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
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