John Clow
(John Pollock Clow)

BORN   February 1862
DIED December 9 1890; Denver, Colorado
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 157-197 lbs

Clow took on anyone, however big, as he [himself] grew from a middleweight into a heavyweight; He was quick and game and well-known for his devastating left-hand punch; Clow was the Heavyweight Champion of Colorado during the mid-1880's and was the winner of the Police Gazette Championship Medal for Colorado at this time

During his career, Clow defeated such men as "Denver" Ed Smith, Jack Hanley, O.H. smith, Tom Hinch, Martin Fahey, George Morrison, Dave Campbell, Joe Denning, Mike Boden, Mike Dunn and Denny Killen

1881
       an unknown opponent                                         KO   
          -Clow fought this man because he insulted Clow's girl

1882
Nov 15 William Cash               Denver, Co                       KO 17
Dec  3 Tom H. Brennan             Leadville, Co                    KO 13

1883
Jan 18 William Cash               Denver, Co                       LF  1
Feb    Peter Clark                Denver, Co                       EX   
Apr 25 Dominick McCaffrey         Denver, Co                       LK  4
Jul  7 Harry Pierson              Denver, Co                        W 10
          -Some sources report there was a second
           Clow-Pierson bout
Aug    George Morrison            Denver, Co                        W 10

1884
Jun 18 Charles Lange              Indianapolis, In                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held; Lange did not show;
           A substitute filled in for Lange; Clow knocked him out in
           three rounds
Jun 18 an unnamed opponent        Indianapolis, In                 KO  3
Aug 10 George Morrison            near Denver, Co                   W  6
Oct 18 "Omaha" Jack Davis         Denver, Co                       LK 11
          -Davis agreed to call the verdict a "Draw"
           and the purse was divided

1883-1885
       Harry Pierson                                                W   
       Alex Sheador                                                 W   
       Charlie Dore                                                 W   
       Tom O'Leary                                                  W   
       Con Morris                                                   W   
       Harry Bennie                                                 W   
       Harry Hynds                                                  W   
          -Perhaps, this is the 8/01/85 bout;
           Some sources report "Harry Hylands"

1885
Feb 16 Harry McCoy                Fort Worth, Tx                    D  6
May 15 "Captain" James Dalton     Chicago, Il                       D  5
Aug  1 Harry Hynds                Rawlings, Wy                     KO  6
          -Championship of Colorado and Wyoming
Aug    "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey   Rawlings, Wy                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to be held during Aug-Sep 1885;
           The outcome is not known
Sep 30 Jack Burke                 Denver, Co                       ND  4
          -Police intervened;
           Some sources report 10/01/85;
           Some sources report "D 4"
Oct 10 Jack Burke                 Leadville, Co                     D  4
Nov  7 "Denver" Ed Smith          Dodge City, Ks                   WF 10
          -Some sources report 10/07/85
           Some sources report "WF 4"
Nov 21 "Denver" Ed Smith          Wichita, Ks                      LK  6
          -Some sources report 10/20/85

1885-1886
       Burt Ellis                                                   W   
       Tom Davis                                                    W   

1886
Feb    Mike Fitzgerald            Salt Lake City, Ut                D  5
Feb 20 Duncan McDonald            Butte, Mt                         D  6
Mar 16 John Murphy                Butte, Mt                        ND  6
May  8 Jack Stewart               Denver, Co                        W  3
May  8 W. Duell                   Denver, Co                        W  3
May  8 W. Switzer                 Denver, Co                        W  3
          -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
May 22 Dave Campbell              Portland, Or                      D  6
          -Reports vary - "W 6" - "L 6"
Jun 23 Jim Fell                   Muskegon, Mi                      D 12
          -Police intervened; Clow was better and should have won;
           Some sources report "D 13" in "Denver, Co"
Jul 10 Jim Fell                   Cincinnati, Oh                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           Gloves were to be used for this bout
Jul 10 Hugh Sexton                Kansas City, Ks                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Clow was arrested before the fight began
Jul 25 Hugh Sexton                near Kansas City, Ms             KO 12
          -Some sources report 7/26/86;   
           Some sources report "KO 11"
Aug 29 "Omaha" Jack Davis         Leadville, Co                     L  5
          -Some sources report "L 6";
           Clow left the ring and Referee William Evans 
           declared Davis the winner; Clow bit Davis twice 
Nov  6 Duncan McDonald            Omaha, Ne                         D  6
          -Some sources report "Butte, Mt"
Nov  6 -Clow challenged any man in America (except John L. Sullivan)
Nov 22 M. Joyce                   Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  1
Nov 22 Jack Farrell               Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 27 Joe Denning                Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
Nov 29 Denny Kelliher             Philadelphia, Pa                  D  4
Dec  6 Mike Boden                 Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
Dec  8 Tom Kelly                  Philadelphia, Pa                  D  4
Dec  9 Bill Dunn                  Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
Dec 10 Denny Killen               Philadelphia, Pa                  W  3
Dec    -Clow challenged Dominick McCaffrey to a bout
Dec 22 Jake Kilrain               Baltimore, Md                     L  4
          -Some sources report "EX 4"
       Joe Collins                                                  W   

1887
Mar 10 Jack Hanley                Omaha, Ne                        KO  1
Apr 13 Pat Killen                 Duluth, Mn                       EX  3
Apr 23 -Sources report that Clow had 38 wins as of this date
Apr 26 Martin Fahey               St. Paul, Mn                     KO  9
May    O.H. Smith                 St. Paul, Mn                     KO  3
          -Some sources report 5/06/87
May  6 Pat Killen                 St. Paul, Mn                     EX  4
Jun  3 Pat Killen                 Minneapolis, Mn                  EX  4
Jun 24 Tom Hinch                  Minneapolis, Mn                  KO  3
Oct 17 Peter Nolan                Cincinnati, Oh                    D  1
          -Police intervened
Nov 14 Frank Glover               Minneapolis, Mn                   D 15
Dec  4 Paddy McDonald             Duluth, Mn                        W  6

1888
Mar 30 -Clow refereed the John P. Donner vs Charles Gleason bout in Duluth, Mn
Apr  7 Mike Conley                Ashland, Wi                      LT  4
          -This bout was promoted as the Heavyweight Championship
           of the Northwest; Some sources report "LT 3" on 4/08/88

1890
May 29 -A source reports that Clow was shot by Grant Hughes in a quarrel
           over money in Denver; It is not known if he died from this wound

Dec  8 -Another source reports that Clow was shot by F.C. Marshall on this 
           date in Denver and died on December 9

Undated
       "Omaha" Jack Davis                                           D   
          -Perhaps, this is the 8/29/86 bout

          -Clow owned a saloon in Duluth, Mn
           (It is not known for how long)

*** Some Data Provided By Jake Wegner ***

*** Some Data Provided By Clint Black ***

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