On Jan 16 1840 a great event took place in the history of journalism.
The first illustrated extra in history appeared on the streets of New York
city breaking the news of the 'awful conflagration of the steamboat Lexington.'
It had been printed by Nathaniel Currier of 2 Spruce street, N.Y.
This marked the start of a very prosperous busines that eventually
developed into the partnership of Currier and Ives, print makers.
From those times comes the illustration we have today. This is a plate
of the boxing fight between John C. Heenan "The Benecia Boy' against
Tom Sayers "Champion of England.' The fight took place on April 17th, 1860
at Farnborough, England. The battle lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes.
42 rounds when the mob rushed in and ended the fight.
Heenan is described as standing 6ft 1 1/2 in, in fighting weights 190 lbs.
born May 2 1835.
Sayers stands 5ft 8 in fighting weights 150 lbs. born 1826.
That was a great difference in weight. We can assume they didn't yet
have all the different weight categories we have now.
Such was boxing in the 1860's
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