You weren't interested then, why should now be any different?

But if we've been asked to sift through 606 to find our best (or in my case LEAST WORSE) articles, I may as well enter into the spirit of things!


30th May 1892 at the National Sporting Club in Covent Garden

Unbeaten Frank Slavin challenges his countryman Peter Jackson for the HW Championship of Australia and the Empire.

Jackson puts on one of the finest displays of defensive boxing and counter punching seen in a British ring. Jackson keeps his man at range whilst unleashing a series of hurtful shots to his opponent's head and body. Whilst holding his own and actually drawing blood from Jackson's nose, Slavin ships some fearful punishment and by the end of the sixth round his face is bloodied and his left eye swollen almost shut, but still manages to land a crushing blow to Jackson's ribs causing his man to visibly wilt and he's saved from a potentially fight ending blow by the bell.

Jackson manages to avoid further punishment, protecting his injured ribs, in the following rounds as his man visibly tires. Instructed by his corner to go on the offensive, Jackson discovers that his opponent who had, up until that point, given a display of brute strength, was also able to box. However, Jackson's superiority was evident and in the ninth, Jackson gained a second wind.

In the tenth and final round, Jackon landed a heavy blow to the midriff, doubling up Slavin before landing a sickening right to the jaw. Slavin is practically out cold, but amazingly still upright, as Jackson lands three more punches forcing his man onto the ropes, hands by his side. Jackson urges his man to go down but Slavin either cannot hear or simply doesn't want to and Jackson turns to the referee pleading withh him to call an end to the contest. However, the rules of boxing at that time did not empower the referee to stop the fight and the referee orders Jackson to "fight on".

Jackson turnd to Slavin and said, "Sorry Frank" before unleashing a five punch combination which leaves his man on his knees grasping Jackson's legs in an effort to pull himself upright. Jackson in a tribute to his opponent, refused to hold his arm up in victory and even helped carry the unconscious Slavin back to his dressing room.

Several years after Jackson's death, Slavin said, "Peter, when I fought him, was unbeatable; he was the greatest of all masters."

What makes Jackson's victory all the more inpressive is that a year earlier in a fight with James Corbett which went 61 rounds, Jackson had sufferd broken ribs and was also suffering with the early onset of Tuberculosis, a disease which would eventually take his life at the age of 40.

Jackson fought several times after Slavin but the disease had already taken it's toll. He lost to a young Jim Jeffries in 1898 before passing away on 13th July 1901

Was wondering how long before this one popped up.....

Couple of points:

How can he be dead? He made King Kong

Slavin is Jewish for "Bad Dog" or something like that....?!

Brilliant stuff, Dave.

Personally, I reckon this will get plenty of reads even if it doesn't elicit many responses. Few know Jackson as well as you do - I certainly don't - but I'd wager that quite a few would enjoy this.

None of my business, mate, but if this were my work I'd change the title to something more befitting its worth.

Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers for the input Windy but I think I'm caught bewteen a rock and a hard place.

The fact it's ME writing the article means it's "open season" for general abuse and the subject matter doesn't help as jackson can definitely be considered an "old timer"

Might write an article on how Jackson would have beaten Henry Cooper quicker than Clay/Ali and see just how badly I get slated for it!

DAVE667 wrote:Cheers for the input Windy but I think I'm caught bewteen a rock and a hard place.

The fact it's ME writing the article means it's "open season" for general abuse and the subject matter doesn't help as jackson can definitely be considered an "old timer"

Might write an article on how Jackson would have beaten Henry Cooper quicker than Clay/Ali and see just how badly I get slated for it!

That should do it.