Tommy Ryan

Ryan is considered by many old-timers to be the best Middleweight fighter ever; He was smart, a good boxer, and a hard-hitter; He worked with many fighters on improving their techniques, the most famous of which was Jim Jeffries; Ryan was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1958 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991



BORN     : March 31 1870; Redwood, New York
DIED     : August 3 1948; Van Nuys, California
HEIGHT   : 5-7 3/4
WEIGHT   : 130-158 lbs
RACE     : White
MANAGERS : Professor Robertson, Charles E. "Parson" Davies, and
	   Captain Jim Westcott
       

Boxing Record


1887 
       John Case                                                       KO  5
       Jack Conway                  Rock Island, Il                    KO  3
       Chris Christopher            Grand Rapids, Mi                   KO  8
1888
Jul 20 Joe Johnson                  Marion, Mi                         KO  5
Dec 21 Dick England                 Lake City, Mi                      KO 33
1889
Apr 30 Martin Shaughnessy           Detroit, Mi                        KO 23
May 29 Mike Dunn                    near Detroit, Mi                   KO  9
       -This bout was held in an ice house at "Grosse Point";
        Weights: about 130-150
Jun 18 Martin Shaughnessy           Detroit, Mi                        KO 46
       -This bout was held at "Lake St. Clair";
        It lasted about 3 hours
Aug 10 Jimmy Murphy                 Grand Rapids, Mi                   NC 57
Sep  3 Henry Baker                  Grand Rapids, Mi                   KO  3
Nov 20 Jimmy Murphy                 Grand Rapids, Mi                   EX  8
1890
Jul 20 John McInerssey              Chicago, Il                        KO  5
Aug  4 Bob Harper                   Chicago, Il                        KO  4
Aug 28 Professor Maguire            Chicago, Il                        KO  3
Sep  6 Con Doyle                    Shelby, In                         KO 28
       -Some sources report 10/05/90;
        Weights: 138-136 1/2
Nov 23 Ed Bartlett                  Sheffield, Il                      KO  3
1891
Jan 31 Mike Boden                   Philadelphia, Pa                    W  4
Feb 16 Danny Needham                Minneapolis, Mn                    KO 76
       -This bout lasted over five hours
Aug  9 Billy McMillan               Richardson, Il                     KO  3
Sep 28 Jim Hall                     Chicago, Il                        EX  3
       -Some sources report "EX 5"
Dec 15 Frank Howson                 Chicago, Il                        KO 14
Undated (1890-1892)
       Frank Garrard                                                    W   

1892
Apr  8 Con Doyle                    Dubuque, Ia                         W  8
       -This bout was not held 4/12/92;
        Gloves were used for this bout
May  6 Reddy Brennan                Dubuque, Ia                        TK 10
       -Ryan knocked down Brennan five times in round ten;
        Brennan took to grabbing Ryan's knees as he went down;
        The referee stopped the fight
Jul 30 Jack Wilkes                  South Omaha, Ne                    TK 17
       -Wilkes was badly punished;
        Police intervened; 
        Weights: 140-140
Sep    Wiley Evans                  Omaha, Ne                         SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
       Bob Fitzsimmons              Chicago, Il                        EX  4
Nov 24 Jack Collins                 Detroit, Mi                         D  8
       -Some sources report this bout held at the 
        Chicago, Il (Auditorium)
Dec    "Hoboken" Tommy Kelly        Detroit, Mi                         D  8

1893
Feb    Danny Needham                New Orleans, La                   SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled but postponed;
        Ryan was ill with tonsilitis
Feb    Henry Baker                  Bay St. Louis, Ms                  EX   
       -Ryan and Baker sparred often during Feb-Mar 1893
Mar  1 George Dawson                New Orleans, La                   SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled but postponed; 
        Ryan was injured while training
Apr 18 George Dawson                Chicago, Il                        EX  6
       -Some sources report "ND 6";
        Ryan knocked down Dawson two times;
        Weights: 142-140
Apr    -Ryan and Henry Baker were to tour America and give
        exhibition bouts during Apr-Mar 1893
Aug 29 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Coney Island, NY                    D  6
       -Ryan was better
Nov  2 Harry Jamieson               Naugatuck, Ct                      KO  2
       -Ryan outclassed Jamieson;
        Weights (to be): 142-165
Nov    Dick Egan (Montana Kid)      near Bridgeport, Ct               SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 11 Dick Guthrie                 Naugatuck, Ct                      NC  3
1894
Feb 18 "Australian" Billy McCarthy  San Francisco, Ca                  TK 28
Jan  9 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Boston, Ma                          D  6
       -The verdict was to be a "Draw" if both men 
        were standing at the end of the bout
Feb 10 Jimmy Dime                   New York, NY                       EX  4
Feb 24 Billy Vernon                 New York, NY                       EX  3
       -This bout was part of a Benefit for the "World's Free
        Bread Fund"; Ryan knocked down Vernon in round one
Apr 10 Morris Lane                  West Haven, Ct                     TK  3
       -Ryan knocked Lane over the ropes in round three; 
       Some sources report 4/11/94
Apr 22 Jack Wilkes                                                     NC  5
May 22 Jack Falvey                  Hartford, Ct                       KO  8
       -Some sources report "KO 3"
Jun  1 Jack Pitts                   Minneapolis, Mn                    KO  3
       -This man may have been "Jake Pittz"
Jul 26 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Minneapolis, Mn                     W 20
       -Welterweight Championship of the World;
        Joe Choynski was the referee
Sep 13 Billy Layton                 near St. Joseph, Mo                KO  4
       -Ryan drew first blood in round two; He had Layton 
        groggy and almost out in round three; Weights: 146-146;
        This man may have been W. L. Leighton
Nov    Joe Choynski                 Chicago, Il                        EX   
       -This bout was held during early Nov 1894;
        Public exhibitions were given every day
Nov  7 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     New Orleans, La                   SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled but cancelled 
        due to the death of Andy Bowen
Nov    Jim Hall                     Detroit, Mi                       SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled but not held; 
        It was cancelled by authorities
Dec 12 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     New Orleans, La                   SCH
       -This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
        The weight limit was 144 lbs                                     
1895
Jan    Joe Choynski                 New York, NY                       EX   
       -Ryan sparred with Choynski nearly every day during
        January prior to the Dempsey bout
Jan 18 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     Coney Island, NY          (2:05)   TK  3
       -Welterweight Championship of the World;
        Weights: 145-142
Jan 28 Fred Woods                   Philadelphia, Pa                  SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 23 an unnamed opponent          Philadelphia, Pa                  SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 25 Shorty Ahearn                Chicago, Il                         W  4
Mar 11 Emmett Mellody               Kansas City, Mo                     W  4
Mar 20 Tom Tracey                   Chicago, Il                         D  8
       -Tracey floored Ryan in round three; Tracey was down in
        round six, twice more in round seven, and two more times 
        in round eight; Then, the bout was stopped; The verdict 
        should have been "TK 8"
Apr  5 Jack Wilkes                  Chicago, Il                       SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled but not held; 
        Authorities prevented the bout;
        Police guarded the hall
May    Joe Choynski                 Dead Lake, NJ                      EX   
May    Harry Pigeon                 Dead Lake, NJ                      EX   
May    Bob Armstrong                Dead Lake, NJ                      EX   
May    Jimmy Barry                  Dead Lake, NJ                      EX   
       -Ryan sparred with the previous 4 men nearly 
        every day during May prior to the Smith bout
May 27 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Coney Island, NY                   NC 18
       -Welterweight Championship of the World;
        Smith knocked down Ryan three times;
        Police intervened to save Smith from a knockout
Jun  8 Harry Pigeon                 New York, NY                      SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 25 Tom Crawford                 Syracuse, NY                       EX  4
Jun 27 Harry Pigeon                 New York, NY                      SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 19 Joe Walcott                  New York, NY                      SCH   
       -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug    -Ryan opened a saloon "The Champion" in Syracuse, NY;
        Tom Crowley was his business partner
Nov 18 Joe Dunfee                   Buffalo, NY                        EX  3

1896
Jan  9 George "Kid" Lavigne         New York, NY                       EX  4
Jan 15 Harry Baker                  Grand Rapids, Mi                    W  3
       -Ryan had the best of the fighting;
        Police intervened;
        Some sources report "NC 6"
Mar  2 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Maspeth, NY                        LK 15

Mar  6 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Syracuse, NY                       ND  6
       -Ryan was better
May 18 Joe Dunfee                   Buffalo, NY                        KO  6
       -Weights: 147-157
Jun 22 Billy "Shadow" Maber         Buffalo, NY                        TK  9
       -Weights: 147-152
Aug 20 Dick Moore                   Buffalo, NY                         W 20
Nov 25 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Maspeth, NY                        WF  9
       -Some sources report this as a Welterweight 
        Championship of the World contest
Dec 21 "Australian" Billy McCarthy  Buffalo, NY                        TK  7
Dec 23 Billy Payne                  Syracuse, NY                       KO  4
       -Welterweight Championship of the World

1897
Feb 24 Tom Tracey                   Syracuse, NY                       TK  9
       -Welterweight Championship of the World;
        The weight limit was 142 lbs
Mar 17 Patsy Raedy                  Rochester, NY                      TK 18
       -Police intervened; Weights: 147-160;
May 10 Paddy Gorman                 Rochester, NY                      TK  3
May 24 Patsy Raedy                  Rochester, NY                      TK  6
       -Weights: 148-152
Jun 21 Tom Williams                 Syracuse, NY                (1:00) KO  2
Sep  8 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Syracuse, NY                       NC  5
       -Police intervened
Nov 25 "Australian" Jim Ryan        Elmira, NY                         KO  5
Nov 30 Billy Stift                  Chicago, Il                         W  6
Dec 20 Bill Hefferman               Buffalo, NY                        KO  3

1898
Feb 25 Young Corbett (George Green) San Francisco, Ca                  TK 18
Jun 13 Tommy West                   New York, NY                (2:43) TK 14
       -Welterweight Championship of the World; 
        Weights: 146-152
Oct 24 Jack Bonner                  Coney Island, NY                    W 20
       -Middleweight Championship of the World; 
        Weights: 149-158
Nov  8 Jack Bonner                  Philadelphia, Pa                   ND  6
       -Ryan was better
Nov 23 Johnny Gorman                Syracuse, NY                       KO  8
       -Some sources report "W 8";  Weights: 152-167
Dec  2 Tommy West                   Philadelphia, Pa                   ND  6
       -This was a "tame" fight; 
        It looked like a "pre-arranged draw"
Dec 23 Dick O'Brien                 Hartford, Ct                       TK 14
       -Some sources report this bout as a Middleweight
        Championship of the World contest; Police intervened;
        Weights: 147-158

1899
Feb  1 "Sailor" Tom Sharkey         Syracuse, NY                       EX  6
Feb 22 Tom McCarthy                 Hot Springs, Ar                    KO 12
Mar  1 Charles Johnson              Hot Springs, Ar                    KO  8
Mar 13 Paddy Purtell                Cincinnati, Oh                     TK  4
Mar 18 Bob Douglass                 St. Louis, Mo                      ND  6
Apr  6 Frank "Dutch" Neal           Dubuque, Ia                         W  6
Apr 17 Billy Stift                  Davenport, Ia                       W 20
Aug 31 Jack Moffatt                 Dubuque, Ia                         W 20
       -This bout was billed as a Welterweight 
        Championship of the World contest
Sep 18 Frank Craig                  Coney Island, NY                   TK 10
       -Middleweight Championship of the World
Oct 24 Jim Jeffries                 Asbury Park, NJ                    EX  6

1900
Feb  2 George Lawlor                Hot Springs, Ar                    TK 13
May 29 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Chicago, Il                         L  6
       -This was a referee's decision; 
        The men later agreed to a "draw"
Jun 29 John "Young" Mahoney         Chicago, Il                         W  6
Jul 24 Jack Root                    Chicago, Il                         D  6
Nov 10 Geoff Thorn                  Chicago, Il                        KO  3
Nov 27 Kid Carter                   Chicago, Il                         W  6

1901
Jan 17 Jack Beauscholte             Springfield, Il                    KO  3
       -Some sources report "Springfield, Oh"
Jan 31 Martin Judge                 Minneapolis, Mn                    KO  4
       -Some newspapers called this fight a "fake"
Mar  4 Tommy West                   Louisville, Ky                     TK 17
       -Middleweight Championship of the World
Aug 22 Bob Douglass                 Kansas City, Mo                    KO  7
Oct 10 Young Corbett (George Green) Kansas City, Mo                    LF  6

1902
Jan 30 Young Corbett (George Green) Kansas City, Mo                    KO  7
Feb 15 Jack Beauscholte             Chicago, Il                         W  6
Feb 25 Tim Murphy                   Kansas City, Mo                    TK  9
Mar 14 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Kansas City, Mo                    KO  4
Apr  3 Billy Stift                  Kansas City, Mo                     W 10
May 26 Jimmy Handler                Kansas City, Mo                    TK  4
Jun 24 Johnny Gorman                London, Eng                        KO  3
       -This bout was billed as a Middleweight 
        Championship of the World contest
Sep 15 Kid Carter                   Fort Erie, Ont, Can                KO  6
       -Middleweight Championship of the World;
        The weight limit was 158 lbs
Oct  3 Barney Walsh                 Kansas City, Mo                    KO  2
Oct  3 Jack Beauscholte             Kansas City, Mo                    KO  3
       -Some sources report "KO 5"

1903
Jan 15 Billy Stift                  Kansas City, Mo                    KO  4
Feb  3 Cyclone Kelly                Hot Springs, Ar                    TK  7
Jun  1 James "Soldier" Walker       Battle Creek, Mi                   KO  5
Jun 15 Jack Hickey                  Battle Creek, Mi                   KO  4
Jun 30 John Wille                   Butte, Mt                          KO  4

1904
Jan 27 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien  Philadelphia, Pa                   ND  6
       -O'Brien was better
Feb 24 Jack Beauscholte             Indianapolis, In                   TK  6
Sep 10 Frank Garrard                Chicago, Il                        KO  3
Oct 10 Bob Douglass                 St. Louis, Mo                      KO  4
Oct 26 Tom Wallace                  Benton Harbor, Mi                  KO  5
Nov 15 Jack Graham                  South Bend, In                     KO  4
Nov 23 Jack Root                    Philadelphia, Pa                   NC  4
Dec 29 Billy Stift                  Benton Harbor, Mi                  KO  4

1906
Dec  5 -Ryan retired from boxing (only to return later);
        He "gave" the Middleweight Championship to Hugo Kelly;
        The public did not accept Kelly as Champion

1907
Feb  5 Dave Barry                   Hot Springs, Ar                   KO  5
Mar  4 Hugo Kelly                   Rochester, NY                      D  6
Aug  4 Oscar "Battling" Nelson      South Bend, In                    EX  6

1908
Aug 22 Howard Morrow                Benton Harbor, Mi                 EX  6
Master Index
The CyberboxingZone Journal Article on Ryan (December 2001)
The CyberboxingZone Journal Article on Pound-for-Pound (August 1998)
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