent several hours to achieve their victories. It's hard to say now whether it was worth it. However, history has preserved the names of these selfless people, and today, we can learn from their experience.