NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Feb. 8, 1882  

* John L. Sullivan vs. Patrick (Paddy) Ryan
* Famous Heavyweight Boxing Match (historic)
* Last bare knuckle title fight

Page 2 has half a column report headed: "The Sullivan-Ryan Prize Fight" "Sullivan Wins Without A Scratch" with subheads: "Ryan Severely Punished at Mississippi City, Miss.--Over 2,000 People in Attendance on the Brutal Exhibition--No interference by The Authorities."
Complete in 8 pages, evenly toned, a few archival mends to the front page, a bit irregular & partially loose at the spine. Somewhat fragile & must be handled carefully.

Background: The February 8, 1882 edition of the New York Tribune captures a pivotal watershed moment in sports history by documenting the heavyweight clash between John L. Sullivan and Paddy Ryan in Mississippi City, Mississippi. This publication’s report is highly significant because it details the last major heavyweight championship fight ever fought under the traditional, bare-knuckle London Prize Ring rules, marking the definitive end of boxing's brutal underground era and its transition toward modern, gloved rules. The Tribune’s sensational yet morally critical headlines—such as labeling the match a "Brutal Exhibition"—perfectly reflect the era's deep cultural ambivalence; while mainstream society and local authorities legally condemned prize-fighting as a barbaric vice, the overwhelming attendance of over 2,000 spectators and the front-page coverage proved the public's insatiable appetite for the sport. Ultimately, by recording Sullivan’s flawless, dominant victory, this specific issue of the paper chronicles the literal passing of the torch that birthed America's first true modern sports superstar and catalyzed the mainstream legitimization of professional boxing.