HEENAN, JOHN C. ORIGINAL BROADSIDE (1860)

On April 17, 1860 at Farnborough, England American John C.Heenan fought the great English champion Thomas Sayers in a great international boxing contest. Heenan is claimed by Americans to have been winning that fight when Sayer's supporters entered the ring, causing the contest to be disbanded and declared a draw. Following the draw Champion belts were made for both fighters. The bout is memorable in the history of pugilism and incidentally was the cause of putting an end to bare-fist prize fighting in England. Heenan was later acclaimed as the English Heavyweight Champion. According to Lord Redesdale, who witnessed the fight, Sayers was winning when the Americans rescued Heenan by interrupting the fight. Lord Redesdale described these Americans as 'a very low class, and I am bound to say I did not see an American gentleman among them. The men whom I knew afterwards in New York would have been as disgusted as I was'. Offered here is an original broadside commemorating the victory Heenan supporters felt he had over Sayers.
This is an original, paper, broadside printed in 1860. Published by H. DE MARSAN of New York. Minor crease at upper left. Bold color and print. Edge and corner wear. Extremely rare, early print saluting John C. Heenan. 7" x 10."