BOXER
John L. Sullivan
1858 - 1918

John L. Sullivan
John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), known simply as John L. among his admirers, and dubbed the "Boston Strong Boy" by the press, was an American boxer. He is recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing, de facto reigning from February 7, 1882, to September 7, 1892. He is also generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring Rules, being a cultural icon of the late 19th century America, arguably the first boxing superstar and one of the world's highest-paid athletes of his era. Newspapers' coverage of his career, with the latest accounts of his championship fights often appearing in the headlines, and as cover stories, gave birth to sports journalism in the United States and set the pattern internationally for covering boxing events in media, and photodocumenting the prizefights. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. John L. Sullivan is the 53rd most popular boxer (down from 31st in 2019), the 4,921st most popular biography from United States (down from 2,532nd in 2019) and the 30th most popular American Boxer.
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Among BOXERS
Among boxers, John L. Sullivan ranks 53 out of 496. Before him are Kim Duk-koo, Leon Spinks, Gennady Golovkin, Earnie Shavers, Éder Jofre, and Ezzard Charles. After him are Tommy Morrison, Rocky Graziano, Piero Toscani, Oliver Kirk, Francisco Guilledo, and Calistrat Cuțov.
Most Popular Boxers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsKim Duk-koo
1959 - 1982
HPI: 59.75
Rank: 47
Leon Spinks
1953 - 2021
HPI: 59.74
Rank: 48
Gennady Golovkin
1982 - Present
HPI: 59.73
Rank: 49
Earnie Shavers
1944 - 2022
HPI: 59.58
Rank: 50
Éder Jofre
1936 - 2022
HPI: 59.56
Rank: 51
Ezzard Charles
1921 - 1975
HPI: 59.45
Rank: 52
John L. Sullivan
1858 - 1918
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 53
Tommy Morrison
1969 - 2013
HPI: 59.06
Rank: 54
Rocky Graziano
1919 - 1990
HPI: 58.97
Rank: 55
Piero Toscani
1904 - 1940
HPI: 58.90
Rank: 56
Oliver Kirk
1884 - 1960
HPI: 58.73
Rank: 57
Francisco Guilledo
1901 - 1925
HPI: 58.54
Rank: 58
Calistrat Cuțov
1948 - 2025
HPI: 58.54
Rank: 59
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1858, John L. Sullivan ranks 90. Before him are Henry Watson Fowler, P. J. Kennedy, Emma Calvé, Carl Swartz, Wilhelm Fliess, and E. Nesbit. After him are Bipin Chandra Pal, Eduard von Toll, Gerard Philips, Mikimoto Kōkichi, Helen Churchill Candee, and Dhondo Keshav Karve. Among people deceased in 1918, John L. Sullivan ranks 115. Before him are Malak Hifni Nasif, Ivan Puluj, Prince Mirko of Montenegro, Nigâr Hanım, Casimir de Candolle, and William Hope Hodgson. After him are Ulisse Dini, Milan Neralić, Meshadi Azizbekov, Bohumil Kubišta, Hubert Parry, and Peter Rosegger.
Others Born in 1858
Go to all RankingsHenry Watson Fowler
LINGUIST
1858 - 1933
HPI: 59.76
Rank: 84
P. J. Kennedy
POLITICIAN
1858 - 1929
HPI: 59.74
Rank: 85
Emma Calvé
SINGER
1858 - 1942
HPI: 59.71
Rank: 86
Carl Swartz
POLITICIAN
1858 - 1926
HPI: 59.62
Rank: 87
Wilhelm Fliess
PHYSICIAN
1858 - 1928
HPI: 59.54
Rank: 88
E. Nesbit
WRITER
1858 - 1924
HPI: 59.47
Rank: 89
John L. Sullivan
BOXER
1858 - 1918
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 90
Bipin Chandra Pal
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1858 - 1932
HPI: 59.14
Rank: 91
Eduard von Toll
EXPLORER
1858 - 1902
HPI: 59.12
Rank: 92
Gerard Philips
BUSINESSPERSON
1858 - 1942
HPI: 59.05
Rank: 93
Mikimoto Kōkichi
BUSINESSPERSON
1858 - 1954
HPI: 58.70
Rank: 94
Helen Churchill Candee
WRITER
1858 - 1949
HPI: 58.64
Rank: 95
Dhondo Keshav Karve
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1858 - 1962
HPI: 58.60
Rank: 96
Others Deceased in 1918
Go to all RankingsMalak Hifni Nasif
WRITER
1886 - 1918
HPI: 59.96
Rank: 109
Ivan Puluj
PHYSICIST
1845 - 1918
HPI: 59.80
Rank: 110
Prince Mirko of Montenegro
NOBLEMAN
1879 - 1918
HPI: 59.78
Rank: 111
Nigâr Hanım
WRITER
1856 - 1918
HPI: 59.57
Rank: 112
Casimir de Candolle
BIOLOGIST
1836 - 1918
HPI: 59.55
Rank: 113
William Hope Hodgson
WRITER
1877 - 1918
HPI: 59.45
Rank: 114
John L. Sullivan
BOXER
1858 - 1918
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 115
Ulisse Dini
MATHEMATICIAN
1845 - 1918
HPI: 59.16
Rank: 116
Milan Neralić
POLITICIAN
1875 - 1918
HPI: 59.03
Rank: 117
Meshadi Azizbekov
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1876 - 1918
HPI: 59.01
Rank: 118
Bohumil Kubišta
PAINTER
1884 - 1918
HPI: 58.98
Rank: 119
Hubert Parry
COMPOSER
1848 - 1918
HPI: 58.87
Rank: 120
Peter Rosegger
WRITER
1843 - 1918
HPI: 58.58
Rank: 121
In United States
Among people born in United States, John L. Sullivan ranks 4,921 out of 20,380. Before him are Betsy Palmer (1926), Danneel Ackles (1979), Budge Patty (1924), Pete Ricketts (1964), Scott Travis (1961), and Radia Perlman (1951). After him are Lillian Hellman (1905), Buck Adams (1955), Jason Derulo (1989), Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876), Norma Talmadge (1894), and Odetta (1930).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsBetsy Palmer
ACTOR
1926 - 2015
HPI: 59.36
Rank: 4,915
Danneel Ackles
ACTOR
1979 - Present
HPI: 59.36
Rank: 4,916
Budge Patty
POLITICIAN
1924 - 2021
HPI: 59.35
Rank: 4,917
Pete Ricketts
POLITICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 59.35
Rank: 4,918
Scott Travis
MUSICIAN
1961 - Present
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,919
Radia Perlman
COMPUTER SCIENTIST
1951 - Present
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,920
John L. Sullivan
BOXER
1858 - 1918
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,921
Lillian Hellman
WRITER
1905 - 1984
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,922
Buck Adams
PORNOGRAPHIC ACTOR
1955 - 2008
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,923
Jason Derulo
SINGER
1989 - Present
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,924
Nellie Tayloe Ross
POLITICIAN
1876 - 1977
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,925
Norma Talmadge
ACTOR
1894 - 1957
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 4,926
Odetta
SINGER
1930 - 2008
HPI: 59.33
Rank: 4,927
Among BOXERS In United States
Among boxers born in United States, John L. Sullivan ranks 30. Before him are Roy Jones Jr. (1969), Max Baer (1909), Henry Armstrong (1912), Leon Spinks (1953), Earnie Shavers (1944), and Ezzard Charles (1921). After him are Tommy Morrison (1969), Rocky Graziano (1919), Oliver Kirk (1884), Jersey Joe Walcott (1914), James J. Corbett (1866), and Buster Douglas (1960).
Roy Jones Jr.
1969 - Present
HPI: 61.21
Rank: 24
Max Baer
1909 - 1959
HPI: 60.76
Rank: 25
Henry Armstrong
1912 - 1988
HPI: 60.61
Rank: 26
Leon Spinks
1953 - 2021
HPI: 59.74
Rank: 27
Earnie Shavers
1944 - 2022
HPI: 59.58
Rank: 28
Ezzard Charles
1921 - 1975
HPI: 59.45
Rank: 29
John L. Sullivan
1858 - 1918
HPI: 59.34
Rank: 30
Tommy Morrison
1969 - 2013
HPI: 59.06
Rank: 31
Rocky Graziano
1919 - 1990
HPI: 58.97
Rank: 32
Oliver Kirk
1884 - 1960
HPI: 58.73
Rank: 33
Jersey Joe Walcott
1914 - 1994
HPI: 58.36
Rank: 34
James J. Corbett
1866 - 1933
HPI: 58.30
Rank: 35
Buster Douglas
1960 - Present
HPI: 58.15
Rank: 36