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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Title Claimant

Cal McCarthy
(the "Wonder")

BORN   1869; McClintockville, Pennsylvania
DIED November 27 1895; Hoboken, New Jersey
HEIGHT 5-2 1/2
WEIGHT 110-121 1/2 lbs
MANAGERS William Vallette, Joe Early, Billy Madden

McCarthy was quick and "cat-like" in his movements and possessed a great left-hand jab; He used a cautious, deliberate style of fighting but quickly took advantage of openings; In his day, he was called a "Wonder" and the most accomplished little man since Dick Hollywood

He fought two great fights with George Dixon - a 70-round draw followed by a hard fought 22-round loss; McCarthy has been vastly underrated over the years

During his career, McCarthy defeated such men as Joe Flaherty, Eugene Hornbacher, Matt McCarthy, Johnny Murphy, Jimmy Larkins, Tommy Warren, Tommy Danforth and Clifford Valentine

1887
          -McCarthy won the Amateur 110-lb Championship of America

1888 
Feb 16 Joe Flaherty                New York, NY                     D  6
Mar    Joe Flaherty                New York, NY                    KO 15
May 10 Joe Flaherty                Boston, Ma                      KO  7
May 28 Silvie Burns                Boston, Ma                       D 16
          -McCarthy did all the fighting and was not marked up;
           Burns was punished
Jun 26 Paddy Kearney               Jersey City, NJ                  D 10
          -This was an "agreed draw" if no knockout was scored within 10 rounds
Jul    Dudley Russell              New York, NY                    KO  3
Jul    Bill Baird                  New York, NY                    KO  3
Jul    Morris Boland               New York, NY                    KO  3
Jul    M. Cahill                   New York, NY                    KO  3
Aug    Billy Golden                New York, NY                    KO  6
Aug    Jack Healey                 New York, NY                    KO 30
Sep    W. Skillman                 New York, NY                    KO  3
Sep 17 Eugene Hornbacker           New York, NY                    WF 21
          -McCarthy claimed the Featherweight Championship of America;
           Some sources report 09/28/1888; Some sources report "WF 22"
Oct    Joe Carr                    New York, NY                    KO  4
Oct 24 Tommy "Spider" Kelly        New York, NY                     D  8
          -Some sources report Bantamweight Championship of the World; 
           Some sources report "LK 4"
Oct    Jimmy Larkins               New York, NY                     D 10
Oct    J. McCormick                New York, NY                    KO  4
Nov    Frank Naegel                New York, NY                    KO  4
Nov    Dave Benjamin               New York, NY                    KO  4
Nov 21 George "Monk" Young         Long Island, NY                 KO  9
Dec    Jimmy Lynch                 New York, NY                    KO  4
         -Amateur 114-pound championship of America;
          The bout became so hot the police intervened;
          Some sources report "W 5"
Dec    Bobby Burns                 New York, NY                     D  8

1889
Jan 15 John Carey                  Hoboken, NJ                     EX  3
Jan 25 Harry Walton                Gloucester, NJ                  KO  5
          -Bantamweight Championship of America;
            Some sources report "Trenton, NJ"
Jan 28 John Carey                  Brooklyn, NY                    EX  3
        -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that Carey defeated McCarthy 
           in a competition during 1888, the previous year
Feb 11 Joe Clarkson                Hoboken, NJ                     ND  3
Feb 19 Joe Saunders                Staten Island, NY               ND   
Feb 23 Hal Morgan                  Wilkes-Barre, Pa                TK  4
          -Police intervened
Feb 25 Harry Walton                Hoboken, NJ                     EX  4
Mar  9 Tom Collins                 New York, NY                    ND  3
Mar 16 Tommy "Spider" Kelly        Elizabeth, NJ                   EX  5
Apr  5 Matt McCarthy               Long Island, NY                 TK  6
          -This bout was promoted for the Featherweight Championship
           of America
Apr 26 Johnny Murphy               Boston, Ma                      TK  4
          -Featherweight Championship of America
May 20 -McCarthy was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY
Jun    Jimmy Larkins               Jersey City, NJ                  W  6
Jun 13 -McCarthy was scheduled to spar in New York, NY
          at a Benefit for victims of the Johnstown flood
Jul 29 Morris Boland               Jersey City, NJ                 ND   
Sep    Michael "Chappie" Moran                                     EX   
          -This bout was held during the first week of Sep
Sep    Jimmy Hagan                 Hoboken, NJ                     EX   
          -The men sparred several times during the first week
          of September
Sep    Tommy "Spider" Kelly                                        EX   
          -The men sparred almost every night during September
Sep    McBride                     Hoboken, NJ                     EX  4
Sep 16 Mike Cushing                Brooklyn, NY                   SCH
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 23 Eugene Hornbacker           New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but postponed
Sep 23 Isaac "Ike" O'Neil Weir     Brooklyn, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 26 Michael "Chappie" Moran     Fishkill, NY                   SCH
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 22 Paddy McGuiggan             Hoboken, NJ                     EX  3
Nov  6 Lol White                   New York, NY                    EX   
Nov 27 Mike Nolan                  New York, NY                    TK  7
          -This bout was promoted for the Featherweight Championship
          of the World
Dec 23 Michael "Chappie" Moran     New York, NY                    EX   
Dec 28 Michael "Chappie" Moran     Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3

1890
Jan 31 Johnny Murphy               New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; 
          Murphy had an injured arm 
Feb  7 George Dixon                Boston, Ma                       D 70
          -Featherweight Championship of America
Feb 28 Paddy McBride               Philadelphia, Pa                ND   
Mar  3 Michael "Chappie" Moran     Brooklyn, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 12 Eugene Hornbacker           Brooklyn, NY                    EX  3
Mar 28 Matt McCarthy               Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Apr 26 M. Martin                   Jersey City, NY                 ND   
Jul    Mike McGoff                 New York, NY                     W   
Jul 24 -McCarthy was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY

1891
Feb  1 Andy Hart                   Jersey City, NJ                 EX   
Mar 31 George Dixon                Troy, NY                        LT 22
          -Featherweight Championship of America
Apr 27 George Dixon                Brooklyn, NY                    EX  3
Apr 29 -McCarthy challenged Edwin "Nunc" Wallace to a bout
Jul 24 Tommy Warren                Coney Island, NY                 D  4
Sep  4 Bobby Burns                 Olneyville, RI                   D 15
Sep 22 Tommy Warren                New Orleans, La                 KO 21
          -Some sources report "KO 22";
           Some sources report "W 22"

1892
Jan 27 Tommy Callaghan             New Orleans, La                 KO 14
May 30 Bobby Burns                 Brooklyn, NY                    LT  8
Jul 23 Robert Wilson               Jersey City, NJ                  L  3
          -A riot almost broke out
Sep 27 Sim Collins                 New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 21 Tommy Danforth              New York, NY                    TK 16
Oct 22 George Davenport            New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct    Tommy Danforth                                              EX   
          -McCarthy and Danforth boxed several exhibitions
           during Oct-Nov 1892
Nov 19 Kentucky Rosebud                                           SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
           This man was "Walter Edgerton"

1893
Jan 28 Tommy Danforth              New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb  7 Clifford Valentine          Newark, NJ                       W  7
Sep 19 Willie Kenny                Jersey City, NJ                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1894
Jan 18 Fred Precious               Birmingham, England             LK  1

1895
Feb 18 Joe Craig                   Jersey City, NJ                  D 10
Mar  1 Robert Wilson               Jersey City, NJ                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul 31 -McCarthy applied to St. Mary's Hospital and was 
          described as "a complete wreck"

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

Undated
       John Carey                                                   L   
          -Nassau Boxing Championship 
       Hughey Boyle                                               SCH   
          -The previous bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1887
       Tommy "Spider" Kelly                                         W  3

1888
Dec 24 Tommy "Spider" Kelly        Harlem, NY                       D  8
          -Bantamweight Championship of America

1889
Jan    Eugene Hornbacker                                          SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

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