By John F. McKenna (McJack): World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) who fights WBO and WBA lightweight champion Juan Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) on November 12 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas has transcended the sport of boxing.

Throughout boxing history there have been only a handful of fighters who have achieved the world wide status and international fame that he has. John L. Sullivan was the first heavyweight champion of the world, but he was much more than that. “The Great John L” as he was sometimes called was as charismatic as any fighter who ever lived. He traveled abroad to Europe in his quest to become recognized as the world’s first heavyweight champion. Rather than run away from fighters he thought might threaten his supremacy as a fighter he ran after them. He started out fighting in saloons with the inglorious boast “I can lick any son of a bitch in the house!” and to Sullivan’s credit he could. He went on tours all over America searching out any fighter who was foolish enough to engage him.

But there was more to “The Boston Strongboy” as Sullivan was also called than bullying, although he was good at that. He was equally comfortable in high society and in his famed meetings with British Royalty. His popularity was such that people wanted to “shake the hand of the hand that shook John L’s”. In essence John L. Sullivan was America’s first Superstar.

Jack Dempsey first achieved Superstar status and international fame for his July 4, 1919 demolition of “The Pottawatomie Giant” Jess Willard. Big Jess was the “White Hope” who had knocked out Jack Johnson four years prior under a blazing sun in Havana. It wasn’t just that the 6’1”, 185 pound Dempsey defeated the 6’6”, 245 pound Willard, it was with the savagery in which he did it. Jack literally became a tiger inside the ring, fighting out of a crouch and scowling as he approached like a panther toward his opponent growling on the way in. It may sound funny now in the cold light of day, but it was not humorous to his hapless opponent.

“The Manassa Mauler” followed up his defeat of Willard with arguably the greatest heavyweight brawl in heavyweight championship history with his two round KO win over the “Wild Bull” of the Pampas” Argentinean Luis Angel Firpo. Dempsey was immediately floored by Firpo in the first round (not shown on film footage of the fight). Jack then proceeded to get up and knock Firpo down seven times, before being sent sailing out of the ring by a Firpo right hand.

Dempsey landed on a boxing writer’s typewriter and was half shoved back into the ring. This was all in the first round! Dempsey, fighting on instinct, immediately went back on the attack in the 2nd round and KO’d Firpo. Dempsey had no recollection of the events that followed his being knocked out of the ring and in fact when the fight was over he asked his corner what round he had been KO’d in.