Famous Fights magazine

Jake Kilrain [Champion of America]

1880

Woodcut illustration, titled below the image with fighter’s details, ‘Jake Kilrain Champion of America’ and above ‘Presented Gratis with the No.3 of Famous Fights in the Prize Ring’. Original sheet backed with tissue to strengthen.

320 by 230mm (12½ by 9 inches).

1859-1937. In 1887 Kilrain had the opportunity to fight for the championship of the world versus the British champion Jem Smith. The bout was stopped due to technical reasons in the 106th round. (It was too dark to continue. They had been fighting for two and a half hours). Kilrain is best known for challenging champion John L Sullivan in 1889 in the last World heavyweight championship prize fight decided with bare knuckles in history. In a hard-fought contest, Kilrain lost at the start of the 76th round. The Kilrain-Sullivan fight can rightly be listed among the greatest fights of the pre-modern era. In his later life, Kilrain became good friends with John L Sullivan and served as a pallbearer at his funeral.

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