On July 3, 1861, boxer Peter “The Prince” Jackson was born in Saint Croix. Moving to Australia as a child, Jackson began his boxing career in 1882 during a shipboard mutiny.
His impressive defensive skills quickly drew the attention of fight promoters across the country, and by 1886, he had claimed the Australian heavyweight title.
Facing a scarcity of willing white opponents in Australia, Jackson relocated to the United States. On May 21, 1891, he famously fought James “Gentleman Jim” Corbett in a grueling 61-round bout that ended in a draw.
In 1892, Jackson journeyed to England, where he won the British Empire championship. However, a severe boxing injury led to three broken ribs and a punctured lung, forcing him into a six-year retirement.
Tragically, Jackson succumbed to tuberculosis in 1901 at the age of 40, a condition he had developed due to his earlier lung injury.
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