What was the nickname of the reigning, retired heavyweight champion at the time of the Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey Heavyweight Championship boxing match?
James J. Corbett James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (September 1, 1866 – February 18, 1933) was an American professional boxer and a former World Heavyweight Champion, best known as the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. 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.
Les McAteer Les McAteer ( (1945--) 19 1945 (age (2017)-(1945)-((11)<(08)or(11)==(08)and(30)<(19)) ) ) born in Birkenhead is an English amateur and professional light middle/middle/light heavyweight boxer of the 1960s and '70s who as an amateur won the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) 1960 Schools Intermediate title, boxing out of Birkenhead, and won the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) 1962 Junior Class-B title against K. Kemp (West Ham Boys' Club), boxing out of Willaston Birkenhead ABC, and as a professional won the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) Central Area middleweight title, BBBofC British middleweight title, and Commonwealth middleweight title, and was a challenger for the BBBofC British middleweight title, and British Commonwealth middleweight title against Johnny Pritchett, and European Boxing Union (EBU) middleweight title against Tom Bogs, his professional fighting weight varied from 153+3/4 lb , i.e. light middleweight to 164 lb , i.e. light heavyweight. Les McAteer was managed by Johnny Campbell (circa-1905 — 2 May 1994 (aged 89)).