Peter Jackson (Boxer)

Peter Jackson ( aka The Black Prince, born July 3, 1861 in Frederiksted on St. Croix, then Danish West Indies, now U.S. Virgin Islands; † July 13, 1901 in Roma, Australia) was a dark-skinned heavyweight boxer. He lived mainly in Australia.

He was - in addition to Harry Wills - one of two outstanding boxers who were never able to fight for the heavyweight title because of their skin color. In 1882 he began his professional career in Australia. In his prime he once lost; he was repeatedly Australian heavyweight champion. In 1888, he boxed for the first time in the USA. But John L. Sullivan refused to play against him.

In 1891, he boxed against the future challenger James J. Corbett in a multi- hour battle that was canceled without a decision because both sides exhaustion after 61 laps. Corbett beat Sullivan later loose and easy. At the end of his career he served James J. Jeffries in 1898 as construction opponents and went KO.

In 1901, he died of tuberculosis in Australia. In 1990 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.