Mike Cleary

BORN   May 19, 1858; County Queens, Ireland (Fought out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Newburgh, New York)
DIED September 5, 1893; Belfast, New York (at William Muldoon's farm)
HEIGHT 5-8
WEIGHT 172 lbs

Cleary was quick and scrappy and willing to mix it up; A number of men, including Jim Corbett, called Cleary one of the hardest hitters they had ever seen

During his career, Cleary defeated such men as Harry Hicken, George Rooke, William Sheriff, Jack Fay and Mike Smith

Undated
       Jack Wilkes                                                  D  4
       Jack Langdon                                                LT   
          -Cleary broke a wrist on Langdon's head

1875
Jan  5 Lew Chambers                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  3

1876
Mar 22 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Weedon Cecil County, NJ                KO 70
          -Some sources report "W 80" near Newark, NJ

1878
Feb 18 Sam Carr                    Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Jun 14 Harry Hicken                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2

1879
Mar 11 Jem Stewart                 Glasgow, Scot                   EX  3
May 30 Jerry Leary                 Brooklyn, NY                    KO  1
Sep  3 Pat Skeleon                 Trenton, NJ                     KO  2
Dec 31 Sam Collier                 Wilkes-Barre, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; the outcome is not known

1881
Mar 25 Mike Donovan                New York, NY                    EX   
       "Captain" James Dalton      Philadelphia, Pa                EX  4
Sep    Dominick McCaffrey          Philadelphia, Pa                ND  5
          -Some sources report "D 5"
 
1882
Feb 27 Johnny McGee                Philadelphia, Pa                EX   
Mar 27 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Ryan   New York, NY                    EX   
Oct 18 George Rooke                New York, NY                    KO  3
          -Rooke offered to beat Cleary inside of four
           rounds; Cleary knocked him down five times;
           Some sources report 10/18/79;
           Reports vary - "KO 1" - "LK"
Nov 10 Billy McLean                New York, NY                    EX   
Dec 21 Mike Mullen                 Philadelphia, Pa                EX   
Dec 28 Edward McGlinchey           New York, NY                    EX   

1883
Mar 19 John L. Sullivan            Boston, Ma                      EX  3
Apr  9 Charlie Mitchell            New York, NY                     L  3
          -Police intervened;
           Some sources report "LK 3"
           Some sources report "LT 3"
           Some sources report "D 3" on 4/19/83 
May 16 Pete McCoy                  New York, NY                    EX   
Nov    Florrie Barnett             New York, NY                    EX  3
          -Some sources report "KO 3"

1884
Apr 18 William Sherriff            New York, NY                    KO  1
May 19 William Sherriff            Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
          -Some sources report "New York, NY"
Jun 16 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Ryan   Philadelphia, Pa                EX  2
       Johnny McGee                                                EX   
Jun 26 Jake Kilrain                New York, NY                     D  4
          -Kilrain had Cleary out on his feet and should 
           have gotten a "Win" verdict
Jul 19 Jem Goode                   Chicago, Il KO 1af
Jul 28 Jack Burke                  New York, NY                     D  4
          -There were two referees; One called the bout a "draw";
           The other referee ruled in favor of Burke;
           Some sources report "L 4" at "Philadelphia, Pa"
Sep    Tom Henry                   New York, NY                    EX   
           -This bout was held during Sep 1-7 of 1884
Oct  6 Steve Taylor                New York, NY                    EX  3
Oct 17 -Cleary seconded Walter Watson vs Mike Donovan in New York, NY
Dec  2 Steve Taylor                New York, NY                    EX   

1885
Jan 29 Pete McCoy                  New York, NY                    EX  4
Feb  6 "Captain" James Dalton      Louisville, Ky                  KO  1
Mar 13 Jack Brady                  San Francisco, Ca               KO  1
Apr  6 Frank Crockett              San Francisco, Ca               KO  5
May 22 Charlie Mitchell            San Francisco, Ca                D  4
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "D 5"
Aug 28 Jim Corbett                 San Francisco, Ca               EX  2
          -Cleary was better but said that Corbett "got away" from 
           a right-hand punch better than anyone he had ever seen
Sep  9 John L. Sullivan            New York, NY                    EX  3
Oct 13 John L. Sullivan            Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3
Oct 23 Jack Burke                  San Francisco, Ca                D  8
          -Some sources report "D 9"
Nov 23 Jack Burke                  Chicago, Il                      L  3
          -Some sources "D 8" at "San Francisco, Ca"
Dec    Bill Gabig                  Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
          -Perhaps, this is the 1/13/1886 bout
Dec 28 Jack Burke                  Chicago, Il                     LT  3
          -Some sources report "D 9" in "San Francisco, Ca" LT 3"

1886
Jan  6 Denny Kelliher              Philadelphia, Pa                 D  4
Jan 13 Bill Gabig                  Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Jan 16 Joe Cooper                  Philadelphia, Pa                 D  4
Feb  4 John Reilly                 New York, NY                    EX  3
Mar 23 Dave Campbell               Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3
          -Some sources report 3/13/86
Apr 10 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    New York, NY                    EX  3
May  4 Jack Fay                    Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
May  5 Jack Langdon                Philadelphia, Pa                 W  3
Nov 15 -Cleary refereed the Jake Kilrain-Joe Godfrey bout in Philadelphia, Pa
Nov 20 -Cleary refereed the Pete McCoy-Jimmy Dailey bout in Philadelphia, Pa

1888
Apr  9 Jack Fallon                 Boston, Ma                      EX   
Jun  5 Peter J. Nolan              Hot Springs, Ar                  D  4
Jun 14 -Cleary was challenged by Jack Fallon to a bout
Nov 27 Johnny Reagan               Brooklyn, NY                    EX   

1889
May    John L. Sullivan            Gloucester, NJ                  EX  3
Jun  4 "Denver" Ed Smith           Hot Springs, Ar                 LK  1
Jun 25 John L. Sullivan            Belfast, NY                     EX   
Aug  2 John L. Sullivan            New York, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep  9 John L. Sullivan            New York, NY                    EX  3
Sep 23 "Brooklyn" Jimmy Carroll    Brooklyn, NY                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 26 -Cleary was scheduled to spar at Fishkill, NY
Dec 18 Andy Reilly                                                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1890
Jan 30 Felix Vacquelin             New Orleans, La                 EX  1
Feb 13 Jake Kilrain                Dallas, Tx                      EX   
Feb 17 Mike Smith                  New Orleans, La                 KO  2
Mar 12 Jake Kilrain                Hot Springs, Ar                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Cleary was delayed in coming from out
           of town
Apr  3 "Denver" Ed Smith           Hot Springs, Ar                 LK  3
May 19 Jack Ashton                 Chicago, Il                     EX  4
          -Some sources report "EX 5"

1892
Mar  7 Charlie Mitchell            Buffalo, NY                     EX  3

1893
          -Cleary suffered an accident which required the
           amputation of one foot; He later developed 
           tuberculosis
Sep  5 -Cleary died at Belfast, NY (buried here)

1900
May 26 -Cleary's body was moved to Philadelphia, Pa and
          buried in the New Cathedral Cemetery next to
          his mother

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

1883
Feb 11 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Ryan   Shenandoah, Pa                  EX   
Feb 14 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Ryan   Shenandoah, Pa                  EX   

1885
Mar 20 James Robertson Couper      Philadelphia, Pa                LK  4
Dec    Bill Gabig                  Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
          -Perhaps, this is the 1/13/1886 bout

1891
Jan  9 Ed Cuffe                    Seattle, Wa                     LK  3
          -Did this Mike Cleary fight Cuffe ???

1894
Jan  5 Jimmy Duffy                 Fishkill, NY                    KO  1
          -This bout is reported but is questionable due to
           Cleary's foot injury in 1893

*** Much Data Was Provided By William Schutte ***

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