This is an I-Heart podcast.

And we continue here with our American stories.

Our next story comes from our regular contributor, Christopher Klein.

Klein is the author of four books and is a frequent contributor to the History Channel.

John L. Sullivan was a 19th century American who was not only the first World Heavyweight champ of

gloved boxing, but the last bare knuckle won, too.

And yes, he had a handlebar mustache.

Let's take a listen.

After imbibing the adulation inside his Boston Saloon

on the evening of September 26, 1883,

America's reigning heavyweight boxing champion waited through the throng of fawning fans outside

and stepped into a carriage that sprinted him away to a waiting train.

Hard-hitting, hard-drinking John L. Sullivan had departed on many journeys before.

But no man had ever set out on such an ambitious adventure

as the one he was about to undertake.

For the next eight months, Sullivan would circle the United States with a troop of the world's top professional fighters.

In nearly 150 locales, John L. would spar with his fellow pugilist, but also present a sensational

novelty act worthy of his contemporary, the showman P.T. Barnum.

The champion boxer would offer as much as $1,000, that's about $24,000 today, to any man who could enter the ring with him and simply

remained standing after four three-minute rounds.

They didn't have to knock out Sullivan or get the better of him in the ring.

They simply needed to stay on their feet for 12 minutes.

...