THE EMERALD WARRIOR: IRISH-AMERICAN BLOOD AND THE BARE-KNUCKLE GENESIS

Justin Hagen, M. Ed
Mar 17
4 min read

The snow falling over the American Northeast on St. Patrick’s Day often serves as a reminder of the harsh winters endured by the waves of Irish immigrants who built the cities of the New World. But in the 19th century, in the smoky basements of New York’s Five Points and the muddy fields of the Mississippi Valley, a different kind of "Irish spirit" was being forged. It wasn't found in a bottle, but in the white-knuckle grip of the Bare-Knuckle Boxer.

Bare-knuckle fighting—or prizefighting—is the raw ancestor of the modern sweet science. While the sport as we know it today took its first breath in 17th-century England (recorded as early as 1681 between a Duke's footman and a butcher), it was the Irish diaspora that truly weaponized it in the United States.

In the late 1800s, the London Prize Ring Rules governed the chaos. These weren't your grandfather’s boxing rounds. A "round" ended only when a man was knocked down or thrown. After a 30-second rest, the fighter had 8 seconds to "come to scratch"—to walk unaided to a mark in the center of the ring. If he couldn't stand, he was "knocked out of time." It was a game of attrition, durability, and a terrifying amount of "sand" (19th-century slang for grit).

THE BOSTON STRONG BOY

If bare-knuckle boxing has a Patron Saint, it is John L. Sullivan.

Sullivan, a first-generation Irish-American born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, became the bridge between the outlawed past and the sanctioned future. Known as the "Boston Strong Boy," Sullivan was the last of the great Bare-Knuckle Heavyweight Champions.

The pinnacle of this era—and the "Last Great Fight"—occurred on July 8, 1889. Under a sweltering Mississippi sun, Sullivan faced Jake Kilrain for the world title sanctioned by the National Police Gazette. It was a brutal, 75-round marathon. Sullivan famously vomited in the 44th round but kept swinging, eventually winning when Kilrain’s corner threw in the sponge.

Sullivan was more than a fighter; he was a cultural icon for the Irish-American community. At a time when "No Irish Need Apply" signs were common, Sullivan was a man who couldn't be ignored. He was the first American athlete to earn over a million dollars, proving that the "Noble Science of Defence" could be a path from the gutter to the gala.

"My name is John L. Sullivan, and I can lick any son-of-a-b*tch in the house!"

THE IRISH STAND DOWN & TECHNICAL SAVAGERY

While Sullivan was the king of the "London Prize Ring," the Irish-American ghettos developed their own sub-culture of combat known as the "Irish Stand Down." Also called "toe-to-toe" or "strap fighting," this was a stripped-back version of pugilism. Maneuvering was removed; it was simply two men standing still and trading blows until one fell.

However, don't mistake bare-knuckle for a lack of technique. Without gloves to protect the hands, fighters couldn't just swing for the head constantly—they’d break their knuckles on the skull. This led to:

The Traditional Stance: Lead hand out far to parry and grapple, rear hand tucked to protect the chin or deliver a "fibbing" blow in the clinch.
Wrestling & Grappling: Moves like the cross-buttock throw and suplexes were completely legal until the transition to the Marquess of Queensberry rules.
The Invention of the Hook: Legends like Tom Spring popularized the left hook and the "Harlequin Step" (the first boxing feint), while Samuel Elias invented the "uppercut."

THE RESURGENCE – BKFC AND THE MODERN RING

For over a century, the bare-knuckle game lived only in the shadows and the history books. That changed on March 20, 2018, when Wyoming became the first US state to legalize bare-knuckle boxing in the modern era.

Enter the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).

Based in Philadelphia, the BKFC has taken the "bones" of Sullivan’s era and refined them for the 21st century. The "Square Ring" has been replaced by the Squared Circle, featuring two "Toe the Line" marks just 3 feet apart.

The Rules: Fighters "knuckle up" and start in the center. Rounds are 2 minutes. No kicks, no elbows—just the "Fist and the Will."
The "Dirty Boxing": Unlike modern gloved boxing, BKFC allows "punching in the clinch." A fighter can hold with one hand and pummel with the other—a direct callback to the 19th-century "chancery" techniques.

On this St. Patrick’s Day, as we look at the blood-and-bruise legacy of the Irish-American fighter, we see that the spirit of the warrior is a universal concept. It was written in the scars of John L. Sullivan and lives on in the knuckles of every modern fighter who dares to toe the line.

*This article was written with the use of Open AI and then edited and formatted by Justin Hagen.

About the Author

Justin Hagen is a martial artist, educator, and Japanese ukiyo-e–inspired woodburn artist who has dedicated his life to the intersection of combat tradition, history, and visual art. A martial arts practitioner since 1994, Justin also holds a B.A. in History (East Asian Studies) and an M.Ed. from DeSales University, where his graduate research focused on the impact of martial arts on student behavior.

Currently a Pennsylvania public school educator and an instructor of Kyokushin Karate, Taekwondo, and Kickboxing in Hatfield, PA, Justin is also a contributor to Black Belt Magazine. He is the author of several works, including Intent: The Path of the Warrior and Shodai-Soke: 101 Quotes, Anecdotes & Precepts From the Founders of Modern Japanese Martial Arts. Through his writing and art, he continues to explore the timeless discipline, ethics, and personal development found within the warrior’s path.

Works Cited

"Bare-knuckle Boxing." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Dec. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bare-knuckle_boxing.
"BKFC Rules and Regulations." Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, 2024, www.bkfc.com/rules.
Gorn, Elliott J. The Manly Art: Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting in America. Cornell University Press, 1986.
"John L. Sullivan: The Boston Strong Boy." National Police Gazette Digital Archive, 2023.
Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing. Edited by Henry Downes Miles, Weldon & Co., 1881.