Photo: José María Mora / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
John L. Sullivan was the kind of figure who makes you stop and think about what "tough" actually meant before the modern world softened everything up. The Boston Strong Boy came out of Roxbury in the 1870s and punched his way through an era when bare knuckles were still the norm, eventually becoming the last recognized bare-knuckle heavyweight champion and the first gloved one — that's a transition so enormous it's hard to wrap your head around. He reigned from 1882 to 1892, a full decade at the top, and his name alone was enough to fill any room he walked into. Sure, he was famously larger than life off the canvas too, but the sheer physical dominance and showmanship he brought to boxing basically invented the celebrity athlete. His 1990 Hall of Fame induction felt overdue — legend doesn't even cover it.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- John L. Sullivan
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョン・L・サリバン
- Reading
- じょん・L・さりばん
- Born
- October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Horse
- Origin
- Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States
- Height
- 179 cm
- Occupation
- boxer
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1990 International Boxing Hall of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was John L. Sullivan born?
October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918.
Where is John L. Sullivan from?
John L. Sullivan is from Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States.
What does John L. Sullivan do?
John L. Sullivan works as boxer.
How tall is John L. Sullivan?
John L. Sullivan is 179 cm.
Boxer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.