NO. 3 (TIE) JOHN L. SULLIVAN
Height: 5-10½
Active: 1879-92
Record: 38-1-1, 32 KOs
Reign(s): 1888-92
Background: The Boston Strong Boy has evolved into a legend but he was a flesh-and-blood person. Those who were pummeled by him would tell you that if they were alive. Sullivan wasn’t tall but he was a thick, strong 190 pounds. And while he wasn’t the most-skillful boxer by today’s standards, his use of brute force was effective. Indeed, as the story goes, he boasted, “I can lick any sonofabitch in the house.” And, by God, he could. He started the chain of lineal heavyweight champions in the late 1880s, the exact opponent and date being up for debate. What’s not in doubt was the night he lost his championship. Sullivan agreed to defend his title against James J. Corbett on Sept. 7, 1992 in New Orleans. Corbett was a newfangled sort of fighter, a boxer who relied as much on guile as strength. Sullivan simply didn’t have the tools to compete with such a technician and was stopped in 21 rounds. He never fought again.