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New Oreleans, Feb.7. - When the
prize
fight between John L. Sullivan, of Boston,
and Patrick Ryan, of Troy, was first arranged
it was understood that it would be fought in
Mississippi, within 100 miles of New Orleans,
on the Mobile Road. Both Ryan and Sullivan,
after spending a few days in New Orleans,
established their training stations in Missis-
sippi, the former at Bay St. Louis, and the
latter at Mississippi City. The training
was proceeding well, when news was brought
that a bill had been presented in the Missis-
sippi Legislature, in session at Jackson, prohib-
ing prize-fighting, and punishing it with fine
and imprisonment. Panic stricken, Sullivan
and his friends put back to New Orleans and
were soon followed by Ryan. The former
resumed training at Carrollton, an upper
suburb at the west end on the Pontchartrain
Lake shore. The spot which Ryan's friends
had selected for the fight, near Sullivan's train-
ing ground at Mississippi City, was aban-
doned and another chosen on Gentilly Road,
near Michaud Station, about 15 miles from
this city. All was going well,
when on Saturday last, a few gentlemen
connected with the city churches called upon
Gov. McEnery and solicited his interference
to prevent the fight and he promised compli-
ance. He sent for the two leading sporting men
of the city who represented Ryan and Sulli-
van, respectively, and forbade them to
fight within the State line of Louisiana.
They asked the Governor to point out
the law of the State which prohibited prize-
fighting. Gov. McEnery, thoroughly aroused,
replied that he was law enough for this occa-
sion; that he had given his orders, and if ne-
cessary would proclaim martial law and call
out the State troops to enforce them.
The "sports" at once yeilded the point
and gave the Governor an assurance
that this order should be obeyed and the fight
should not take place in Louisiana. This made
necessary another change of base, and it was
finally decided to return to the first pro-
gramme, slighty amended, especially as an
assurance was given that the bill introduced at
Jackson had been abandoned in the face of
a general protest from the people along
the shore, who profit by visits from strangers.
The spot finally agreed upon, therefore, was
on the sea shore, in front of Barnes's Hotel, at
Mississippi City. This is a point 70 miles from
New Orleans and 60 miles from Mobile, in
Harrison County, Miss., and just abreast of
Ship Island, of war fame.
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Sullivan and Ryan arrived on the
ground at
8 o'clock this morning, and went to Barnes's
and Tegarden's hotels, respectively. Both
were in superb condition. The excursion
train, which consisted of 14 coaches and
carried about 1,000 people, left New
Orleans at 5 o'clock this morning and
reached the ground at 10:30. At 11:30
the stakes were driven, about 1,500 people
having assembled. Sullivan was the first to
get in the ring. He had on a cap, and was
wrapped in a blanket. He looked very pale.
Fifteen minutes later Ryan appeared, smiling
serenely. Ryan got the choice of corners, and
after considerable bickering Alexander
Brewster, of New Orleans, and Jack Hardy,
of Vicksburg, were chosen joint referees.
The ring was cleared at 11:50 A.M. "Pat."
Mealy offered to bet $100 to $500 that Ryan
would knock Sullivan down first. Sullivan
cast his cap into the ring at 11:45. One hun-
dred dollars to eighty was offered and ac-
cepted on Sullivan. Sullivan was seconded by
Billy Madden, Joe Goss, and Arthur Cham-
bers.
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At exactly 11:58 o'clock the men toed
the
scratch and shook hands for the first round.
Both men sparred cautiously for an opening.
Ryan led with his right, but fell short and
caught in return a hot one from Sullivan's left
on the face. Exchanges then became short
and quick, and Sullivan finally knocked Ryan
down with a severe right-hander on the cheek.
Time - 0:30.
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Second Round - Sullivan at
once rushed to
his man and let go with his left, which caught
Ryan on the jaw. Ryan closed with him, and
they wrestled for a fall, Ryan winning and
falling heavily on his opponent. Time - 0:25.
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Third Round - The men came
together with
a rush, and Sullivan, after making three
passes, knocked Ryan down with a terrible
right-hander on the chest. Time - 0:04.
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Fourth Round - The men
sparred, for per-
haps a second or two; both feinted; and then
Sullivan went for Ryan's face, putting in a
stinging blow square on his nob before they
closed. Slugging then began and continued
until Ryan was forced into and upon the ropes,
when he went to the grass. Time of round 20
seconds.
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Fifth Round - This was a
repetition of the
previous round, both men closing and putting
in their best work. The attack of both men
was confined to the face. Ryan succeeded in
bringing Sullivan to his knees at the close of
the round.
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Sixth Round - Sullivan came up
smiling, but
it was evident that Ryan was not only suffer-
ing, but was somewhat afraid of his antago-
nist. Sullivan lost no time, but went in to win.
Ryan, however, closed, and getting Sullivan
across the buttock, downed him.
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Seventh Round - This round was
a short one.
The men closed and hitting was continued for
a few seconds, when Ryan went to the grass
a wreck. Sullivan came to his corner smiling.
Ryan, however, had the grit to come up for
another round.
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Eighth Round - When time was
called the
men came up promptly. Ryan was decidedly
weak, but he made a gallant struggle. Sulli-
van fought him over the ring into the um-
pire's corner and over the ropes. Upon getting
off the ropes Ryan rallied, but went down on
one hand and one knee. A foul was looked
for, but, though Sullivan had his hand raised
to strike, he restrained himself as Ryan rose.
Both men were retiring to their corners when
the seconds of each cried "Go for him," and
the men responding, again came together.
They closed and then clinched, and after a
short struggle both went down.
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Ninth Round - Ryan failed to
come to time
and the fight was declared in favor of Sullivan.
Ryan and Sullivan were visited after they
had gone to their quarters. Ryan was
lying in an exhausted condition on his
bed, badly disfigured in the face, his
upper lip being cut through and his nose dis-
figured. He did not move but lay panting.
Stimulants were given him to resore him. He
is terribly punished on the head.
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At the conclusion of the fight
Sullivan ran
to his quarters at a lively gait, and laughing.
He lay down for a while as he was a little out
of wind, but there is not a scratch on him. He
chatted pleasantly with his friends. The fighting
was short, sharp, and decisive on Sullivan's part
throughout, Ryan showing weariness after the
first round.
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Immediately after the fight Ryan was
visited
in his quarters by a well known physican
with the intention of giving him medical assist-
ance if any was needed. His pulse was normal
and his chief injuries consisted of a welt on the
left side of the neck, where he had been struck
a terrible blow in the second round, gashed
lips, and a cut over the eye, together with a
number of contusions about the body. After
an examination the physican stated that Ryan
was suffering from hernia and that he must
have been in great pain during the fight. He
advised him to forsake the prize-ring. Ryan
stated that he intended to give up pugilism,
as he did not think he was suited by nature
for that kind of business.
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He said he considered Sullivan a born
prize-
fighter and a very formidable opponent in the
ring. In regard to his defeat, Ryan spoke very
calmly, admitting he had been fairly whipped,
but at the same time stating he had been sick
during the night and was partially disabled
early in the action by the falling of his truss.
He said he suffered great pain and felt in no
condition to fight, and but for the fact that
people would have considered him a cow-
ard he would not have appeared in the ring
under any circumstances. Johnny Roach,
Ryan's trainer, and W.E. Harding, the re-
presentative of his backer, said they considered
the fight a fair one, and had no complaints to
make regarding the result.
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Mr. Fox lost $8,500. Between $100,000
and
$200,000 are supposed to have changed hands
on the result. The result today was in
accordance with the expectations of many
keen observers of the two men, who relied
upon Sullivan's wonderful hitting powers and
remarkable skill as a two-handed fighter to win
him the battle. From the start he acted on
the offensive, attacking his opponent with
violence amounting almost to ferocity,
breaking down Ryan's guards with his terrific
blows, and following up the attack by clinch-
ing and wrestling. There was apparently little
science displayed, the rounds being short,
ending in a fall or knockdown. This plan
of attack could not have been carried
out for any great length of time, but
Sullivan's friends relied for success upon
his quick work. Sullivan and his party took
an excursion train and came to this city
soon after the fight. Ryan, Roach, and
Harding came to the city tonight and will
leave here for their homes tomorrow.
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The fight was for the
heavy-weight
championship of America and a stake of
$5,000. Richard K. Fox, of this city,
was the backer for Ryan, and deposited
half that amount. James Keenan, of Bos-
ton, was the backer for Sullivan and de-
posited the other half. Charles McDonald,
of canada; Thomas Kelly, of St. Louis, and
John Roach, of the Fourth Ward of this city,
were Ryan's seconds. Joe Goss, of England,
and Arthur Chambers, of Philadelphia, were the
seconds for Sullivan. Harry Hill, of this city,
was the stakeholder. The articles were drawn
up in New York, and were to the affect that
Ryan and Sullivan should fight a fair, stand-
up fight, in a 24 foot ring, according to the
new rules of the prize ring, and that it should
take place within 100 miles of New Orleans.
In the event of Police interference the referee,
or the stakeholder, it was agreed, should name
the next time and place of meeting.
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John L. Sullivan, the victor, is a
native of
Boston, and is only 25 years of age. He is
5 feet 11 3/4 inches in height, and when in con-
dition weighs 180 pounds. He has frequently
taken part in sparring matches since he was
16 years old, but had never entered the prize
ring with bare hands until yesterday. In
Boston he knocked Joe Goss, the English pugi-
list, out of time in a boxing match. In Decem-
ber, 1880, he fought John E. Donaldson with
hard gloves in Cincinnati, and was victorious.
Eleven rounds were fought in 20 minutes. On
a barge in the Hudson River in May of last
year he defeated John Flood with hard gloves
in 16 minutes. Until the result of his fight
with Ryan was announced in this city yester-
day he had few friends here.
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Patrick Ryan, the defeated pugilist,
was
born in the County of Tipperary, Ireland, and
is 29 years of age. He is 6 feet and a half
an inch in height, and his fighting weight was
190 pounds. In 1871 he was matched to
fight John Dwyer, of Brooklyn, but the fight
never took place. Ryan's only encounter in
the prize ring prior to yesterday was Joe
Goss in West Virginia, in late June, 1880.
He won the battle in 87 rounds, the fight
lasting one hour and twenty minutes. Ryan
has made his home in Troy for several years.
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