George Byers

BORN     June 25 1872; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
DIED     April 10 1937
HEIGHT   5-8 1/2
WEIGHT   120-165 lbs
MANAGERS Tom O'Rourke, William Pierce

George Byers article by Lou Eisen

Byers was a muscular, determined fighter who held his own against many top flight boxers of his time; Fighting his way from a lightweight up to the light heavyweight ranks, Byers often went against larger men

During his career, George defeated such men as Harry Peppers, Frank Childs, Charlie Goff, Jack Cattanach, Dick O'Brien, Charley Strong, Charles Haghey, Dick Moore and Black Fitzsimmons

1895
Aug 23 Jack Colbert                Boston, Ma                       D  3
       Charles Gerrard             Boston, Ma                      KO  2
       Charles Smith               Boston, Ma                       W  8

1896
Dec 16 Dan Carroll                 Boston, Ma                      TK  7
          -Some sources report "D 7"

1897
Feb 17 Jack Boylan                 New York, NY                    KO  2
Feb 25 John McNamara               New York, NY                    KO  3
Mar 24 Lon Beckwith                New York, NY                     W  5
Apr  5 Dan Murphy                  Hartford, Ct                     D 10
May 25 Dan Murphy                  Hartford, Ct                     D 15
Sep 23 Charlie Goff                Hartford, Ct                     D 12
Nov 11 Dan Murphy                  Waterbury, Ct                    D 20
          -Some sources report 11/10/97
Dec  9 Harry Peppers               Waterbury, Ct                   KO 19
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the Pacific Coast

1898
Apr 27 Johnny Gorman               Lynn, Ma                         D  8
          -Some sources report 4/21/98;
           Some sources report "D 12" on 4/28/98
May  2 Bob Montgomery              Boston, Ma                       D  4
Jun    Johnny Gorman               Lynn, Ma                         D  6
Sep 14 Frank Childs                New York, NY                     W 20
          -Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World
Dec 13 Jack Bonner                 New York, NY                     D 20
          -Some sources report 12/19/98

1899
Apr  3 Charlie Goff                Brooklyn, NY                    TK  2
May  3 Jack Cattanach              Pawtucket, RI                   TK  2
          -Some sources report "TK 3"
May 30 Dick O'Brien                Pawtucket, RI                    W  3
          -Some sources report "NC 3";
           Some sources report "KO 3";
           Some sources report "Valley Falls"
Jun 16 Billy Stift                 Chicago, Il                      D  6
          -Some sources report 6/09/99
Jul 24 Charles Strong              Coney Island, NY                TK  9
          -Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World
Aug 12 "Australian" Jim Ryan       Brooklyn, NY                     D 25
          -Some sources report "D 20" verdict
Sep  4 Tommy West                  Coney Island, NY                LK  7
Nov  3 Jack Burke                  Lynn, Ma                         W 10
Nov  5 George Gardner              Lynn, Ma                         D 15
Dec 28 Dick O'Brien                Lewiston, Me                     D 10 

1900
Jan 11 Jim McCormick               Brockton, Ma                     D 12
          -Some sources report "D 15"
Feb  2 George Gardner              Lynn, Ma                         D 15
          -Some sources report 1/16/00
Feb 12 Martin Mulverhill           Lynn, Ma                        TK  2
Feb 22 George Gardner              Hartford, Ct                    LF 14
Mar 16 Frank Childs                Chicago, Il                      D  6
          -Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World;
           Some sources report 3/15/00
May 14 George Gardner              Boston, Ma                      ND 15
          -Some sources report "D 15"
May 30 Dick O'Brien                Lynn, Ma                         D 15
Aug 29 Billy Hanrahan              Pawtucket, RI                    D 15
Oct 30 Tim Murphy                  Chicago, Il                      W  6

1901
Jan 18 Jack Root                   San Francisco, Ca               LK  9
Mar 16 Frank Childs                Hot Springs, Ar                 LK 17
          -Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World
Aug 19 "Mysterious" Billy Smith    St. John, NB, Can                D 15
          -Byers used the name "George Yerkes"
Nov  9 Billy Stift                 Chicago, Il                      L  6
Nov 28 Tom "Jabber" Carey          New Britain, Ct                 LT 13

1902
Apr 19 J. Wightman                 Boston, Ma                      KO  1
May  9 Charles Haghey              Boston, Ma                       W 10
Oct 30 Dick O'Brien                Bangor, Me                       D 10
Dec  1 Jack "Twin" Sullivan        Bangor, Me                       D  6
Dec 25 Mike Schalow                Boston, Ma                       W  6
          -Some sources report 12/26/02

1903
Jan 22 John "Sandy" Ferguson       Brighton, Ma                    ND  8
          -Some sources report "D 8"
Feb 23 Charles Haghey              Lawrence, Ma                     D 10
          -This bout was an "Agreed Draw"
Apr  7 John "Sandy" Ferguson       Brighton, Ma                     L 12
          -Some sources reports 4/11/03 at "Boston, Ma"
May 23 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
Jul 31 Dick Moore                  Boston, Ma                      KO  3

1904
Mar 14 Black Fitzsimmons           Portland, Me                    KO  8
Mar 20 Cyclone Robinson            Portland, Me                    KO  1
          -Some sources report 4/21/04;
           Some sources report 4/23/04
May  3 Charles Haghey              Portland, Me                     D 10

1909
Jun 15 Jack Johnson                Boston, Ma                      EX  3

1910
Mar    Sam Langford                Los Angeles, Ca                 EX  3

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization