The Sporting Fisticuffs Society

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The Sporting Fisticuffs Society
Yearly Organ
Year of our Lord, 1833

For the first year ever, the Sporting Fisticuffs Society has decided to release a newsletter, so that sport fans around the globe may follow recent developments in the world of sporting fisticuffs. We humbly begin this gazette with presentation of the top 5 fighters at year's end.

1. Yankee Sullivan 11-1-1 (2) - What more can be said of Yankee Sullivan following another year of dominance? Chiefly, he is not just a boxer anymore! After 134 rounds of professional experience, Sullivan has registered his first knockout! It came in the 9th round of a vigorous re-match with Matthew Whitford, who has now taken Sullivan twice to the brink of defeat, only to suffer heartbreak in the end. Whitford had knocked down Sullivan once, and by accounts was winning the fight, when Sullivan unleashed a stunning hook to the liver of Whitford, crumbling the contender into a heap for the duration of the 10 count. Sullivan followed that victory with an equally stunning stoppage in the very next fight! Sullivan pummeled Khac-Kham Chau of Siam, registering what, by all accounts, was one of the worst lacerations ever suffered in sporting fisticuffs. The fight was stopped by the third round, and many feel the once intimidating foreigner has lost his mystique forever. It was hard to imagine Sullivan topping his performance in 1832, when he re-captured the title he had lost only earlier that year, but a fine 3-0-1 (2) record has him vying for Fighter of the Year.

2. Gregory Bell 9-3-1 (8) - Gregory Bell is the United States' greatest hope for a champion, and that optimism was supported by his 1833 performance. After an up and down debut season in 1832, Bell commanded his opponents, en route to a 5-0-1 (5) record, in 1833. In the last card of the year, Bell forced the sporting fisticuffs world to recognize him, viciously battering the then red-hot Sterling Wyeth in a first round knockout and stealing the #1 contender spot. The punishing inside fighter certainly has gained Sullivan's attention, and a title shot may not be far down the road.

3. Matthew Whitford 15-5-0 (14) - It was a successful, but at times, disappointing year for the battling Australian convict, Matthew Whitford. The reformed Whitford punished his first 5 opponents with stoppages. When the much awaited re-match with Yankee Sullivan came in August, Whitford seemed poised to play the foil. Whitford knocked down Sullivan early, managing an 8-count before Sullivan made it to his feet again. Whitford continued to punish Sullivan, by some accounts controlling the fight, until Sullivan unleashed a shocking, now famous, liver shot. Whitford went to his knees and never made it back up. After the loss, Whitford dropped an extremely dissapointing bout against fellow Aussie, Dastardly Damon Smythe, in which Whitford was knocked cold to end the fight. Whitford rebounded, knocking out Columbian Jose Rios twice to end the year, giving him a 7-2-0 (7) record for 1833.

4. Sterling Wyeth 8-5-0 (5) - The slugging gentleman from New Zealand capped another fine season with a lackluster performance to end the year. After winning hist first 4 fights, Wyeth was dismantled by Gregory Bell in December, losing his place as #1 contender. Wyeth had a fine 4-1-0 (2) year otherwise, and remains the only fighter to have defeated Yankee Sullivan, giving he and his supporters courage for the upcoming year.

5. Salif Marango 10-5-1 (9) - The Zulu warrior from Rhodesia has given his opponents something to be afraid of, attaining a level of consistency that eluded him in past seasons. After suffering a humiliating first round knockout against Tim Harrison in January, Marango came back to post a very impressive 1833 campaign. Marango rattled off a series of spectatular performances, including a draw with Yankee Sullivan himself. Sullivan has yet to grant Marango a re-match, but this sleight has not dimmed Marango's determination, as he finished 1833 with two more satisfying wins, bring his 1833 record to 6-0-1 (5). The bold African says that if Sullivan is a man, he will not make Marango wait long for a re-match.

Awards

Fighter of the Year - Gregory Bell
Newcomer of the Year - Dastardly Damon Smythe
Fight of the Year - Yankee Sullivan vs. Matthew Whitford 8/1

Newcomers for 1834

Mason Bishop
Ryan Hart
Wayne Hibbert
Walter Lee

Top Questions going into next year

Will Sullivan give Marango his re-match?
Will Gregory Bell become the first American to capture the title?
Will Matthew Whitford finally break through to claim the title?
How much will the new sanctioning rules reduce the number of fights?
Which new contenders will emerge?

The Sporting Fisticuffs Society will keep you informed!

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The Sporting Fisticuffs Society
proudly presents
January 1, 1834

World Champion
Yankee Sullivan
vs.
#1 Contender
Gregory Bell
12 rounds of fisticuffs for Sullivan's title!

#3 Ranked
Matthew Whitford
vs.
Ryan Hart
10 rounds

#4 Ranked
Sterling Wyeth
vs.
Wayne Hibbert
8 rounds

#5 Ranked
Salif Marango
vs.
'Dastardly' Damon Smythe
8 rounds

#9 Ranked
Jose Rios
vs.
Walter Lee
6 rounds

Ashenafi Ubora
vs.
Mason Bishop
6 rounds

[kenyan_cheena]

Go Dastardly Damon!!!

[CONN CHRIS]

Wow, lots of bare knuckle universes around these days!

Nice start!

If you still have it, would you mind posting the full photo for that Yankee Sullivan tobacco card? I hadn't seen that before.

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Dastardly Damon got his nickname after the ref had to give him 5 warnings in his first fight.

Chris, to be fair, I was inspired by yours. Most of my fighters are fake, though. Here is the Sullivan pic.

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Sullivan Dominates Bell to Retain Title in Heated Bout
On January 1, Yankee Sullivan successfully defended his world title against #1 contender Gregory Bell. Sullivan did what he does best, bobbing and weaving, fighting defensively and not allowing himself to be hit, despite a determined effort from Bell. Most rounds saw Bell fruitlessly pursuing Sullivan, repeatedly failing to connect with his blows. However, frequently near the ends of the rounds, the two would then come together and start vigorously duking it out. No less than three times, the fighters needed to be separated at the end of a round. In the end, Sullivan showed why he is the best, by taking a bull out of the china shop, and fighting his fight for 12 rounds. Sullivan, it appears, may only now be coming into his prime.
In other news, Matthew Whitford, Sterling Wyeth, and Salif Marango were all victorious in their battles. In particular, Marango managed an impressive knockout win over 1833 Newcomer of the Year, Dastardly Damon Smythe.

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Sullivan a Fighting Champ Indeed!

Today, Yankee Sullivan announced that he will defend his World Title for the second month in a row! Sullivan will be squaring off against #6 ranked Tim Harrison. Harrison, and athletic, active, outside fighter, has had trouble ascending the rankings despite a 9-5-0 (5) record, primarily due to a pair of bad losses to the low-ranked Siamese fighter Khac-Kham Chau. Despite this, Harrison is considered to have top contender potential, and this fight will represent the second opportunity in a row for an American to capture the title.
While it is true that there are higher ranked contenders, one must still admire Sullivan for fighting at all, one month after his last title defense. Harrison has shown in the past that he is no pushover, and Sullivan has shown again that his is truly a fighting champ!

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Styles Make Fights: Sullivan Wins Snoozer

Perhaps his work schedule and sheer skill give us reason to forgive Yankee Sullivan for the dull title fight that took place last night, but that did not make it any more enjoyable. Sullivan was given the bout in the 8th round due to cuts suffered by challenger Tim Harrison. I was a merciful stoppage in more ways than one. An outside puncher and a defensive wizard are never top candidates to put on a good show, and last night proved why. Harrison was handcuffed by Sullivan all night, and the usually spot-on puncher may have achieved a record low for connects. Meanwhile, Sullivan may himself have achieved a record low for punches. Eventually though, a few of them opened up a cut on Harrison's face that ultimately resulted in the stoppage two rounds later. It was another command performance from Sullivan, who continue to make us believe the best is yet to come.

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Sullivan Seeks to Make His Mark in '34

For the third month in four, Yankee Sullivan will defend his World Title. This time however, he takes on a truly unique opponent. Sterling Wyeth is the only man ever to defeat Yankee Sullivan and strip him of the title, and has given Sullivan a tough challenge in all three of their previous fights. In 1831, Sullivan defeated Wyeth by a split decision. Despite the victory, it was made visible to all the Yankee Sullivan could be beaten on the right day. That day came in 1832, when Wyeth turned the tables on Sullivan, winning a shocking split decision that made Wyeth the first man ever to defeat Sullivan, and only the second World Title holder in the history of the Sporting Fisticuffs Society. The re-match was fought later that year, with Sullivan recapturing his title by unanimous decision in his best showing of the series. Though many believe that Sullivan is even better than he was two years ago, this remains an important fight for both fighters, and all eyes will be on the ring when these two men duke it out.
Other notable fights on the card include title contender Gregory Bell squaring off with Carlos Gutierrez. Fan favorite Dastardly Damon Smythe will face the Zulu, Afaghis Mgeni.

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Sullivan Stuns Again

When Yankee Sullivan enters the ring, one can expect the unexpected. It was a stunning card overall, highlighted by Yankee Sullivan's eighth round knockout of Sterling Wyeth, in a fight that most accounts show Wyeth was winning comfortably at the time. Wyeth knocked down Sullivan in the first round, after which Sullivan needed an eight count to make it to his feet again. Wyeth continued to march down Sullivan, picking his spots and punishing Sullivan at every opportunity. Wyeth, a fighter with a history of endurance, seemed to be in charge, and ready to down Sullivan again at any moment. However, midway through the seventh round, Wyeth appeared to tire. Sullivan went to work, relentlessly attacking Wyeth and unleashing vicious hooks and combos that quickly altered the direction of the fight. By the eighth, Wyeth had become a target dummy, offering almost no offense, and then it happened. Sullivan unleashed a vicious hook and Wyeth fell faster than gravity could be expected to pull him. Sullivan had pulled victory from the jaws of defeat...again. This fight may have answered a few questions, but only with further questions. Wyeth took Sullivan to the brink, but does that earn Wyeth another fight, or just show that he does not have it takes? Does anyone have what it takes to conquer the mobility and endurance of Sullivan? Only time shall tell.
The main event was not the only surprising result on the card. Gregory Bell suffered an embarrassing fourth round knockout at the hands of journeyman Carlos Gutierrez. By accounts, Bell was controlling the fight and seemed headed for a knockout, but had simply absorbed too much punishment himself from the always dangerous fists of his Puerto Rican foil. It may be a long road back to contendership for Bell, who needs to greatly improve his defense.

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July 1834

Sullivan, Wyeth to End the Season

Yankee Sullivan and Sterling Wyeth will square off for the fifth time in the last card of the year, this month. This historic series has been well-documented, and in this fifth fight, excitement is all but guaranteed. Will Wyeth strike again? He came close last time, but as we have learned, coming close is never enough to beat Yankee Sullivan. Sullivan is a fighter who simply refuses to lose, as he has come back from the deck to win a number of his fights.
The top two contenders, Matthew Whitford and Salif Marango, will also appear on this card, against unranked opponents. Both of these fighters have had quietly successful years, and neither has been defeated. Marango did not receive his re-match with Sullivan this year, and the determined, serious Marango will seek to take out that frustration on young Randall Jones this Friday.

[Lee]

This is good stuff, I like the style of the reports.

[atomzero]

Thanks! It's always great to hear some feedback. I realized today I should be dating the headlines. I should probably go back and edit the others as well. The 1834 season has ended, so I'll be posting a year in review next.

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December, 1834

The Sporting Fisticuffs Society
Yearly Organ
Year of our Lord, 1834

At the end of the 4th year of the Sporting Fisticuffs Society, we proudly present our year in review. We begin as before, with the top five ranked fighters at year's end.

1. Yankee Sullivan 15-1-1 (4) - The knockout has become a new weapon in the arsenal of Yankee Sullivan, who brought about stoppages in two more fights this year. Sullivan proved much throughout the course of the season. He defeated Gregory Bell and Tim Harrison, two threatening up and comers. Upon that, he defeated Sterling Wyeth twice, further absolving the only blemish on his career, and asserting his dominance as world champion. Sullivan's wins were, for the most part, displays of complete control over his opponents. Sullivan's 4-0-0 (2) finish has many feeling that the best is yet to come, though any more fights against Sterling Wyeth should be taken lightly.

2. Matthew Whitford 19-5-0 (18) - While Matthew Whitford did not manage any title fights during the season, his year must be considered a successful one. The new scheduling rules allowed Whitford to abandon the grueling pace he had taken in 1833, a move that will ultimately lengthen his career. With four fights netting him four knockout victories, including a roaring fight of the year candidate with Tim Harrison in which both fighters were forced to get up off of the canvas, the Brisbane Bruiser reclaimed his post as #1 contender. Despite his past failures against Sullivan, Whitford must be acclaimed for what he is...an excellent, punishing fighter who appears to be second only to one. His 4-0-0 (4) record evidences a flawless season.

3. Salif Marango 13-5-1 (12) - The Zulu Marango waited all year for an encore with Yankee Sullivan and never got it. He spent his frustrations on the rest of the circuit in 1834, finishing 4-0-0 (3) on the season. Marango is one of many top duelists who spent the year pounding young or second rate fighters, and because of it, the Society is making another scheduling rule change this season. However, one cannot blame Marango for wanting to improve his record. Connoisseurs know of his top notch skills already, but improving his record may be what it takes to get him noticed by the powers that be.

4. Sterling Wyeth 10-7-0 (7) - Ranked behind hard luck Marango is Sterling "Silver" Wyeth, a fighter who has had no shortage of opportunities. Wyeth's season was marked by the two losses to Yankee Sullivan, and they may have taken him out of the picture for sometime now. While he has challenged Sullivan well in every fight, Wyeth has never repeated his victory in the second, and Wyeth would do well to improve his record before taking another shot at the world title, lest he lose his credibility entirely. His 2-2-0 (2) year reminds us that Wyeth is a fine fighter, but perhaps no finer than any of the other top contenders.

5. Tim Harrison 11-7-0 (5) - With Gregory Bell's weak 1834 season, the way was cleared for Tiny Tim Harrison to enter the top five. Harrison suffered harsh, though brave losses to Yankee Sullivan and Matthew Whitford, but in reality, followers of Harrison may have been happy just to see Harrison finally handed some top tier opponents. Harrison is popular with fans who appreciate the offense and finesse of his, at the present time, unique style, and after a 2-2-0 (1) season, he has finally earned some respect. Harrison has an intriguing future, and his match with Whitford has already made history.

Awards

Fighter of the Year - Yankee Sullivan
Young Fighter of the Year - Damon Smythe
Fight of the Year - Matthew Whitford vs. Tim Harrison 5/1, in which both fighters were knocked down, each getting up to fight again. Whitford finally finished Harrison with a wicked uppercut in the eighth round, ending a fight that, accounts say, had the fans howling all bout.

Newcomers for 1835
Jimmy Anderson
Ben Greene
Traver Lowe
Wilford Terry

Top Questions for 1835
Will Sullivan give Marango his rematch?
Will any contender emerge to challenge Sullivan?
Will the efforts of newcomers meet more success, or are the fighters at the top there to stay?
Will the new scheduling rules, allowing newcomers more fights, result in more dreary cards?

The Sporting Fisticuffs Society will keep you informed!

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March, 1835

Sullivan Taking it Easy

Yankee Sullivan has shocked the world again, but not in the way it is accustomed to. Sullivan has extended the next title shot to one Ashenafi Ubora, a Zulu ranked dead last among qualifiers by the Sporting Fisticuffs Society. Ubora has managed a dismal 0-9-1 record in his time in the Society, and his battle with Sullivan is likely to end as the rest have. Sullivan, the world champion and 1834 Fighter of the Year, would perhaps be allowed a bye in a world where Salif Marango did not await a rematch of the draw that the two fought to in 1833. Sullivan will cruise to victory this Friday, but his reputation cannot stand more matches like this.
Incidentally, Salif Marango will be in action on this very same card, taking on newcomer Jimmy Anderson in what may be an equally one-sided affair.

[Dagrims]

I like the style of your posts as well. You have an interesting universe.

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March, 1835

Marango Goes Down!

Salif Marango has finally stolen a headline from Yankee Sullivan, but probably not in the way he would have preferred. Marango suffered a staggering knockout last night against the greenest of horns, Jimmy Anderson. In a fight that Marango seemed to be in complete control of, punishing Anderson and limiting him to almost no offense, a perfect cross came from out of the void , sending Marango to the canvas for the count of ten in only round three. As Anderson is not believed to have one punch power, Marango's suspect chin appears to again be the culprit. Four of Marango's six career losses have come via knockout, and none of them came past the fifth round. Marango seems to have maintained his place in the rankings after this otherwise devastating loss, but this fight serves as a reminder of a weakness that will likely give Marango problems his whole career. One cannot expect a fighter to go far when any given punch in a fight could be the last.
In the heavily criticized title fight, Sullivan outboxed on otherwise game and surprisingly competitive Ashenafi Ubora to a 12 round unanimous decision. The winless Ubora showed plenty of heart, throwing over a thousand punches through the course of the battle, but seemed out of gas by the end of the fight, where Sullivan has made his name.

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April, 1835

Sullivan to Present an Olive Branch of a Fight to Fans

Yankee Sullivan did not expect the backlash he received from fisticuffs fans when he scheduled a world title defense against Ashenafi Ubora. In order to makes amends for the light competition, and to restore his reputation with those whom he has lost it, Sullivan will fight none other than number one contender Matthew Whitford this Friday. Sullivan has beaten Whitford in their two previous meetings, but not before being taken to the brink of defeat both times. This may be Whitford's best chance to take the title, as he is unbeaten in his last seven fights, and appears to be at the top of his game. Surely, this battle cannot be a missed by any true fisticuffs fan.
Complaints about Sullivan's persistent dodging of Salif Marango, who scored a draw in their only previous meeting, have been somewhat muffled since the embarrassing loss that Marango suffered at the fists of young Jimmy Anderson. Marango will be at it in the ring again as well Firday, taking on fourth ranked Khac-Kham Chau in an effort to restore his reputation as soon as possible. Chau has a poor career record of 9-14-0 (4), but his recent four fight win streak has him getting some attention. He seems to be a new fighter after the brutality he suffered complements of Yankee Sullivan in 1833. These two have fought three times in the past, with Marango taking two of the three encounters. Chau is a tough, flexible fighter who can take a pounding, and this match could be a memorable one.

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April, 1835

Sullivan Commands Whitford, Marango Returns to Form

Never has Yankee Sullivan seemed more in control of the fisticuffs world than after his 12 round unanimous decision victory over Matthew Whitford last night. Whitford has also never looked worse than he did against Sullivan. In fact, Whitford did not look remotely like the fighter we have come to know. Whitford is a bruising, hard working brawler who, even with two victories, Sullivan could never say he enjoyed fighting. Last night, Whitford looked like a fighter in poor health, or perhaps even intoxicated. Despite appearing to be in top shape, Whitford had rounds where he seemed to have little interest at all. In other rounds, he was clearly tired, and in several more, appeared to be ignoring his trainer. Sullivan meanwhile, fought his fight, outworking his opponent, something he rarely does, en route to the victory.
Meanwhile, Salif Marango proved his will to all of his doubters. In the first round of his fight with Khac-Kham Chau, Marango was dropped with a huge cross from the Siamese enigma. Marango hit the canvas and it appeared it would be another disappointing loss. However, on his second try, Marango made it to his feet before the count hit ten and was able to continue the fight. Marango appeard shaken as Chau commanded the first two rounds. In the third round, Chau appeared to let up on a still dazed Marango, and by the fourth, Marango had found his legs again. The Zulu warrior fought with bewildering ferocity for the next two rounds, rendering Chau ineffective until, at the beginning of the sixth round, Marango nailed Chau with a combination to the jaw. After some stumbling, Chau went down. Chau never made it to his feet again, and an elated Marango celebrated his return to form atop the turnbuckle. It was a fine night for Marango, overcoming a weakness that some fear he may never be able to fully vanquish. What Marango learned is that he can always get up again. Chau, hopefully, learned that the great fighters will, and when they do, you had better be ready to finish the fight.
Marango seems to be the only fighter left with whom Sullivan has anything left to prove, but Sullivan continues to dodge him. It could be years before Sullivan has any real competition again, but only time will tell..

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Thanks. It appears that Yankee will probably be dominating for the next few years, so I'll try to keep the writing sharp so it doesn't get too dull. I just don't like stepping in the way of the history, as these kinds of things do happen in real life.