Peter Jackson
Titles: Never a champion
Record: 23-3-5 with 36 no decisions
Born: July 13, 1861 in St. Croix, West Indies
Years active: 1883-1899
Nickname: The Black Prince
Peter Jackson was the one man the legendary John L. Sullivan absolutely
refused to fight. The excuse was that Jackson was a black man, some thought
Sullivan (who did fight other black men) refused to fight Jackson because
of the skill of Jackson however. At 6 foot 2 inches tall and scaling between
195 and 210 pounds Jackson was a formidable foe in those days. Jackson is
considered one of the greatest boxers who ever fought in the heavyweight
division, Jackson was what we describe today as a boxer-puncher. Jackson
moved well behind his strong jab and was always in fighting shape in his
prime. Jackson a black man still traveled extensively and engaged in many
fights trying to secure a heavyweight championship fight against the popular
John L. Sullivan. Some historians still rate Jackson over Sullivan when it
comes to ranking the greatest fighter of that time period. Peter Jackson was
born in St. Croix, British West Indies but at a the age of 6 his father a
poor fisherman in search of better waters moved the family and Australia.
When his father left to return to St. Croix he left his 12 year old son
behind. As a boy Jackson loved to swim and he was a championship swimmer
at the Sydney's Port Jackson Swimming Club, no doubt helping to build his
enormous stamina in future boxing matches. In 1879 he met Larry Foley
Australia's foremost boxing instructor who also handled Young Griffo and
the man who would guide him in boxing. Jackson learned quickly and had a
ravenous desire to win. Jackson's early record is a bit obscure but a man
named Bill Farnan did manage to knock out and hold a young and still
learning Jackson to a draw. Still within 3 years Jackson had won the
Australian heavyweight title from Tom Lees, when he stopped him in the
30th round. His most bitter rival in those early years was Frank Slavin
who was the British Commonwealth heavyweight champion. Both men courted
the same woman, Josephine Leon which only intensified their rivalry and
matured a true hatred in both men for another. The record showed that they
only boxed each other once but they sparred each other often in the early
days before their falling out. Also there was a bar brawl between the two
in Sydney that made the papers. Jackson ventured to America in the Spring
of 1888 in search of a fight with John L. Sullivan and won his first 9
bouts in the USA, most of them inside the distance. His first fight in
America was against George Godfrey the "Black Heavyweight champion" and
Jackson totally outclassed the very good Godfrey. In the 19th round of a
one sided fight Jackson landed a punch under the heart of Godfrey which
knocked him out. Because of the good show Jackson was named the boxing
instructor for the California Athletic Club. The next good victory for
Jackson came when he soundly defeated Joe McAuliffe in 24 largely one
sided rounds and then went on to defeat Patsy Cardiff. Again he challenged
Sullivan and was denied a fight via telegram. There was a white man who
did take the challenge of Jackson however, his name was Jim Corbett. The
fight was by all accounts a war and the toughest that either was to have
fought in their careers. The fight lasted 61 rounds (over 3 hours) and
at the end it was declared a draw.....no one complained at the outcome
however because of the quality of the bout. In his autobiography Corbett
who defeated John L. Sullivan wrote of Jackson "He is the greatest fighter
I have ever seen". Jackson was now a 30 year old man, still Sullivan would
not fight him so Jackson fought on and he would now get a chance to
officially fight Frank Slavin. Before his bout with Slavin Jackson defeated
Jem Smith in 2 rounds to win the British Empire title. The fight with
Slavin was held in London and it was a classic. Slavin came out the
aggressor and took the first round. By the fourth round however Slavin
was a pathetic looking man who had received a thrashing. Jackson was
simply too fast and stepped aside of the onrushing Slavin and countered
with a stinging two fisted attack. To his Credit Slavin refused to let
his manager throw in the towel in the 9th round. In the 10th round even
the hatred in Jackson had gone at the sight of the bloody mess in front
of him and he asked the referee to stop the fight. When the referee did
not stop the fight Jackson landed 5 straight blows to the head of Slavin
and his opponent fell and did not get up before the count. This fight
also marked the end of Jackson as a force in the heavyweight division as
he knew a fight with Sullivan was not going to happen. Jackson only fought
twice more in the next 6 years touring in America with a theater company
before he faced the hulking Jim Jefferies. Jackson age 37 was now a shell
of his former self and was out of shape and rusty. Jefferies overpowered
the aging Jackson to win by a 6th round TKO. After this fight Jackson
tried to open a boxing Salon in London but it failed. Then Jackson was
diagnosed with Tuberculosis (then a incurable disease) and began to drink
himself to the bottom. Jackson became homesick for Australia and a
generous fan who saw him get knocked out in four rounds in Vancouver
Canada, gave him the money to return to Australia. Once back in Australia
Jackson wrecked by Alcohol and tuberculosis still managed to cough and
fight his way to a 25 round draw. At the end of the fight no one cheered,
all the men remembered a muscle bound Jackson not the flabby man that
now stood before them. It was a sad day in Sydney. At the age of 40
Jackson died of tuberculosis and he was buried in Toowong cemetery just
outside of Brisbane Australia. On one side of his headstone a inscription
reads "This was a man." Frank Slavin his bitter rival was at the funeral,
crying uncontrollably.
Peter Jackson
Career Record: 23 W, 3 L, 5 D, 36 ND (17 K.O's)
1882
Jack Hayes Sydney, NSW, Aus D 5
Jack Hayes Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 7
Dubbo in Australia W ?
Sam Britten Sydney, NSW, Aus KO ?
1884
Jan 28 George Cave Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Jan 28 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 6
Jan 31 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Feb 2 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus ND
Jun 25 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND
Jul 26 Bill Farnan Melbourne, Vic, Aus KOby 3
Sep 23 Bill Farnan Sydney, NSW, Aus D 6
May 1 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus L 2
May 2 Professor William Miller Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
1886
Mar 27 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 3
Apr 3 Bob Berbs Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
May 22 Pablo Frangues Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 12 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Jul 17 Dan Hickey Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Aug 7 Riley Sydney, NSW, Aus W 3
Aug 15 Hugh Healey Newcastle, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 25 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 30
Oct 2 Jack Malloy Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Oct 9 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Nov 20 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
1887
Feb 15 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Apr 6 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Apr 25 Mick O'Brien Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Jun 4 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus ND
Jun 11 the "Amateur" Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jun 25 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 9 Dan Hickey Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 16 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND
Aug 6 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 24 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Oct 1 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Oct 22 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus W 3
Nov 26 Stonewall Jack Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 2
Dec 24 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 2
1888
Jan 14 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jan 26 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 4 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 11 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Mar 17 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Apr 17 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND
Jun 20 M.J. Sullivan San Francisco, Ca KO 2
Aug 24 George Godfrey San Francisco, Ca TKO 19
Dec 27 Joe McAuliffe San Francisco, Ca KO 24
1889
Apr 26 Patsy Cardiff San Francisco, Ca TKO 10
May 1 Shorty Kincaid Virginia City, Nv TKO 2
Jul 11 "Sailor" Charles Brown Chicago, Il TKO 4
Jul 25 George Peters Detroit, Mi TKO 3
Jul 29 Billy Baker Buffalo, NY W 4
Jul 30 Tom Lynch Buffalo, NY W D.Q 2
Aug 5 Paddy Brennan Buffalo, NY TKO 1
Aug 8 Billy Baker Hoboken, NJ W 4
Aug 9 James "Ginger" McCormick Hoboken, NJ KO 2
Aug 19 Jack Fallon New York, NY TKO 2
Oct 7 Jack Partridge Westminster, Eng KO 3
Oct 14 Jem Young Westminster, Eng W 4
Oct 15 Alf Mitchell Westminster, Eng W 4
Oct 15 Alf Ball Westminster, Eng TKO 2
Nov 11 Jem Smith London, Eng W D.Q 2
Nov 21 Horace Horrigan Westminster, Eng TKO 2
Nov 23 Charles Burgin Westminster, Eng W 4
Nov 27 Skinner Plymouth, Eng W D.Q 2
Nov 29 Sailor White Portsmouth, Eng TKO 3
Nov 29 Wolf Bendoff Portsmouth, Eng TKO 2
Dec 2 Scotchy Gunn Brighton, Eng W 4
Dec 2 W. Woodhams Brighton, Eng TKO 3
Dec 24 Peter Maher Dublin, Ire KO 2
1890
Feb 20 "Soldier" James Walker Washington, DC KO 1
Mar 4 Jack Fallon Brooklyn, NY KO 2
Mar 5 Gus Lambert Troy, NY ND 4
Apr Dick Keating Louisville, Ky KO 1
May 19 "Denver" Ed Smith Chicago, Il TKO 5
Jul 23 Tom Johnson Marysville, Ca TKO 4
Aug 30 Mick Dooley Newcastle, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 2 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 6 Jack Burke Wagga Wagga, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 8 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 4
Sep 9 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 4
Oct 20 Joe Goddard Melbourne, Vic, Aus D 8
Nov 19 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
1891
May 21 Jim Corbett San Francisco, Ca D 61
1892
Jan 12 "Captain" James Dalton Chicago, Il KO 3
Jan 12 Jack King Chicago, Il TKO 2
Feb 17 Joe Butler Philadelphia, Pa W 3
May 30 Frank "Paddy" Slavin London, Eng KO 10
Nov 28 Denny Kelliher Philadelphia, Pa W 4
1895
May 29 Gus Wilkie Baltimore, Md ND 6
1898
Mar 22 Jim Jeffries San Francisco, Ca TKOby 3
1899
Aug 24 Jim Jeffords Vancouver, BC, Can KOby 4
Dec 2 Billy Warren Melbourne, Vic, Aus D 25