John "Jack" Ashton

BORN   November 9 1863; Providence, Rhode Island
DIED   January 6 1893; New York, New York
HEIGHT 5-11
WEIGHT 175-178 lbs

Ashton was neither a power hitter nor a fancy boxer type but he was a scrappy and game fighter who gave it his all; He was a popular sparring partner for John L. Sullivan and Peter Jackson

During his career, Ashton defeated such men as Joe Denning, Denny Killen, Dick Collier, Billy Gabig, Mike Boden,  Frank Bosworth, Jim Fell and Joe Lannon

1885
Mar 28 Jim Dolan                  Providence, RI                    D 11
          -London Rules and bare knuckles were used for this bout;
          Some sources report "D 16" at Rehobeth, Ma
May 12 William Springhall         New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 12 John Banks                 New York, NY                      D  3
May    -Ashton won the Championship in Billy Madden's Boxing Competition
Aug  7 Flynn's Jocko              Coney Island, NY                  W  3
Nov 13 Joe Denning                New York, NY                      D  4
Nov 18 Joe Denning                Washington, DC                    W  6
Dec 15 Pete McCoy                 New York, NY                      W  3


1884-1886 
          -Ashton took on all-comers in New York, NY
 
          -Ashton defeated 8 unnamed opponents with gloves

1886
Feb  1 Jim Donnelly               Philadelphia, Pa                 KO   
Feb  4 Jack Dougherty             Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  4
Feb  5 Denny Kelliher             Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
Feb  6 Jack Nash                  Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
Feb 25 Joe Denning                Providence, RI                   EX   
Feb 25 Joe Carroll                Providence, RI                   EX   
Feb 25 Billy Madden               Providence, RI                   EX   
          -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Apr    Denny Killen               New York, NY                      W  4
          -Killen refused to fight after 4 rounds; The fight
          was set for 10 rounds; Ashton claimed victory
Apr    Jack Fallon                New York, NY                     EX   
May 12 Dick Collier               New York, NY                     KO  4
          -Collier was the middleweight champion of England;
           Ashton injured his left hand; 
           Reports vary - "W 3" - "TK 3"
May 15 Mike Conley                Ithaca, NY                        D  3
          -Police intervened
Jul  3 Jake Kilrain               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Authorities prevented the fight
Jul 27 Pete McCoy                 Bridgeport, Ct                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul 31 Jake Kilrain               Brooklyn, NY                      L  8
Aug 20 Pete McCoy                 Nantasket, Ma                    EX  3
          -Some sources report 8/24/86
Aug 25 Bill Gabig                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
          -Ashton broke his hand; Some sources report 8/27/86
Aug 30 Bill Gabig                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
          -Ashton was better
Oct 26 Joe Denning                Brooklyn, NY                     EX   
Oct 26 Billy Madden               Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 13 Mike Boden                 Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
          -Some sources report 12/14/86
Dec 14 Tom Kelly                  Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
Dec 15 Lew Creamer                Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
Dec 16 Bill Dunn                  Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"
Dec 17 Jack Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                  D  4
          -The previous 3 bouts were part of a take on
          all-comers week during Dec 14-18
Dec 31 Frank Bosworth             Wilmington, De                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but postponed

1886-1887
       "Brooklyn" Jimmy Carroll   Wilkes-Barre, Pa                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
          Perhaps, this is the 3/17/87 bout

1887
Jan 1  Frank Bosworth             Wilmington, De                    W  4
Jan 15 -The National Police Gazette reported that Ashton
          had engaged in 23 bouts up to this date and lost
          only one
Jan 22 Bill Gabig                 Wilmington, De                    L  4
          -Ashton broke his left hand; He was better but Gabig lasted and claimed win
Jan 29 Bill Gabig                 Wilmington, De                   ND  4
Mar 17 "Brooklyn" Jimmy Carroll   Providence, RI                    D  6
Apr 25 Jack Glynn                 Long Island, NY                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Apr 30 Frank Bosworth             Pawtucket, RI                    KO  6
          -Some sources report "TK 7"
May 25 Jimmy Doherty              Boston, Ma                        W  8
Jul  4 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey   Providence, RI                   EX   
Aug  8 Steve Taylor               Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Nov 12 Josh Consett               Birmingham, Eng                   W  3 
Nov 28 John L. Sullivan           London, Eng                      EX  3
Dec  8 John L. Sullivan           London, Eng                      EX   
Dec  9 John L. Sullivan           London, Eng                      EX  3
          -Some sources report "EX 4"
Dec 12 John L. Sullivan           Dublin, Ire                      EX  4
Dec 13 John L. Sullivan           Waterford, Ire                   EX   
Dec 14 John L. Sullivan           Cork, Ire                        EX   
Dec 15 John L. Sullivan           Limerick, Ire                    EX  4
Dec 16 John L. Sullivan           Dublin, Ire                      EX  4
Dec 17 John L. Sullivan           Belfast, Ire                     EX   

1888
Jan  5 John L. Sullivan           Cardiff, Wales                   EX   
May  1 Joe Lannon                 Boston, Ma                       EX  4
May 15 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX  4
Jun  4 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                     EX   
Oct 25 Jim Fell                   Providence, RI                   WF 12
          -Gloves were used for this bout;
          Some sources report "W 12" 

1889
Jan 15 Jack Fallon                Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 15 Joe Lannon                 Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 19 Denny Kelliher                                             SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but postponed
Mar 30 Joe Lannon                 Stillwater, RI                   KO 19
          -Some sources report 3/29/89 at Burrillville, RI
Apr 24 John L. Sullivan           Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
May  6 John L. Sullivan           Tarrytown, NY                    EX   
Jul  2 Joe Lannon                 Boston, Ma                       NC 14
          -Police intervened
       Jack Wannop                Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 27 Mason                      Providence, RI                   KO  1
Nov  7 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                       LK 14
          -After the Godfrey fight, Ashton joined the
          Sullivan group as a sparring partner for John L.
Dec 24 Arthur Upham               New London, Ct                    D  4

1890
Jan  6 Dominick McCaffrey         Newark NJ                        EX  3
Jan  7 Dominick McCaffrey         Newark NJ                        EX  3
Jan  8 Dominick McCaffrey         Newark NJ                        EX  3
Jan 27 Peter Jackson              Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
          -Some sources report "ND 3"
Feb  1 Peter Jackson              Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -The previous bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 10 Peter Jackson              Hoboken, NJ                      EX   
Feb 11 Peter Jackson              Hoboken, NJ                      EX   
Feb 12 Peter Jackson              Providence, RI                   EX  4
Mar  4 Peter Jackson              Brooklyn, NY                     EX  2
Mar  4 Jack Fallon                Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
          -Some sources report "D 2"; Police intervened;
           The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Mar 25 Peter Jackson              Chicago, Il                      EX  3
Mar    Peter Jackson              Chicago, Il                      EX   
Apr 19 Peter Jackson              St. Louis, Mo                   SCH   
          -The previous bout was scheduled but not held;
           Police intervened
May 19 Mike Cleary                Chicago, Il                      EX  4
          -Some sources report "EX 5"
May 26 Peter Jackson              Denver, Co                       EX  3
May 27 Strader                    Salt Lake City, Ut                W  4
May 27 Peter Jackson              Salt Lake City, Ut               EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jun  2 Peter Jackson              San Francisco, Ca               SCH   
          -The previous bout was scheduled but not held;
           Police intervened
Jun 14 Noble                      Salt Lake City, Ut               KO  5
Jun 18 Billy Woods                Denver, Co                       EX  4
          -Some sources report "D 4"
Jul  3 Frank Glover               Chicago, Il                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled as the Main Event but was cancelled;
           In a Preliminary bout, Frank Garrard knocked out Billy Brennan;
           Brennan died on the spot; The rest of the program was cancelled
Jul  4 Jim Brennan                Buffalo, NY                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul  5 –Ashton was scheduled to referee a bout in Buffalo, NY

1891
Apr 12 John Jackson               New York, NY                     KO  5
Apr 30 Frank Bosworth             New York, NY                     EX   
Oct 21 Joe Goddard                Melbourne, Vic, Aus               L  8
          -Some sources report 10/02/91;
           Some sources report "LK 8"
Dec 22 John L. Sullivan           Oakland, Ca                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to occur between acts of the play, Broderick Agra.
           The outcome is not known
Dec 23 John L. Sullivan           Oakland, Ca                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to occur between acts of the play, Honest Hearts and Willing Hands
           The outcome is not known
Dec 24 John L. Sullivan           Stockton, Ca                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to occur between acts of the play, Broderick Agra.
           The outcome is not known
Dec 25 John L. Sullivan           Sacramento, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was to occur between acts of the matinee performance of the play, Honest Hearts and Willing Hands
           The outcome is not known
Dec 25 John L. Sullivan           Sacramento, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was to occur between acts of the evening performance of the play, Honest Hearts and Willing Hands
           The outcome is not known
Dec 26 John L. Sullivan           Sacramento, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to occur between acts of the play, Broderick Agra.
           The outcome is not known
Dec 28 John L. Sullivan           Marysville, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was to occur between acts of the evening performance of the play, Honest Hearts and Willing Hands
           The outcome is not known

1892
May 29 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                     EX  3
Aug 29 John L. Sullivan           Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
Sep 10 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 17 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1893
Mar    -A benefit was held for Louise Dempsey Ashton
          at People's Theatre in New York, NY

*** Much Data Was Provided By Mark Dunn ***

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