The event proceeded despite unresolved tensions, failing to establish a clear championship framework.
Sullivan’s Physical Advantage Over McCaffrey Led to Unequal Contest
Sullivan, 26, entered the ring at approximately 208 pounds, while 21-year-old McCaffrey weighed around 168, creating a significant physical disparity.
McCaffrey, the smaller Pittsburgh fighter, could not match Sullivan’s power directly. He relied on footwork, evasive maneuvers, and clinches to disrupt Sullivan’s momentum before sustained attacks could develop. Following an injury to his right hand, McCaffrey shifted focus to his left and defensive tactics, transforming the bout into a technical challenge rather than a test of raw strength.
Though Sullivan was the reigning American bare-knuckle champion, his endurance waned as the fight continued. McCaffrey’s team argued Sullivan needed a knockout within six rounds to secure victory, though discrepancies persist regarding the written agreement’s terms.
Sullivan landed the more powerful strikes, including a shot that dropped McCaffrey in the mid-fight. McCaffrey later alleged he fractured his right hand against Sullivan’s head in the third round, forcing him to rely primarily on his left afterward.
The larger fighter began to tire in the later stages. McCaffrey pressed his advantage and remained poised to continue. A timekeeping error ending the sixth round prematurely prompted referee William Tate to order an additional round, resulting in a peculiar BoxRec listing: Sullivan won on points in round seven of a six-round match.
Contested Victory: Birth of a New Era in Boxing
Tate awarded Sullivan the decision based on the superior number of clean blows. McCaffrey’s camp contested the ruling, asserting that surviving six rounds should warrant a draw. Absent an athletic commission, no independent body existed to resolve the dispute. The promoter controlled the financials, Tate’s interpretation determined the outcome, and McCaffrey was left with legal recourse.
The audience framed McCaffrey’s resilience as a moral victory. Sullivan retained nearly $6,000, roughly 60% of the gate receipts, while McCaffrey received significantly less.
Sullivan’s recognition as boxing’s first gloved heavyweight champion underscored the sport’s transition, though modernization lagged behind rule changes. The contested terms, inconsistent timekeeping, and ambiguous rulings illustrated that Queensberry rules had preceded boxing’s capacity to enforce them consistently.
Sullivan later defended his bare-knuckle title by defeating Jake Kilrain in a 75-round marathon in 1889. James J. Corbett ultimately claimed the gloved heavyweight championship from him in 1892. McCaffrey continued battling larger opponents, later becoming an instructor and police officer, steadfast in his belief that Sullivan never truly defeated him.
Image: AI-generated historical recreation.
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