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James John Corbett, born September 1, 1866 in San
Francisco, California, United States – died
February 18, 1933 in Bayside, New York, was a List
of Heavyweight Champions|heavyweight boxing
champion. He coached boxing at the Olympic Club in
San Francisco.


Dubbed by the media as "Gentleman Jim Corbett," he
was college educated and in addition to boxing,
pursued a career in acting, performing at a
variety of theaters. He has been called the "List
of people known as the father or mother of
something|Father of Modern Boxing" because of his
scientific approach and innovations in technique
that changed prizefighting from a brawl to an art
form.

On September 7, 1892 at the Olympic Club in New
Orleans, Louisiana, Corbett won the World
Heavyweight Boxing Championship by knocking out
John L. Sullivan in the 21st round. His victory
made him the first heavyweight boxer to win a
championship under the Marquess of Queensberry
rules which, amongst other things, established
that a fight consist of three-minute rounds and
required the fighters to wear leather boxing
gloves.

Jim Corbett lost his championship to Bob
Fitzsimmons on March 17, 1897 in Carson City,
Nevada.

Following his retirement from boxing, Corbett
returned to acting, appearing on stage and in
film. He authored his autobiography under the
title The Roar of the Crowd that was serialized by
The Saturday Evening Post in six weekly
installments during  October/November of 1924. 
The following year, G.P. Putnam's Sons, published
it in book form, marketing it as the "True Tale of
the Rise and Fall of a Champion."  In 1942, the
story was made into a Hollywood motion picture
titled, Gentleman Jim, starring Errol Flynn as
Corbett.

On his passing in 1933, Corbett was interred in
the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
On its creation, he was elected posthumously to
the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

start box
succession box |
  before= John L. Sullivan |
  title= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion |
  years= 1892–1897 |
  after= Bob Fitzsimmons

end box