Essentially the last of the bare-knuckle heavyweight champions, John L. Sullivan was instrumental in the acceptance of gloved fighting. His charisma and popular appeal during this transitional period contributed greatly to making boxing a nationally popular, “legitimate” sport. Sullivan became boxing’s first superstar and arguably the first of any sport. From his first match in the late 1870s through his final championship fight in 1892, this biography contains a thoroughly researched, detailed accounting of John L. Sullivan’s boxing career. With special attention to the 1880s, the decade during which Sullivan came to prominence, it follows Sullivan’s skill development and discusses his opponents and fights in detail, providing various viewpoints of a single event. Beginning with a discussion of early boxing practices, the sport itself is placed within sociological, legal and historical contexts including anti–prize fighting laws and the so-called “color line.” A complete record of Sullivan’s career is also included.

John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion

Pollack, Adam J.

Biographies & Memoirs

McFarland

This is the third book in Adam Pollack's series on the heavyweight champions of the gloved era. Bob Fitzsimmons was boxing¿s first pound for pound great, winning the world middleweight title before becoming the world heavyweight champion (and later lightheavyweight champ). Combining both crafty skill and crushing power, Fitzsimmons was able to knock out heavyweights when he only weighed 158 pounds! This meticulous and tremendously researched book uses multiple local primary sources from New Zealand, Australia, and America to chronicle Fitzsimmons' boxing career. It contains detailed fight descriptions never before revealed, round by round reports, pre- and post-fight analysis, daily training regimens, critical analysis of opponents¿ careers, discussion of skills, techniques, strategies, strengths, and weaknesses, and explains how legal, political, social, and economic issues affected and impeded fights. The book also includes stories of fixed fights, conspiracies, legal battles, trials, threats of violence and imprisonment made by governors, judges, and militiamen, and verbal jousting, taunting, boasting, and even physical confrontations between Bob Fitzsimmons and James J. Corbett. 464 pages, 63 photos and illustrations, 969 footnotes, bibliography, index, and appendix (containing a complete Fitzsimmons career record). Adam J. Pollack is the author of John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion, and In the Ring With James J. Corbett. He is a staff writer for Cyberboxingzone.com, chair of USA Boxing¿s Rules and Regulations Committee, a boxing coach and attorney living in Iowa City, Iowa.

In the Ring with Bob Fitzsimmons

WIN BY KO Publications

In the Ring With James J. Jeffries is Adam Pollack's 4th book in his heavyweight champion series. It describes in meticulous detail Jeffries' bouts from the 1890s up to 1905 (including round by round accounts as well as pre- and post-fight analysis), his opponents, and his training regimen. It discusses the time's heavyweight scene, including contenders, pre-fight hype and negotiations, political and legal obstacles, and the color line. Chapters also include descriptions and analysis of Corbett-Sharkey II, Fitzsimmons-Ruhlin, Fitz-Sharkey II, and Corbett-McCoy, as well as controversies surrounding several bouts. The book is based on next day local newspaper accounts, comparing and contrasting their descriptions and analysis in order to provide an authentic view of how heavyweight boxing was perceived at the time. The use of local primary sources gives readers a rare opportunity to relive Jeffries' career as if they were reading about it at the time he was fighting. The book also includes Jeffries' career record, over 100 photos, 924 footnotes, and an index.

In the Ring with James J. Jeffries

In the Ring With Tommy Burns is the sixth book in Adam J. Pollack's heavyweight boxing champion series. It thoroughly and meticulously describes Tommy Burns' boxing career, using multiple local next-day primary sources to give the book an unparalleled accuracy and authenticity that has been the hallmark of the series. As always, Pollack offers round by round descriptions, pre- and post-fight analysis, bout preparation and negotiations, and provides context for the period, discussing opponents and what other contenders were doing at the time. By reviewing and experiencing Burns' career from the perspective of those who saw him box, one obtains far greater appreciation and respect for the skills and accomplishments of this underrated champion. The book includes 378 pages, over 100 photos, Burns' record, over 650 footnotes, and an index. Adam J. Pollack is the author of John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion, In the Ring With James J. Corbett, In the Ring With Bob Fitzsimmons, In the Ring With James J. Jeffries, and In the Ring With Marvin Hart. He is a member of the Boxing Writers' Association of America, a staff writer for Cyberboxingzone.com, and an attorney living in Iowa City, Iowa.

In the Ring with Tommy Burns

Historical

This is the most thoroughly researched boxing-detailed biography of James J. Corbett's career ever written. It reveals new dates, bouts, and facts, shedding fresh light on his experience, skills, and ability. It meticulously describes his bouts and provides multiple viewpoints by local next-day newspapers, giving it unparalleled authenticity and accuracy. The exhaustive research provides an encyclopedic wealth of knowledge about Corbett's boxing career. His bouts are placed into social, legal, racial, and historic contexts, including anti-prize-fight laws and the color line. Corbett's complete career record is included, as well as 53 photos, 813 footnotes, a bibliography, and an index. Adam J. Pollack is the author of boxing biographies of John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James J. Jeffries, Marvin Hart, and Tommy Burns. He is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, Cyberboxingzone.com, and is an attorney practicing in Iowa City, Iowa. Adam was a guest lecturer on the career of John L. Sullivan for the Whitehall lecture series at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida, and also an interviewee in the documentary film on James J. Corbett, The Gentleman Prizefighter.

In the Ring with James J. Corbett

At 710 pages, In the Ring With Jack Johnson - Part I: The Rise is the most detailed and thorough book ever written on Jack Johnson. This book alone (the first of two on Johnson) covers the start of Jack Johnson's career up to his winning the world heavyweight championship. It is chock-full of detailed descriptions of each bout from multiple local next-day primary sources. The book also contains plenty of context and background, details and perspectives about race from both white and black-owned newspapers, as well as approximately 225 rare photographs, cartoons, and advertisements. Boxing fans will obtain knowledge and insight into Jack Johnson's career like never before. This is the seventh book in Adam J. Pollack's series on the heavyweight champions of the gloved era, which include: John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion, In the Ring With James J. Corbett, In the Ring With Bob Fitzsimmons, In the Ring With James J. Jeffries, In the Ring With Marvin Hart, and In the Ring With Tommy Burns. Adam J. Pollack is a boxing judge, referee, and coach, and member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He is also an attorney practicing law in Iowa City, Iowa.

In the Ring With Jack Johnson - Part I: The Rise

In the Ring With Jack Johnson - Part II: The Reign by Adam J. Pollack continues the series of the most detailed and thorough books ever written on Jack Johnson. This 880-page book completely covers Jack Johnson's reign and life as world heavyweight champion. As with Part I: The Rise, by utilizing multiple primary-sources, Part II: The Reign enables the reader to experience Jack Johnson's life, both inside and outside the ring, and the world in which he lived. Both black and white-owned newspapers offer their plethora of perspectives on race and boxing. The book includes pre-fight hype and analysis, training, the fights, post-fight analysis, what other boxers were doing, racial incidents and riots, analysis of the significant racial impact of Johnson's achievements, legal impediments, religious and racial objections, and the details of Johnson's many legal struggles, including a chapter covering his criminal trial for violation of the White-Slave Traffic Act, otherwise known as the Mann Act, using the actual trial transcript. The book also is chock-full of ¬nearly 400 rare photographs, cartoons, and advertisements. Boxing fans and historians will obtain knowledge and insight into Jack Johnson's life, career, and world like never before. This is the eighth book in Adam J. Pollack's series on the heavyweight champions of the gloved era, which include: John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion, In the Ring With James J. Corbett, In the Ring With Bob Fitzsimmons, In the Ring With James J. Jeffries, In the Ring With Marvin Hart, and In the Ring With Tommy Burns, and In the Ring With Jack Johnson - Part I: The Rise. Adam J. Pollack is a boxing judge, referee, publisher, and member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He also is an attorney practicing law in Iowa City, Iowa.

In the Ring With Jack Johnson - Part II: The Reign

John L. Sullivan was so special that he made gloved boxing, the type of boxing we watch today, a popular national and international money-making sport. He was the man who started gloved boxing on its path towards acceptance in the sporting world as the form of fighting that could determine a true champion. He boasted that he could knock out anyone within 4 rounds, and he was good enough to do it; inspiring awe in all those who saw him. John L. Sullivan was the world's first sports superstar. Still, in order to convince skeptical old-school fight purists of his right to be called champion, Sullivan occasionally had to engage in bareknuckle contests under the traditional London Prize Ring Rules. The only problem was that fighting, and especially bareknuckle fighting, was illegal. This book follows Sullivan's career path, fight by fight, blow by blow, in glorious detail, using local next-day primary sources. Also covered is Sullivan's personal life, training, negotiations, legal battles, and all of the extracurricular activities outside the ring that helped make him the world's most famous man. The 490 page book contains over 200 rare contemporary lithographs, drawings, photographs, and advertisements.

In the Ring With John L. Sullivan

Black Man vs. The World: Jack Johnson’s Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs, by Adam J. Pollack, tells the complete story of Jack Johnson, the first black man to fight for and win the world heavyweight championship. In a thorough, detailed, and unique fashion, Johnson’s life and fights are recounted based on multiple local next-day primary sources, archival documents, as well as a multitude of rare photographs, cartoons, and advertisements. You will follow his path from a poverty-stricken struggling unknown, to contender battling against the color line, lobbying for a title shot which he had earned but for his race, all the way to the championship, his reign, and the great efforts to find a white fighter capable of dethroning him. Throughout, both black and white-owned newspapers offer their plethora of perspectives and substantial context about race, both inside and outside of the ring, better enabling the reader to understand Johnson’s struggles and symbolic significance both to whites and blacks throughout the world. Like never before, boxing fans, sociologists, and historians will obtain knowledge and insight into Jack Johnson’s life and world from which he emerged and endured.\nThe book includes racial incidents, lynchings and riots, analysis of the significant racial impact of Johnson’s achievements, religious and racial objections and arguments, and legal battles and obstacles Johnson and the sport of boxing faced, including fight film bans, his criminal trial for violation of the White-Slave Traffic Act (based on the actual trial transcript), and even battle for the right to defend his crown in England. This is a revised and condensed version of In the Ring With Jack Johnson: Parts I and II combined.\nAdam J. Pollack is a boxing judge and referee, attorney, and member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Black Man vs. The World: Jack Johnson's Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs

Community & Culture

In the Ring With Jack Dempsey - Part I: The Making of a Champion

In the Ring With Jack Dempsey - Part I: The Making of a Champion, by Adam J. Pollack is the most thorough and detailed book ever written about former world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey. This book (the first of two) chronicles Dempsey's life and career from its start up to his winning the world heavyweight championship, fight by fight, as told by those who saw the contests and reported on them at the time, utilizing multiple local next-day newspaper reports. This includes training, predictions, pre-fight hype, and discussions about the opponents. 	As with other books in the In the Ring series, this book also discusses the context of the times, the color line and race in boxing and society (offering the perspectives of both white and black-owned newspapers), World War I, Dempsey's personal and managerial choices, and how these topics affected the sport and Dempsey's life and career. Even new facts about the controversial Jim Flynn fight are revealed. Boxing fans will obtain knowledge and insight into Jack Dempsey's life and career like never before.	560 pages, with over 550 rare photos, illustrations, cartoons, and fight advertisements.	Adam J. Pollack's In the Ring With series on the heavyweight champions of the gloved era also includes books on John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James J. Jeffries, Marvin Hart, Tommy Burns, and Jack Johnson.

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