Peter Kane
Titles: World Flyweight champion 1938-1943
Record: 92-7-2
Born: February 28, 1918 in Golborne, England
Years active: 1934-1948
Nickname: None
Peter Kane had what it took to become champion of the world, sure he had talent
but a lot of others had the same! He also had something else.....work ethic. Even
after he won the world flyweight title he kept his day job as a blacksmith for $4.50
a week in the town where he grew up! This shows the love for the game that this down
to earth man Kane had. In his 102 contests over 14 years Kane only lost seven bouts.
Kane learned to box from his father and never had any kind of amateur career, instead
making his mark in the rough boxing booths of Britain. Kane could punch however which
made for his lack of technical skills early in his career with over half his
victories coming inside the distance against good competition. Kane should be rated
among the 5 hardest hitters ever at flyweight, I would vote him as number 2 behind
Jimmy Wilde. If Kane had fought in the USA I am sure he would be rated much higher
than he generally is. Kane was also known for his large bulging eyes. Kane made his
pro debut at the age of 16 and won his first 41 fights, 33 of which came inside the
distance. He beat such respected English flyweights as Jim Mararg, Phil Milligan and
Jimmy Warnock an Irishman who managed to twice defeat a man who would become the
nemesis of Kane......Benny Lynch. The fight which gained much attention for Kane was
a victory over Frenchman Valentin Angelmann who was recognized as the European from
the European Boxing Union. A 4th round knockout win over Jimmy Warnock set up a title
shot against the great Benny Lynch and many thought Kane could defeat Lynch on the
win over Warnock who twice bested Lynch. The fight with Lynch was very eagerly
anticipated and turned out to be a thriller. 40,000 people came out to see Kane a
still young and improving 19 year old came back from a first round knockdown to give
Lynch 13 rounds of hell before finally giving in to the power of Lynch in the 13th.
After the first knockdown by the big right hand the pro Lynch crowd in Scotland
thought the fight was going to short. Lynch survived the round and from that point
on matched Lynch punch for punch. But Kane tired in the late stages as he was
knocked down again in the 12th and twice in the final 13th round before the referee
rescued him. It was a classic fight which many boxing historians still refer to as
one of the best to ever be contested at the flyweight level. Lynch was also smart
out of the ring and when a rematch 5 months later with Kane was made in Liverpool
where Kane trained for all of his fights, Lynch insisted it not be for the title.
The 12 round fight ended in a draw at any rate and did not live up to it's exciting
predecessor. Kane would take over the flyweight after Benny Lynch could not make the
weight anymore. Kane outpointed the sturdy Jackie Jurich for the Vacant title in the
Anfield Soccer stadium over 15 one sided rounds in 1938. Kane put on murderous
pressure which resulted in half a dozen knock downs, Jurich did well to hear the
final bell. How badly did Kane pummel Jurich? The hand of Kane was so badly swollen
and bruised that his little finger had to be amputated on his right hand. With that
little finger went a lot of his punching power. Kane like Lynch also had troubles
with weight and gave up his title in 1939 after he could no longer make weight and
joined the Royal Air Force during World War II. Kane did not officially loose his
title however until 1943 when Jackie Paterson knocked him out in a 1 round blow out
in Glasgow. Kane was out of shape and was simply caught cold, Kane knew he could not
last long in his state and rushed to much running into a big right hand. Kane would
lose partial sight in a freak accident when a lapel of a coat caught him in his right
eye and damaged it. Incredibly Kane fought on after a 3 year absence from the ring.
Kane defeated tough fighters like Bunty Doran and future champion Dado Marino. Kane
even won the European bantamweight title briefly before retiring from Theo Medina in
1947 when he was clearly past his prime. He lost the title and a return bout to
Italian Guido Ferracin who was simply too fast for Kane at this point of his career.
Kane retired at the age of 30 and went back to his job as a blacksmith, eventually
losing sight completely in his right eye. Kane lived a long life and died at the age
of 73 in Lancashire.
Peter Kane
Career Record: 92 W, 7 L, 2 D, 1 NC (52 KO's)
1934
Dec 13 Joe Jacobs Liverpool, England KO 6
1935
Feb 14 Kid Patterson Liverpool, England KO 3
Mar 14 Charlie Powell Liverpool, England KO 2
Mar 28 Nipper Carroll Liverpool, England KO 3
May 2 Bobby Doyle Liverpool, England KO 6
May 30 Jackie Burns Liverpool, England KO 1
Jun 27 Billy Charnock Liverpool, England KO 2
Jul 11 Frank Bonser Liverpool, England KO 4
Jul 25 Jackie Shea Liverpool, England KO 2
Sep 12 Charlie Reed Liverpool, England KO 3
Oct 10 Billy Charnock Liverpool, England KO 2
Nov 7 Jackie Forshaw Liverpool, England KO 1
Dec 5 Clarry Gill Liverpool, England KO 4
1936
Jan 24 Joe Curran Warrington, England W 10
Feb 14 Tiny Bostock Liverpool, England W 10
Mar 24 Willie Smith Liverpool, England KO 4
May 6 Praxille Gyde Liverpool, England KO 3
May 21 Jim Laird Liverpool, England KO 3
Jun 11 Herbie Hill Liverpool, England KO 2
Jun 21 Cyclone Kelly Manchester, England KO 4
Jun 30 Jim Maharg Glasgow KO 3
Aug 19 Enrico Urbinati Liverpool, England KO 8
Aug 27 Jimmy Stewart Belfast, N. Ireland KO 10
Sep 3 Ernst Weiss Liverpool, England W 12
Sep 16 Willie McCamley Glasgow W 10
Oct 22 Pedrito Ruiz Liverpool, England KO 7
Nov 2 Pat Warbuton London KO 1
Nov 12 Valentin Angelmann Liverpool, England W 12
Nov 23 Eugene Huat London KO 7
Dec 14 Gaston Van Den Bos London KO 6
Dec 17 Al Hopp Liverpool, England KO 2
1937
Jan 18 Valentin Angelmann Paris W 12
Feb 18 Paul Schaefer Liverpool, England KO 1
Mar 1 Pierre Louis Paris KO 7
Mar 18 Fortunato Ortega Liverpool, England W 12
Apr 3 Joseph Decico Paris KO 1
Apr 29 Phil Milligan Liverpool, England KO 11
May 27 Ernst Weiss London W 12
Jun 17 Maurice Huguenin Liverpool, England KO 1
Jun 28 Nicolas Petit-Biquet London KO 9
Aug 26 Jim Warnock Liverpool, England KO 4
Oct 13 Benny Lynch Glasgow KO by 13
(For World and British Flyweight Titles)
1938
Feb 3 Hubert Offermans Liverpool, England KO 10
Feb 24 Georges Bataille Paris W 10
Mar 24 Benny Lynch Liverpool, England D 15
(For World Flyweight Title)
May 3 Georges Bataille Liverpool, England KO 2
Jun 2 Bernard Leroux Liverpool, England W 12
Sep 22 Jackie Jurich Liverpool, England W 15
(Wins Vacant World Flyweight Title)
1939
Jan 31 Raoul Degryse Leicester, England W 10
Feb 23 Gino Cattaneo Liverpool, England W 10
Apr 3 Baltazar Sangchili London W 10
Apr 27 Albert Legrand London KO 8
May 18 Jo El Houssine Paris W 10
Aug 5 Pierre Louis Monte Carlo KO 3
Dec 11 Stipped by NBA
1940
Feb 12 Jackie Rankin Earl Court, England KO by 6
Apr 4 Jim Hayes Liverpool, England W 10
1941
Feb 20 Teddy O'Neill London W 6
Mar 3 Jimmy Lyden Liverpool, England L 10
Jun 29 Jimmy Stubbs Liverpool, England KO 7
Nov 16 Tommy McGlinchey Liverpool, England KO 2
Dec 14 Jimmy Stubbs Liverpool, England W 10
1942
Mar 30 Willie Grey London KO 5
Apr 18 Eddie Petrin Bristol, England KO 7
Apr 26 Joe Curran Liverpool, England W 10
May 31 Sammy Reynolds Liverpool, England W 10
Jul 9 Norman Lewis Sheffield, England W 10
Jul 11 Sammy Reynolds Wolverhampton, England W 8
Aug 3 Joe Curran Liverpool, England KO 11
Sep 10 Hugh Cameron Liverpool, England W 10
Oct 1 Frank Bonser Liverpool, England KO 3
Oct 29 Paddy Ryan Liverpool, England KO 6
1943
Jan 14 Willie Grey Liverpool, England W 10
Feb 24 Willie Grey London NC 5
Mar 26 Gus Foran Blackpool, England W 10
Jun 19 Jackie Paterson Glasgow KO by 1
(Loses World, For British Flyweight Title)
Oct 11 Johnny Summers Bristol, England KO 1
Oct 13 Sammy Reynolds London W 10
Nov 3 Jim Brady London W 10
1944-45
Inactive
1946
Aug 13 Jackie Hughes Brighton, England WDQ 5
Sep 4 Ronnie Bissel Cardiff, Wales KO 2
Oct 28 Norman Lewis London KO 5
Nov 18 Jean Jouas Paris W 10
1947
Jan 6 Tommy Madine Nottingham, England KO 4
Feb 10 Eddie "Bunty" Doran Manchester, England W 8
Apr 28 Joe Cornelis Manchester, England W 8
May 19 Len Coffin Leeds, England KO 7
Jun 9 Theo Medina Manchester, England KO 6
Jun 27 Albert Braedt New Brighton, England KO 3
Aug 8 Dado Marino Manchester, England W 10
Sep 19 Theo Medina Manchester, England W 15
Dec 15 Joe Cornelis Manchester, England W 15
1948
Jan 26 Sammy Reynolds Nottingham, England W 10
Feb 20 Guido Ferracin Manchester, England L 15
Apr 16 Eddie "Bunty" Doran Manchester, England KO 8
May 26 Amleto Falcinelli Paisley, Scotland D 10
Jul 16 Guido Ferracin Manchester, England KO by 5
Nov 19 Stan Rowan Manchester, England L 12