Tom Sayers Vs John Heenan Match, 17 April 1860: The History Of The 2 Hour 27 Minute Fight That Changed World Boxing

The fight painting John Heenan from the US (right) and British boxer Tom Sayers who was claimed to have won the first boxing world championship on April 17, 1860. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA Today's history, April 17, 1860 recorded a fight between boxers from the US, John Carmel Heenan against British boxer Tom Sayers which lasted 42 rounds in 2 hours 27 minutes. Not only that, the Henan vs Sayers duel which was held at Farnborough by sports historians is called the fight for the first boxing world title.

Heenan, who was then 25 years old, was a laborer at the Benicia shipyard, San Francisco. Outside of working hours, he came up as a boxer who was willing to fight for the gamblers to bet. Heenan's aggressive fighting style made him famous, until finally he inspired the idea of the gamblers who supported him to fight internationally.

Sayers chose, the boxer who holds the British title. At the age of 34, Sayers is told to be an agile boxer. He is nicknamed the Little General, because he is always able to outperform his opponents.

Heenan received a standing welcome upon arrival at Liverpool Port. Written in the book Baretas: A World of Violence Where Only The Brutal Survive by Bob Mee in 2001, the Heenan vs Sayers duel became a chat material everywhere. At the drinking place, the shop, office, everyone analyzed the fight plans.

Towards April 17, people from London and various cities filled train stations to get to the Farnborough. Police were alerted to prevent the actual illegal fight being held in the middle of the city, making it prone to riots.

A village field on the outskirts of Farnborough was finally chosen as a fighting arena.

"We were given a sunny morning to do this business," said Heenan.

"If a man is unable to win a duel this bright morning, then he is not worthy of being called a boxer," Sayers said, as written in The Guardian.

The historic duel started at 7.29 am local time. Heenan's posture is much bigger than Sayers, but it's not a guarantee that it will win easily. After fighting 42 rounds with a duration of 2 hours 27 minutes, the fight was finally dispersed by the police. The result was declared balanced, and both boxers suffered serious injuries.

Since then, professional boxing has undergone drastic changes. Boxing addicts then made a rule called Queensberry Rules. The rules that require boxing matches to be held in the ring, are prohibited from attaching opponents, each round has a duration of three minutes and a break for one minute, the use of boxing gloves is introduced, there are referees who lead the match, and many more.

Queensberry Rules began to be designed in 1865, and was released in London in 1867. The rule has finally continued to grow, and has been adopted into the world's current standing rules.

Henan vs Sayers became the pioneer of international battles, namely when two boxers from different continents met each other in the ring. Because of that the Heenan vs Sayers duel was called the 'first winning world of boxing'.

For the duel of life and death, Sayers and Heenan were paid 400 pounds sterling. Sayers hasn't boxed again since then, until he died at the age of 39. Henan's fate was no better, because he died poor in Wyoming at the age of 38 in 1873.