James John "Jim" Corbett (September 1, 1866 â€" February 18, 1933) was
an American professional boxer and a World Heavyweight Champion, best
known as the only man who ever defeated the great John L. Sullivan
(hence the "man who beat the man" concept of the championship boxing
lineage.) Despite a career spanning only 20 bouts, Corbett faced the
best competition his era had to offer; squaring off with a total of 9
fighters who would later be enshrined alongside him in the
International Boxing Hall of Fame. Corbett introduced a truly
scientific approach to boxing, in which technique triumphed over brute
force, he pioneered the daily boxing training routine and regimen,
which, being adopted by other boxers elsewhere, almost intact survived
to modern days. A "big-money fighter," Corbett was one of the first
athletes, whose showmanship in and out of the ring was just as good as
his boxing abilities, also being arguably the first sports sex symbol
of the modern era after the worldwide airing of his championship
prizefight versus Robert Fitzsimmons popularized boxing immensely
among the female audience, and did so in an era while the
prizefighting was illegal in 21 states and still considered among the
most infamous crimes against morality.In 1854, Jim's father, Patrick
Corbett, emigrated from Ballycusheen, Ballinrobe, County Mayo,
Ireland, to the US. James Corbett returned to Ballinrobe in 1894, and
among the highlights of his visit were the boxing demonstrations he
gave in Ballinrobe Town Hall. The proceeds from the event's entrance
fees were donated for the upkeep of Partry Church, where his uncle,
the Reverend James Corbett, was then parish priest. He also donated a
stained glass window to the church. He coached boxing at the Olympic
Club in San Francisco. He stood at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), with a reach of
73 inches (185 cm).Dubbed by the media Gentleman Jim Corbett, he
graduated from Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, California
and was rumored to have a college education. He also pursued a career
in acting, performing at a variety of theatres. He has been called the
"Father of Modern Boxing" for his scientific approach and innovations
in technique.
an American professional boxer and a World Heavyweight Champion, best
known as the only man who ever defeated the great John L. Sullivan
(hence the "man who beat the man" concept of the championship boxing
lineage.) Despite a career spanning only 20 bouts, Corbett faced the
best competition his era had to offer; squaring off with a total of 9
fighters who would later be enshrined alongside him in the
International Boxing Hall of Fame. Corbett introduced a truly
scientific approach to boxing, in which technique triumphed over brute
force, he pioneered the daily boxing training routine and regimen,
which, being adopted by other boxers elsewhere, almost intact survived
to modern days. A "big-money fighter," Corbett was one of the first
athletes, whose showmanship in and out of the ring was just as good as
his boxing abilities, also being arguably the first sports sex symbol
of the modern era after the worldwide airing of his championship
prizefight versus Robert Fitzsimmons popularized boxing immensely
among the female audience, and did so in an era while the
prizefighting was illegal in 21 states and still considered among the
most infamous crimes against morality.In 1854, Jim's father, Patrick
Corbett, emigrated from Ballycusheen, Ballinrobe, County Mayo,
Ireland, to the US. James Corbett returned to Ballinrobe in 1894, and
among the highlights of his visit were the boxing demonstrations he
gave in Ballinrobe Town Hall. The proceeds from the event's entrance
fees were donated for the upkeep of Partry Church, where his uncle,
the Reverend James Corbett, was then parish priest. He also donated a
stained glass window to the church. He coached boxing at the Olympic
Club in San Francisco. He stood at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), with a reach of
73 inches (185 cm).Dubbed by the media Gentleman Jim Corbett, he
graduated from Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, California
and was rumored to have a college education. He also pursued a career
in acting, performing at a variety of theatres. He has been called the
"Father of Modern Boxing" for his scientific approach and innovations
in technique.
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