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James J. Corbett
Statistics
Real name	James John Corbett
Nickname(s)	Gentleman Jim
Rated at	Heavyweight
Nationality	American
Birth date	September 1, 1866
Birth place	San Francisco, California
Death date	February 18, 1933 (aged 66)
Death place	Bayside, New York City
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	22
Wins	12
Wins by KO	5
Losses	4
Draws	4
No contests	2

James John Corbett (September 1, 1866 in San Francisco, California – February 18, 1933 in Bayside, Queens) was a heavyweight boxing champion. He was best known as "Gentleman Jim", the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. He also coached boxing at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He stood at 6`1, with a reach of 73 inches.

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 "Father of Modern Boxing" because of his scientific approach and innovations in technique. Some think that he changed prizefighting from a brawl to an art form.

On May 21, 1891, Corbett fought Peter "Black Prince" Jackson, because the reigning John L. Sullivan wouldn't fight Jackson because he was black. Corbett and Jackson fought to a draw after 61 rounds.

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. Corbett's new scientific boxing technique enabled him to dodge Sullivan's rushing attacks, and wear him down with jabs.

For his only title defense, January 25, 1894 Corbett knocked out Charley Mitchell of Great Britain in three rounds. On September 7 1894 he took part in the production of one of the first recorded boxing events, a fight with Peter Courtney. This was filmed at the Black Maria studio at West Orange, New Jersey, in the USA and was produced by William K.L. Dickson. It was only the second boxing match to be recorded.

Jim Corbett lost his championship to the New Zealand boxer Bob Fitzsimmons on March 17, 1897 in Carson City, Nevada. Corbett was dominant for most of the fight, and Fitzsimmons was badly cut, when Mrs Fitzsimmons called out, "Hit him in the slats, Bob!" where "slats" meant the abdominal area. Fitzsimmons then winded Corbett with a hard punch to the solar plexus, and Corbett could not continue within the count.

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.

From 1902 until his death, Corbett lived in a three-story home in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens in New York City.^[1]

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.

Corbett's brother, Joe Corbett, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Corbett was married to Olive Lake Morris from 1886 to 1895.

Corbett's great, great, great nephew, Dan Corbett, was a professional heavyweight boxer from Texas.

• List of bare-knuckle boxers

• Professional boxing record for James J. Corbett from Boxrec
• James J. Corbett at the Internet Movie Database
• Corbett's Home