On April 6, 1893, Andy Bowen and Jack Burke fought the longest-gloved boxing match in history at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, Louisiana. The fight lasted 7 hours and 19 minutes over 110 rounds.

On April 6, 1893, Andy Bowen and Jack Burke fought the longest-gloved boxing match in history at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The fight lasted 7 hours and 19 minutes over 110 rounds.

The fight between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke in 1893 was the longest gloved boxing match in history, lasting for more than seven hours and 110 rounds. It was a brutal and exhausting contest that ended in a no contest when both fighters were too weak to continue

 

The legendary boxing match between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke on April 6, 1893, at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, Louisiana, holds the record as the longest gloved boxing match in history. This grueling contest went on for an astonishing 7 hours and 19 minutes, spanning an incredible 110 rounds.

The fight was part of an era when boxing matches didn't have set time limits, and the winner was determined by knockout or the other fighter's inability to continue. In this case, fatigue and exhaustion eventually led to the match being declared a "no contest." Both fighters were so drained physically and mentally that neither could continue, and the referee had to call off the match.

 

It was reported that the fight went on for so long, that the spectators who stayed to watch the fight had fallen asleep in their seats. It was also recorded that at round 108, with no clear end in sight, referee John Duffy made the decision that if no winner had emerged in the next 2 rounds, the bout would be ruled a "no contest". 

With both men having become too dazed and tired to come out of their corners, Duffy declared the match a no contest. Burke broke all the bones in both of his hands and was bedridden for six weeks.

This historic bout highlights the endurance and resilience of boxers in the late 19th century and stands as a testament to the challenging and unregulated nature of early boxing matches. It also played a role in influencing the eventual establishment of rules and regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of boxers in the sport.