Longest boxing match in history

When the longest boxing match in history took place in 1893

In late nineteenth to early twentieth century, it was common for boxing fights to have unlimited rounds, ending only when one fighter quit or, more commonly, when the police put an end to it. This is why a lot of early boxing records contain so many No Contests (NC) declared as the result.

It was over the course of a decade between the 1910s and 1920s when the 15-round limit for world championship matches became the norm, and it wasn’t until 1982 when that was changed to the 12-round world title fights that we have today.

It was the tragic and untimely death of Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo that was the catalyst for the change. Aged just 27, he died as a result of the injuries sustained during his 15-round WBA World lightweight title fight with Ray Mancini that ended in a KO in round 14. 

His death signalled the need for reform to better protect the health of boxers, including the reduction of 15-round championship fights down to 12.

It’s hard to fathom just how dangerous those oldest boxing matches could have been, with most bouts scheduled over 25 rounds in unsafe conditions, such as using 3oz gloves and a ring canvas with no cushion, just hard wooden floors.

Read on to learn all about the longest boxing match ever recorded in history and the tragedies that later ensued.

Andy Bowen vs Jack Burke

According to The Guinness Book of Records the longest recorded boxing fight in history lasted 110 rounds between Andy Bowen and Texas Jack Burke.

The match took place on April 6, 1893, at the Olympics Club in New Orleans, and started at 9:15pm, lasting for 7-hours and 19-minutes, ending at 4:34am the following morning.

History almost wasn’t made that night, because originally Bowen was scheduled to fight another opponent, but after dropping out the fight, his trainer Jack Burke stepped in instead.

After 108 gruelling rounds, referee John Duffy made the decision that if no winner emerged over the next two rounds, the bout would be ruled a No Contest.

With both men having become too dazed and tired to continue, Duffy declared the match as a No Contest.

After 439-minutes of boxing, many of the spectators had reportedly fallen asleep in their seats.

Burke had broken all the bones in both hands and was bedbound for six weeks afterwards.

Andy Bowen

Andy Bowen was born in New Orleans in May 1867 and died in December 1894, aged just 27. 

His official boxing record on BoxRec reads as 15-4-5 2NC, 7KOs. Just 26 bouts is a small number of fights for that era, however it was so long ago, many of his contests would have been lost to history.

But, of the few fights recorded, he amassed 523 rounds, which averages at over 20 rounds per fight.

In 1890, Bowen claimed the World title at 133lbs by Billy Myer, taking home the champion’s share of the $3,000 purse. He also won the lightweight championship of the south in a fight that lasted 85 rounds (5hours and 35minutes).

After his history-making match in April 1893, he contemplated retiring, but instead made the grave mistake to continue, having another four fights.

His last five fights totalled up to 255 rounds, that’s 51 rounds on average per bout!

Just 20 months on from his world-record fight, he fought George Lavigne to a fatal finish on December 14, 1894.

In the same venue where he made history, he also met his end. 

In round 18 of a scheduled 25 at the Olympic Club, which burned to the ground in 1897, Lavigne knocked Bowen down and hit his head badly on the wooden canvas. Sadly, he never regained consciousness and died at 7am the next morning, on December 15, 1894.

George Henry Lavigne was initially arrested, but later cleared of any wrongdoing following a coroner’s inquest that listed Bowen’s death as a result of hitting the hard floor.

From Michigan, Kid Lavigne went on to become the first World lightweight champion, just a year-and-a-half later.

It’s both ironic and terribly sad that, within four years of the epic fight that would forever be emblazoned in boxing history books, both the venue and one of the two heroes would be gone forever.

Jack Burke

The other hero was born on New Years Day in 1869 in Chicago. 

Not a great deal is known about ‘Texas’ Jack, but that he was 5ft 7in and won five of his 12 contests, four by KO.

He died, aged 44, at Muhlenburg Hospital, Pennsylvania, in October 1913.