Nonpareil Jack Dempsey
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Jack Dempsey is considered by many as one of the greatest boxers "pound for pound" who ever fought in the ring. He moved well and was extremely quick, agile, and skillful. He was a two-handed fighter who could box or punch. His jab was quick and accurate. His right hand punch was stiff. He was game and cool under pressure. He could fight whatever style was needed to win. He often fought men 10-25 pounds heavier. In short, he was a crafty boxer-puncher who was an excellent ring general. Dempsey was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954
BORN : December 15 1862; Curran, County Kildare, Ireland DIED : November 2 1895; Portland, Oregon HEIGHT : 5-8 WEIGHT : 128-152 1/4 lbs RACE : White MANAGERS : John Shanley, Jake Stearns, Warren Lewis, Arthur T. Lumley, Gus Tuthill, Charley Dexter, Billy Madden, and Denny Costigan
Boxing Record
1883
Apr 7 Ed "Rug" McDonald Maspeth, NY KO 21 Aug 14 Jack Boylan Flushing, NY KO 23 Sep 3 Harry Force Brooklyn, NY NC 11 Sep 17 Thomas "Soap" McAlpine New York, NY D 4 Oct 15 Jack Boylan New York, NY ND 6 Nov 10 Billy Frazier W 6 Nov 25 Robert "Cocky" Turnbull New York, NY D 8
1884
Jan William Mahoney New York, NY KO 3 Feb 10 Joe Heiser Brooklyn, NY D 8 Feb 14 Jim Fell New York, NY KO 2 Feb 28 Jim Barry New York, NY KO 3 Mar 2 Joe Hennessey New York, NY KO Mar 4 Tom Sullivan New York, NY KO 2 Mar 6 Billy Dacey Brooklyn, NY (Coney Island) KO 9 -Lightweight Championship of New York Apr 14 Jim Sweeney New York, NY EX 4 Apr 25 Joe Hayes New York, NY D 6 May 1 Jack Bowles New York, NY KO 6 -Some sources report "W 6" Jul 9 Tom Henry Far Rockaway, NY NC 3 -Police intervened Jul 30 George Fulljames Staten Island, NY (Great Kill)KO 22 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Some sources report it as a Welterweight Championship of the World contest; Dempsey weighed 140 lbs Aug 2 Prof. Walter Watson Philadelphia, Pa EX 4 Aug Jimmy Hurst -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; Hurst left town to avoid fighting Dempsey Sep 4 Mike Dempsey Rockaway, NY KO 7 Sep 15 Jimmy Ryan Philadelphia, Pa NC 7 Oct 8 Robert "Cocky" Turnbull New York, NY W 8 Oct 24 Tom Henry New York, NY W 6 Nov 6 Tom Ferguson New York, NY W 4 Nov 20 Billy Frazier New York, NY TK 5 Nov 20 Jimmy Ryan New York, NY W 5 Nov 30 Mike Mallon Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 -Weights: 140 - 135 Dec 15 George Wilson Philadelphia, Pa ND 4
1883-1885
Jim Corbett San Francisco, Ca EX
1885
Jan 12 Billy Frazier New York, NY ND 4 Jan 12 Jimmy Ryan New York, NY ND 4 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date; Dempsey had the best of the fighting in each contest Johnny Banks New York, NY W Jan 22 Jim Fell New York, NY W 4 Mar 19 Charles Bixamos New Orleans, La KO 5 May 4 Tom Barry San Francisco, Ca KO 5 May 11 Tom Cleary San Francisco, Ca KO 5 Jun 5 Jim Carr San Francisco, Ca KO 9 Jul 4 James Rodda Nevada City, Nv W 2 Jul 20 Jack Keenan San Francisco, Ca KO 2 Aug 29 Billy Manning Los Angeles, Ca KO 7 Sep 12 Tom Norton Sacramento, Ca KO 4 Nov 2 Dave Campbell Washington Territory KO 3 Dec 16 Tom Barry Portland, Or KO 6
1886
Jan 13 Mike Mullery New York, NY EX Jan 15 Jimmy Murray New York, NY W 4 Jan 15 Tom Henry New York, NY W 4 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Feb 3 Jack Fogarty New York, NY KO 27 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Weights: 148-142 Feb 24 Pete McCoy Jersey City, NJ W 6 Mar 3 Joe Denning Newark, NJ EX 3 Mar 4 George LaBlanche Larchmont, NY KO 13 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Weights: 152 1/4-151 1/2 Apr 26 Ned McCann Philadelphia, Pa KO 4 Apr 28 Charles "Bull" McCarthy Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 -Dempsey was better Apr 30 Jimmy Ryan Philadelphia, Pa W 4 May 20 Paddy Norton St. Paul, Mn W 4 Ed Moehler Minneapolis, Mn W 4 Jul 27 -Dempsey married Margaret Brady at Portland, Or Nov 22 Jack Burke San Francisco, Ca D 10 Dec 20 Jack Keenan Cheyenne, Wy EX 3
1887
Jan 31 Mike Boden Philadelphia, Pa W 4 Feb 2 Jack Langdon Philadelphia, Pa W 4 Feb 5 Denny Killen Philadelphia, Pa W 4 Apr 9 Billy Baker Buffalo, NY ND 4 May 2 Stephan "Reddy" Gallagher Cleveland, Oh D 6 Jul 4 Jack Ashton Providence, RI EX Oct 10 Eddie Reede Hoboken, NJ W 4 Oct 13 Jim McHugh Hoboken, NJ W 4 Oct 15 Billy Dacey Hoboken, NJ W 4 Oct 31 Ned McCann Wilmington, De W 4 Nov 1 Frank Bosworth Wilmington, De W 4 Nov 3 Denny Kelliher Wilmington, De W 4 Nov 5 Bill Gabig Wilmington, De W 4 Dec 13 Johnny Reagan Manhasset, NY TK 45 -Middleweight Championship of the World; This bout was fought in two rings Dec 22 Joe Denning Brooklyn, NY EX 2 Dec 22 Tom Henry Brooklyn, NY EX 2 Dec 22 Jack McAuliffe Brooklyn, NY EX 2 -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date Dec 29 Tom Henry Brooklyn, NY EX
1888
Jan 23 Denny Kelliher Boston, Ma EX 3 Jan 31 Dominick McCaffrey Jersey City, NJ W 10 Feb 18 Billy Baker Buffalo, NY ND 4 Apr 3 Joe Denning Brooklyn, NY EX Apr 23 James Stevens Brooklyn, NY W 4 Nov 15 Mike Donovan Brooklyn, NY D 6 Dec Denny Costigan Brooklyn, NY EX
1889
Feb 4 Denny Costigan Buffalo, NY EX 3 Mar 18 Jim Daly Houtzdale, Pa SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jun 10 Mike Lucie San Francisco, Ca EX 3 Aug 22 Mike Dempsey San Francisco, Ca KO 7 Aug 27 George LaBlanche San Francisco, Ca LK 32 -This bout was originally called a Middleweight Championship of the World; But, when LaBlanche weighed in at 161 lbs, it was declared a non-title bout; Also, LaBlanche was accused of using an illegal punch, the "pivot" blow; LaBlanche claimed the title as a result of the win; Dempsey weighed 151 lbs Oct -Dempsey drubbed the featherweight boxer, Tommy Warren, in a "barroom" fight at San Francisco, Ca
1890
Feb 18 "Australian" Billy McCarthy San Francisco, Ca TK 28 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Weights: 147 1/2 - 152 1/2 May 16 Dave Campbell Seattle, Wa EX Jun 27 Paddy Gorman Aspen, Co EX Jul 4 Paddy Gorman St. Louis, Mo EX Jul 28 Mike Brennan Buffalo, NY EX Aug 25 Jimmy Carroll Brooklyn, NY EX
1891
Jan 14 Bob Fitzsimmons New Orleans, La LK 13 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Weights: 147 1/2 - 150 1/2 "Mysterious" Billy Smith San Francisco, Ca EX Oct 16 Young Mitchell San Francisco, Ca EX 4 Nov 9 Young Mitchell Portland, Or EX 6 -This bout was held during Nov 9-12 1891 Nov 16 Young Mitchell Brooklyn, NY EX Nov 16 Young Mitchell Brooklyn, NY EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Nov 18 Young Mitchell Brooklyn, NY SCH Nov 19 Young Mitchell Brooklyn, NY SCH -The previous 2 bouts were scheduled but not held; Dempsey was ill
1892
Aug 16 "Mysterious" Billy Smith Portland, Or EX
1893
Mar 1 Billy Keough Portland, Or W 4 -Weights: 148 - 190 Sep 4 Bob Fitzsimmons New York, NY EX 3 Sep 25 Denny Costigan Philadelphia, Pa EX 3 Oct 7 John Clark Philadelphia, Pa -This bout was scheduled but cancelled due to the small crowd Nov 9 Denny Costigan Buffalo, NY EX Nov -Dempsey was scheduled to spar all week in New York, NY at Jacobs' Third Avenue Theatre (Nov 13-18) Dec Denny Costigan Boston, Ma EX Dec 14 Dick Moore Boston, Ma EX 3 Dec 30 Joe Fielden Washington, DC EX 3
1894
Jan Denny Costigan Brooklyn, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled to be held during Jan 14-19 1893; The outcome is not known Apr 7 Harry Wyatt Buffalo, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Sep 4 Bob Fitzsimmons New Orleans, La EX Sep 5 "Australian" Billy McCarthy New Orleans, La D 20 -Dempsey was better; Weights: 146 - 154 Nov 7 Tommy Ryan New Orleans, La SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled Dec 6 Andy Bowen Savannah, Ga EX Dec 12 Tommy Ryan New Orleans, La SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled small>
1895
Jan 18 Tommy Ryan Brooklyn, NY LT 3 -Welterweight Championship of the World; Weights: 142 - 145 Jun 8 John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX -This bout was part of a Benefit for Dempsey