Jack McAuliffe
Titles: lightweight champion 1886-1897
Record: 30-0-5 with 1 ND
Born: March 24, 1866 in Cork, Ireland
Years active: 1884-1897
Nickname: The Napoleon of the Prize Ring
McAuliffe was a impressive boxer for his time and his undefeated record attests
to his abilities. A feat made even more impressive by the fact that Jack rarely
trained and relied on natural stamina to get him through some lengthy battles.
Jack was the lightweight superstar of his time which was during the
transitional period between the bareknuckle era and the adoption of the Marquis
of Queensbury rules. Of course it is impossible to compare him to latter day
lightweights but his beautiful two-handed attacks which relied heavily on
straight blows would do well against looping punchers of any era. McAuliffe's
best punches were said to be a left-right combo which landed with great
accuracy. Jack was also said to be nimble on his feet, which was not common for
the age. It is told that Jack McAuliffe was a protégé of Jack "The Nonpariel"
Dempsey which would account for his ring generalship and footwork. Standing 5
foot 6 inches tall and coming into most fights between 128-141 lbs he was
average in this department but that is about all you can call him average at.
While his record did show no losses towards the end of his career he was lucky
to come away debatable decision wins by some accounts. He also boxer countless
bouts against all comers when he toured the country. His early bouts before
this are not well researched and hardly reported to my knowledge. McAuliffe
immigrated from Ireland to the United States at a young age (not sure of his
age?), settling with his family in Maine. At the age of 16 Jack became
convinced he could become a boxer when he defeated a English sailor in a bare
knuckle contest in the basement of a Bangor storehouse. Some writers claim
McAuliffe learned to box under the tutelage of Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey while
employed at a barrel factory in New York. McAuliffe began to fight during the
bare knuckle era at the age of 18 winning his debut fight against Jake Karcher.
McAuliffe won his first title 2 years after he began to fight when he beat Jack
Hopper in 17 rounds. This was for the American lightweight title by most
accounts. His championship claim was reinforced when a top contender of the day
Jimmy Mitchen refused to face him. Eight months later he retained this title
with a 21st round knockout of Billy Frazier. Billy claimed there was a fast
count but that would have been nullified by the reported 5 pounds that Frazier
came in over the weight. The win was followed by another defense against Harry
Gilmore which went 28 rounds. By beating Gilmoure Jack also claimed the vacant
world title, this was in 1887. The win set up a confrontation against English
champion Jem Carney in America. Fighting in Revere Massachusetts on November
16, 1887, McAuliffe and Carney battled to a 74-round, 4 hour draw. The bout
started bad for McAuliffe when he was knocked down in the 7th and by the 60th
round McAuliffe was tiring. The bout ended controversially when American fans
stormed the ring after McAuliffe was dropped for the third time in the fight.
When order was restored, both pugilists exited claiming they were world
champion. Only in boxing, even back then! (27 years later McAuliffe and Carney
re-enacted the bout at a London theatre) Even though the referee declared a
draw Carney got the better of Jack and should have been awarded the
championship. Still held the official title and went on to defend it two more
times. In 1889, McAuliffe battled to a 64-round draw with Billy "The Streator
Cyclone" Myer. In the bout McAuliffe suffered a broken arm and remarkably
continued to battle on for the draw and retain his title. Jack did manage to
defeat Myer in two subsequent bouts. The final Myer win came in New Orleans on
the Carnival of Champions card held September 5, 6, and 7 in 1892. In the same
year McAuliffe won a rematch with Billy Frazier. McAuliffe now past his prime
and less in shape beat featherweight sensation Young Griffo in 1894, in a very
controversial decision that most thought Griffo had won. McAuliffe retired
shortly after, made a comeback in 1896, and retired for good (at age 31) after
his 1897 battle against Philadelphia Tommy Ryan. Jack unfortunately for him was
a very bad gambler and managed to loose all of his ring earnings after
retiring, McAuliffe went into Vaudeville for a while doing monologues for a
while to earn money. Still he liked to gamble and bet on horses and became a
bookmaker in his later years.
Jack McAuliffe
Career Record: 30 W, 0 L, 5 D, 1 ND (22 K.O's)
1884
Oct 19 Jake Karcher Brooklyn, NY KO 17
Dec 17 James Patterson Brooklyn, NY TK 2
1885
Bob Farrell Kings County, NY W
May 11 Harry White New York, NY W 3
Jul 25 Joe Milletechia Jersey City, NJ TK 2
Nov 19 Billy Young Washington, DC TK 4
Dec 7 Buck McKenna Philadelphia, Pa KO 2
1886
Jan 13 Jack Hopper New York, NY W 6
Feb 27 Jack Hopper Long Island, NY TK 17
Apr 1 Andy Drumm New York, NY TK 3
Apr 21 Joe Heiser Brooklyn, NY W 4
Jul 24 Ed Carroll Philadelphia, Pa TK 1
Jul 24 Charles "Bull" McCarthy Philadelphia, Pa ND 4
-Sources vary as to whether the previous 3 bouts
were held the same date
Jul 31 Charles "Bull" McCarthy Philadelphia, Pa KO 3
Oct 29 Billy Frazier Boston, Ma KO 21
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Lightweight Championship of America;
1887
Jan 14 Harry Gilmore near Lawrence, Ma TK 28
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Lightweight Championship of America;
Mar 31 Billy Frazier Portland, Me W 4
Oct 3 Jem Carney New York, NY
-This bout was scheduled but postponed;
McAuliffe did not feel well
Nov 16 Jem Carney Revere Beach, Ma (4:58:15) D 74
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Lightweight Championship of America;
The crowd broke into the ring
1888
Sep 26 Patsy Kerrigan Boston, Ma D 10
Oct 10 Billy Dacey Dover, NJ (42:00) TK 11
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Dec 17 Sam Collyer Brooklyn, NY KO 2
Dec 26 Jake Hyams Brooklyn, NY (35:00) KO 9
-Weights: 135 - 139 1/2
1889
Feb 23 Billy Myer North Judson, Il (4:27:00) D 64
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Lightweight Championship of America
Feb 28 Billy Boltz Elgin, Il KO 1
May 14 Paddy Smith Brooklyn, NY TK 1
Dec 5 Mike Daly Boston, Ma D 15
1890
Mar 21 Jimmy Carroll San Francisco, Ca KO 47
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
1891
Sep 11 Austin Gibbons Hoboken, NJ TK 6
-Police intervened
1892
Jun 22 Billy Frazier New York, NY KO 3
Sep 5 Billy Myer New Orleans, La KO 15
-Lightweight Championship of the World;
Dec 16 Billy Myer Chicago, Il W 6
1893
Apr 1 Horace Leeds Philadelphia, Pa ND 4
Nov 19 Owen Ziegler Brooklyn, NY D 3
-The verdict was "Technical Draw";
McAuliffe broke a bone in his left arm;
1894
Jan 16 "Australian" Jim Ryan San Francisco, Ca W 6
Aug 27 Young Griffo Brooklyn, NY W 10
-Many observers thought Griffo won
Nov 19 Charles McKeever Brooklyn, NY D 8
1896
Apr 6 Gus Brown Little Rock, Ar KO 2
Apr 9 Harry Pigeon Hot Springs, Ar KO 7
Nov 20 Jimmy Carroll San Francisco, Ca W 10
1897
Sep 30 "Philadelphia" Tommy Ryan Scranton, Pa W 10