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When John L. Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain in the 75th round in 1889, it signified the last world heavyweight bare-knuckle championship fight. Then in 1892, John L. Sullivan had to fight under the new Queensbury's Rules during his heavyweight clash with James J. Corbett to decide the heavyweight championship. Jim Corbett knocked out John L. Sullivan in the 21st round. Nonetheless, John L. Sullivan was still a hero to the people, due to him being the first heavyweight champion in the days of bare-knuckled fighting. But with all of that including new rules and all that jazz, boxing was still very much illegal in several areas of the United States during the early 1900s. Then came the 1920s, New York passed the Walker Law, which permitted public prize fighting. Soon other states legalised boxing. Boxing then grew quickly as a spectator sport and entered into its golden age. George L. Tex Rickard was the leading fight promoter of the 1920s.

From "Boxing through the ages"