Category: Sports

Posted on

Stian Aker & Rune Malterud Complete Harbo & Samuelsen Voyage!

In 2016, we followed Norwegian Stein Hoff as he attempted to duplicate the feat of the first-ever successful ocean rowers George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen, also Norwegian. Harbo and Samuelsen had been sponsored by the Police Gazette and named their boat the “Fox” after Gazette publisher Richard K. Fox. To the shock and surprise of everyone, they managed to not only survive the crossing, they made it in only 55 days–a record that still stands to this day for boats with fewer than three rowers. Stein, an accomplished ocean rower himself, tried it solo, but was stopped by a violent storm three-quarters of the way across. Today, however, fellow Norwegians Stian Aker and Rune Malterud arrived at England’s Scilly Isles, completing the Harbo and Samuelsen route in 58 days. We congratulate Aker and Malterud and welcome them to the Harbo and Samuelsen family!

Stian Aker and Rune Malterud arrive at Saint Mary’s, Scilly Isles, in the morning of July 23, 2018.

Posted on

Results: Saturday, June 23, 2018

CAM-PLEX, Gillette, Wyoming, United States
Win                               Loss                            Result-Round
Ethan Kelly                Anthony Young     KO-2
Terrence Brown     Chris Dove               TKO-1
Jose Beltran             John Carmona       TKO-2
Dean Risher             Richard Flores        KO-1
Tyler Canning          Robert Daniels       TKO-2
Derek Perez             Edison Charlie        TKO-1

Posted on

Results: Saturday, June 2, 2018

Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Win                                Loss                                       Result-Round
Ricco Rodriguez     Lewis Rumsey                  UD-5
Joey Beltran             Tony Lopez                         UD-5
Bec Rawlings           Alma Garcia                        TKO-2
Sam Shewmaker    Eric Prindle                         KO-1
Bobby Gunn              Irineu Beato Costa Jr.    KO-1
Johnny Bedford      Nick Mamalis                     TKO-2
Reggie Barnett Jr   Travis Thompson             UD-5
Maurice Jackson    Dale Sopi                              TKO-1
Estevan Payan        Omar Avelar                        KO-1
Arnold Adams         D.J. Linderman                   TKO-2

Posted on

Fingers Crossed

Will Bare-Knuckle Event Happen Tonight?

A bare-knuckle boxing event is scheduled to take place tonight in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Will it? Who knows. We haven’t touched this with a 10-foot pole till now for the simple reason that promoter Dave Feldman and his organization Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) has been responsible for more fizzes than sloe gin when it comes to putting on bare-knuckle events. So the proof will be in the pudding, or in this case, the pummeling.

Also concerning is BKFC has been promoting tonight as the first legal bare-knuckle event since 1889. As any reader of the Police Gazette knows, the 1889 event was not legal in any way, shape, or form–John L. Sullivan was arrested afterward–and the only sanctioning body involved was the Police Gazette itself. So a little truth in advertising would be appreciated.

Current Police Gazette World Heavyweight bare-knuckle champ Bobby Gunn is scheduled to participate tonight in a non-title bout. Others scheduled on the card include former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez and UFC female flyweight competitor Bec Rawlings.

Chairman of the Wyoming Combat Sports Commission Bryan Pedersen pointed out the main reason for agreeing to sanction bare knuckle was that “it was already happening. There have been 2 to 12 events a year for the past eight years,” in the state of Wyoming. Many of these legal, if unregulated, events have been put on by local Wyoming promoter Corey Williams, who will be presenting his own newly regulated promotion on June 23rd. Also read our article about Wyoming’s road to legalization.

So here we are. We will report on whatever happens tonight, sink or swim. But we will keep our fingers crossed for the overall health of the sport of professional bare-knuckle boxing.

 

Police Gazette World Heavyweight champ Bobby Gunn

Posted on

Lineal Police Gazette Championships Revived

The Only Official Bare-Knuckle Boxing Belts Are Coming Back. 

Before March 20, 2018, professional bare-knuckle boxing was never legal anywhere in the United States. The State of Wyoming is the first to ever make it legal. However, this did not stop championship bare-knuckle prize fights from taking place in the U.S. in the past. One might ask, if it was illegal then who authorized and approved it? Easy: the National Police Gazette.

Richard K. Fox, publisher of the Police Gazette, had the power, resources, and determination to foster the nascent sport—which was all illegal, even gloved—and withstand the legal ramifications in the process. It was the Police Gazette that created rules, arranged matches, and bestowed championship belts to the winners. Before 1881, American champions had been decided by a sort of consensus among the sporting fraternity that immersed itself in the illicit doings of prize fighting. But there was never any overarching authority that could smooth the logistics—especially since they were illegal—of mediating contracts, selecting venues, providing honest stakeholders, etc. And there was no authority that could say “so-and-so is the champion and here is his belt” and have the sporting fraternity respect that, until the National Police Gazette.

The Police Gazette had been reporting on boxing matches since Fox took over the publication in the late 1870s. But in 1881, he decided to take the next step and become the organizing entity for the entire sport. Fox had become impatient with the roadblocks and difficulties that were preventing a match between Paddy Ryan, who had claimed the American championship, and a young upstart named John L. Sullivan. So the April 16, 1881, issue of the Police Gazette proclaimed, “Richard K. Fox offers to match Sullivan to fight Paddy Ryan at catch-weight, according to the new rules of the London prize ring for the heavy-weight championship of America. He will also offer a champion belt to the winner. All matches for the belt to be made at the Police Gazette office.” London Prize Ring Rules meant bare knuckle. And for the next 12 years, the Police Gazette repeatedly stated its preference for bare knuckle over gloves to determine ultimate championships. If it was gloved, it couldn’t be a real professional championship.

But by the early 1890s, largely due to Fox’s efforts, boxing began to move into acceptance and legality. The only catch was, to be legal it had to be gloved. The handwriting was on the wall. If Fox was going to continue to have the Police Gazette be a major factor in boxing, he would have to accept the gloved version for championships. Still, he made one last-ditch plea in a November 1893 editorial. “BARE KNUCKLES, NOT GLOVES” screamed the headline. “The Prize Ring Championship Has Always Been Settled In That Way.” The article goes on to explain how all the great champions of the past, in both England and America—including John L. Sullivan—had won their titles bare knuckle. But it was a lost cause. Gloves were the only way the sport could legally continue, and so Fox started allowing his belts to be won exclusively with gloves. From that point, bare-knuckle championships were no longer officially sanctioned… until now.

Now that bare knuckle is legal in Wyoming, the Police Gazette is taking its lineal championships—after 125 years—out of suspended animation. The four original weight classes, and the last boxer to win each championship in a bare-knuckle match, are as follows:

Heavyweight: John L. Sullivan
Middleweight: “The Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey
Lightweight: Jack McAuliffe
Featherweight: Ike Weir

Bobby Gunn currently holds the heavyweight belt, but has been unable to defend it due to the difficulties in navigating legalities and putting too much trust in those who promise more than they can deliver. Now that the legalities are out of the way, a match can be made in a more orderly fashion involving more reliable people. The other three weight classes are open. In addition, it is the intention of the Police Gazette to offer championships in two new weight classes: cruiserweight and bantamweight. The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame of Belfast, New York, has been authorized by the Police Gazette to issue the heavyweight belt and will be issuing the belts for the additional weight classes as well. All weight limits will follow the current standards in professional boxing. It is the further intention of the Police Gazette that Bobby will have completed a defense of his World heavyweight belt and all American belts will be decided by November 30th of this year.

Professional championship bare-knuckle boxing is back. It deserves to have the emblems of its championships back with it.

Torpedo Billy Murphy displays the Police Gazette Feather-weight Champion Prize Ring Belt of the World after having won it in a gloved match from Ike Weir, the last bare-knuckle holder.

Posted on

Bare Knuckle Boxing Legalized by Major Government for First Time

It’s done. For the first time in the developed world, professional bare knuckle boxing has been formally approved by a top-level government. The first event will take place on June 1st or 2nd in the State of Wyoming.

As opposed to some promotions around the world that call themselves “bare knuckle,” this will be actual bare knuckle boxing. No coverings of any kind will be allowed on the knuckles. In addition, fighters may have no tape or wraps anywhere on their hands, wrists, or arms. Some wrapping will be allowed at the option of the fighter, but only around the wrists for support, and it must stop at least one inch from the knuckles.

These rules pass the test for the National Police Gazette, which was the last organization to officially sanction American and World bare-knuckle boxing championships. In those days, fighters had no wraps or coverings of any kind on the hands or arms. As a result, BKB bouts could run well over two hours as the risk of injury to the hands, fingers, or wrists of the striker greatly increases with no covering or support. Bouts could become lengthy chess matches of strategy and precision. Today, as a compromise to fans used to the pummeling action of gloved matches, optional wraps for wrist support are allowed and are expected to help strike a balance between strategy and action.

It has been a very long road to approval. For over 100 years, a stigma was attached to BKB that it was less safe and more violent than gloved boxing. But recent medical research has indicated that covering the hand of the striker actually increases the likelihood of brain injury to the person being hit. A covered hand can strike harder and more often, producing far more kinetic energy transfer to the brain than the uncovered hand. And, as has been shown in football research, a helmet might protect from superficial injury, but it does nothing to lessen the jarring movement of the brain inside the skull.

Many have been involved in trying to get BKB legalized, but local promoter Corey Williams has been the main driving force on the ground in the State of Wyoming. He’s been collecting volumes of data from not just medical research, but from hundreds of amateur BKB bouts. The overwhelming evidence finally convinced the Wyoming Combat Sports Commission to accept BKB as an approved professional combat sport.

According to Bryan Pedersen, the Commission’s chairman, pro BKB has officially been legal in Wyoming since March 20th. But any and all officials who will be involved in pro matches must first undergo training and certification by the state. This training will take place the second half of May, making the first feasible weekend for an event June 1st & 2nd. There is only one slot available for the whole weekend, which two promoters are currently vying for. For those saying “Here we go again” because of the numerous aborted BKB “events” that fizzled over the past couple of years, keep in mind June 1st/2nd is not illegal or an attempt to find an Indian reservation that could skirt state law. This time it is state law. We will keep you posted as firm details emerge.

Now that the first state has approved pro BKB, the floodgates will undoubtedly soon open. The Police Gazette World Champion belt, currently held by Bobby Gunn, will be shined up and made available for competition. When the time is right, the most prestigious award in bare knuckle boxing will once again enter the ring.

Posted on

Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame to Unveil Wrestlers Wall of Fame

The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame (BKBHOF) in Belfast, New York, has announced it will inaugurate a new feature honoring wrestlers at its annual induction ceremony on July 7th. William Muldoon’s ALL-STAR Wrestlers Wall of Fame will include two inaugural classes: The Founder’s Class (1800s-1950s) will induct Martin “Farmer” Burns, Frank Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Tom Jenkins, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, William Muldoon, and Clarence Whistler; while The Modern Class (1950s to present) will induct Andre the Giant, Nick Bockwinkel, Bobo Brazil, Hulk Hogan, Walter “Killer” Kowalski, Buddy Rogers, Bruno Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon, and The Fabulous Moolah.

William Muldoon was a star wrestler of the late 19th century who, in 1884, built the barns in Belfast that currently house the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame. In 1889, Muldoon famously trained John L. Sullivan in the barns to prepare him for his successful world boxing championship title defense against Jake Kilrain for the Police Gazette belt in what would also turn out to be the last bare-knuckle boxing world championship. Stand-up grappling and throwing, as well, were allowed under the bare-knuckle rules of the time.

Scott Burt, president of the BKBHOF, said because of Muldoon’s history as a wrestler and the wrestling components of bare-knuckle boxing of the time, it was a natural move to begin honoring pure wrestlers. Muldoon taught Sullivan grappling moves upstairs in one of the barns. “Ten years ago,” said Burt, “when Shane Cline, president of American Grappler, and myself were cleaning out and restoring the upstairs of the barns we couldn’t believe our eyes when we discovered the nail outline and strands of canvas from Muldoon’s original wrestling mat! A great find for wresting enthusiasts. There is no better place to honor wrestlers than right there on the walls of Muldoon’s original wrestling room.”

This will be the 10th year for BKBHOF induction ceremonies. “We have drawn people from all over the world,” Burt said, “to see where the great John L. Sullivan trained for his epic 75-round bare knuckle fight against Jake Kilrain for the coveted Police Gazette belt. Now with a Wall of Fame for wrestlers too, Belfast should expect even more historians and fans to flock to our small, but historically significant, town.” The unveiling of the Wrestling Wall of Fame will happen during the BKBHOF’s 10th Induction on July 7th. Guests scheduled at press time include Rick Jeanneret and Rob Ray from the Buffalo Sabres, current Bare Knuckle Champion Bobby Gunn, legendary referee Bill Clancy, 1970 World Champ Billy Backus, Team USA Jujitsu, and Buffalo Boxer Dick Topinko. For more information text Scott Burt at 585-610-3326, and visit www.bareknuckleboxinghalloffame.com.

Posted on

Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Announced

CLASS OF 2018
ORIGINAL PIONEER INDUCTEES:
Mike Conley; Bare Knuckle Boxer, 1860-1920. Known as The Ithaca Giant. 1888 Northwest American Heavyweight Champion. Career spanned 1886-1894; record was 26-4-2. Fought the likes of Jack Ashton, Joe McAuliffe, Patsy Cardiff, Billy Woods, Jim Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons. His image is used today many times over to represent the “Manly Man”. From Ithaca, New York.

Tom Johnson; Bare Knuckle Boxer, 1750-1797. Restored honor to the sport after decades of corruption. Champion of England from 1784 to 1791. Demonstrated early mental tactical awareness in the ring that others previously lacked.

Nat Langham; Bare Knuckle Boxer, 1820-1871. An influential English pugilist who became the English Middleweight Champion. He was the only conqueror of Tom Sayers. After defeating Sayers in 1857 he retired to manage the first-ever professional champion of the boxing world, Jem Mace.

Joe Lannon; Bare Knuckle Boxer. The Hammerer, whose career spanned 1883-93. Fought the likes of Jack Aston, George Godfrey, Jake Kilrain, and Jim Corbett. Although known as one of the top heavyweights of his time, is best known for being John L. Sullivan’s exhibition and sparring partner; no one was in the ring with Sullivan more.

MODERN HONORARY INDUCTEES:
Rick Jeanneret; Announcer. The longest reigning announcer in the NHL and member of the NHL Hall of Fame. He is “The Voice of the Buffalo Sabres”. No man in history has called more ‘bare knuckle’ fights.

Tony Gee; World-Renowned Author and Historian. Resides in England. Widely viewed as one of the top bare knuckle authorities in the world. His writings are regarded as the most accurate recordings written. Future generations will look upon his works when studying the past.

Dick Topinko; Local Gloved Boxer. Retired Buffalo, New York, boxer who brought a positive spotlight to upstate New York during his career which started in 1964. He was trained by Tony Pinto and Johnny Sudac; his manager was Sam Cardinale. Won Golden Gloves in 1965. Drafted for Vietnam War; turned pro once back home in 1968. Went 14-0 as professional; picked by The Ring in 1970 as one of the Top 5 Prospects in the World. A shoulder injury later that year forced retirement.

MARIE BACKUS TEAM OF THE YEAR:
TEAM USA JUJITSU who trained in the Sullivan barns this past summer before travelling to and participating in the 2017 World Championships in Australia last fall.
Bryana Baer; Team Member.
Mike Hanchett; Team Member.
Charlie Love; Team Member.
Desmond White; Team Member.
Barry Broughton; Coach

MARIE BACKUS PERSON OF THE YEAR:
Bill Clancy; Boxing Official. Regarded by many as the top active boxing referee in the world today. Known for his honesty, integrity, personality, but most importantly for putting the safety of boxers first above all. Has officiated in 15 states and 11 countries. Has refereed 17 world titles, 47 international fights, and 35 different world champions including main events on HBO, SHOWTIME, NBC, ESPN, USA, and par-per-view. Over 900 fights in over 33 years.

The BKBHOF induction date this year is Saturday, July 7, 2018.

BARE KNUCKLE BOXING HALL OF FAME
Scott R. Burt, President
Belfast, New York
srburt@aol.com

Posted on

No Dance Tonight: The Bizarre Cancellation of the BKB Championship Fight

Last year there were numerous false starts getting a bare knuckle boxing championship event off the ground. But none of them failed in as spectacular a fashion as the one that was supposed to have taken place today.

Champion Bobby Gunn and challenger Shannon Ritch have been set to square off in a BKB championship for over a year and a half. But one disappointment after another kept them from meeting. Finally, it seemed frustration had set in to such an extent they decided to just go ahead and do an event on their own. Nobody’s getting any younger and it seemed like it was now or never.

On October 20th, Shannon reported he’d formally challenged Bobby and that Bobby had accepted. On the 23rd, Shannon posted a video in which he stated “I want to test myself against the best. I know you’re the best. I will come to anyplace you say. You name the time and place. I will be there.” Bobby replied the same day, telling Shannon “You’ve already acknowledged when you challenge a man you have to go over to where that man is. Very soon you’ll be getting a time and location.”

The next day Bobby named the date as November 17th. He also referred to Canada as being the general location, though later it became clear an exact location remained very much up in the air. Still, on October 30th, Bobby announced the fight would be available by pay-per-view through streamingvideoprovider.com, a do-it-yourself service. This was to be a no-frills match, the meeting of two battlers who were done with waiting for complexities to be worked out and just wanted to settle who was the best.

So far, so good. But then, in one big hurry, the whole thing went so far south it’s probably at the tomb of Captain Robert Scott by now. In the late night of November 7th, Shannon’s camp suddenly announced Bobby had backed out. Shannon explained that on November 6th they’d presented Bobby with a contract involving a pay-per-view company that Shannon’s camp had come up with. Bobby would later say he did not expect a move like this and that he had serious reservations with the details of the contract anyway. For example, one provision states “ST7, LLC [the pay-per-view company] will have an exclusive two-year rights, with an option for additional years (1-1-1-), for any worldwide Bare Knuckle Boxing live streaming event opportunities….” Bobby hesitated at being tied to anything for at least two years when they’d originally discussed just getting together as men to settle who was champion and leaving it at that. He also was concerned the contract did not name a venue, city or country where the event was to take place.

Then, less than 48 hours after Bobby saw the contract and refused to sign it as written, Shannon’s camp said they were done negotiating and the fight was off. We asked Shannon about postponing the date and getting everyone back to the table in a relaxed manner. After all, it takes more than two days to hammer out the details of a contract involving so many parties (four altogether, two companies and two individuals), exclusive rights, and potentially large amounts of money. But Shannon replied by saying “Nope done with this guy.” So a grand total of 18 days elapsed between the announcement & acceptance of the challenge and when efforts to make the fight happen were called off.

Something seemed a little funny with the way everything had played out. Bobby’s head liaison with the Shannon Ritch camp was long-time associate Joe McEwen, more commonly known as Joe Mack. Joe had carried out the bulk of the negotiations on behalf of Bobby. But strangely, the moment negotiations broke down Joe went publicly on Twitter complaining that Bobby had backed out of the fight, adding the hashtag #EXPOSED. In the same post was a screen shot of a communication from Shannon to British boxing promotion UBBAD apologizing to them for trusting Bobby. Later, Bobby posted information that suggested Joe had thrown his allegiance over to UBBAD this past summer, and the November 17th event had actually been an effort by Joe to financially entangle Bobby with UBBAD, discredit him, or both.

As the two camps continue to threaten each other and accuse the other of backing out, one thing is for sure. As of now, there is no fight between Bobby Gunn and Shannon Ritch, and it doesn’t look like there ever will be.

Update: Joe Mack responded to our story by saying there’s no truth to the accusation of collusion with UBBAD, calling Bobby’s information a “conspiracy theory.” He also assured us the contract they offered Bobby was for a legitimate, legal event and he saw no good reason for Bobby to reject it.

Posted on

The Police Gazette as Premier BKB Sanctioning Body: How It Began

In June 1880, Paddy Ryan defeated Joe Goss in West Virginia in a bare-knuckle fight and claimed the championship of America. But, prize fighting being illegal, there was no respected organization that could officially sanction this claim. So uncertainty about who was the American champion remained. John L. Sullivan then challenged Ryan, but Ryan did not immediately accept. He said West Virginia authorities were hunting him for participating in a prize fight and, besides, Sullivan had yet to post a forfeit. Enter Richard K. Fox and the National Police Gazette.

Fox offered to sanction and facilitate a match between Ryan and Sullivan. The April 16, 1881, issue of the Police Gazette explains: “To settle this matter, Richard K. Fox, proprietor of the POLICE GAZETTE, offers to match Sullivan, the Boston giant, to fight Paddy Ryan at catchweight, according to the new rules of the London prize ring, for $1,000 a side and the heavy-weight championship of America. He will also offer a champion belt—fac simile of the belt Heenan and Sayers fought for—to the winner. The trophy is to represent the championship of America, and the winner of the belt will have to defend the trophy, according to the rules that governed the champion belt of England. All matches for the belt to be made at the POLICE GAZETTE office, and Richard K. Fox is to be final stakeholder in all matches and to select a referee…. Richard K. Fox means business, and is eager and anxious to find out who is the champion pugilist of America.”

The same article also suggested the fight—and Ryan’s training camp—could be in Canada, so Ryan could avoid his legal problems. But when the fight did take place in February 1882, it was in rural Mississippi, though still illegal. John L. Sullivan won and the Police Gazette declared him American champion of all boxing. And thus began the Gazette‘s position as not just a sports magazine, but the premier boxing—as well as bare-knuckle boxing—sanctioning organization in America, later the world. The belt Fox had produced was made from 12.5 pounds of solid silver and gold with eight diamonds, including two in the eyes of a fox head. It remained the emblem of world boxing champions, both bare knuckle and gloved, until after the turn of the 20th century.

When gloved boxing became legal in 1892, the Police Gazette suspended the use of its championship belts as representing bare-knuckle (BKB) champions. Now, with BKB making a comeback, it was natural for us to reinstate the Police Gazette belt as the signifier of world BKB champions since the last time there was an official BKB world champion it was the Police Gazette that bestowed the title. In February 2016, we passed the management of this title to Scott Burt of the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame in recognition of his immersion in the subject and the singular work he’s done in the field.

The new Police Gazette bare-knuckle champion belt, produced by the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame, will be fought for November 17th between champion Bobby Gunn and challenger Shannon Ritch—the first time since July 1889 the Police Gazette heavyweight belt will be bestowed following a BKB match. Welcome back!

The Police Gazette world-champion belt makes an appearance in the November 1, 1884, issue.