1856
May 1 Edmund "Ned" Price Spy Pond, Ma D 160
-Middleweight Championship of America;
Bare Knuckles were used for this fight
1857
Jim Hughes SCH
-This fight was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 7 Patsy Flynn New York, NY W 4
-Some sources report Oct 1857
Nov 11 Harry Gribben SCH
-This fight was scheduled but postponed;
Coburn injured a leg during training
Nov 19 Harry Gribben Bertie County, Can W 21
-Some sources report "KO 21"
Dec John C. Heenan New York, NY EX
1858
Feb 15 an unnamed opponent New York, NY EX
Mar 22 Evans Boston, Ma EX
Mar 22 Jones Boston, Ma EX
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
1859
Mar 24 Young Crow New York, NY EX
1862
-Coburn challenged John C. Heenan to a fight for the
Heavyweight Championship of America; Heenan refused
-Coburn claimed the Heavyweight Championship of America
1863
Jan 28 "Professor" William Clark New York, NY W
-Blackened gloves were used for this fight;
The most clean hits won
Apr 16 Mike Norton New York, NY EX
May 5 Mike McCoole Charlestown, Md W 67
-Heavyweight Championship of America
Jun 11 Mike Norton Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This fight was scheduled but not held;
Norton did not show
Jun 11 Jem Jennings Brooklyn, NY EX
Dec -Coburn challenged Tom King, the English Champion;
King said he was retiring from pugilism and declined
Dec -Coburn challenged Jem Mace, the former English Champion;
Mace declined by saying he would not fight in America;
Coburn went to Ireland to set up a match
1864
Oct 4 Jem Mace Pierstown, Ire SCH
-This fight was scheduled but cancelled;
Coburn and Mace could not agree on a referee
Oct 10 -Mike McCoole challenged Coburn to a fight
Oct 14 Jem Mace in Ireland SCH
-This fight was temporarily arranged but fell through
1865
-Coburn was challenged by Jimmy Elliott to a fight
for the Heavyweight Championship of America; Coburn
refused and retired (only to return later);
Elliott claimed the title
1867
Oct 26 Matthew "Rocky" Moore New York, NY EX
1868
May 27 Mike McCoole Cold Spring Station, In SCH
-This fight was scheduled but not held;
Police intervened and prevented the fight;
Coburn and his trainer, Jim Cusick, were
arrested; Some sources report 9/19/68
Jul 27 Jem Ward New York, NY SCH
-This exhibition bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
1870
Jun 14 Jem Mace Newark, NJ EX
Jun 15 Jem Mace Paterson, NJ EX
Jun 16 Jem Mace Jersey City, NJ EX
Jul 2 Jem Mace New York, NY EX
1871
May 11 Jem Mace Port Ryeson, Can D 1
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Heavyweight Championship of America;
Neither man struck a blow; Police intervened
Jun 2 Jem Mace Kansas City, Mo SCH
-This fight was scheduled but not held;
Coburn did not show up
Nov 30 Jem Mace Bay St. Louis, La D 12
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Heavyweight Championship of America;
Mace injured a hand in the fifth round;
Some sources report Mississippi Station, Ms
1876
Jan 24 -Coburn seconded Steve Taylor vs John J. Dwyer in New York, NY
Aug 9 John J. Dwyer Brooklyn, NY L
-This was a wrestling match; Falls : 1-2
Aug 30 John J. Dwyer New York, NY ND 11
-Coburn’s referee called Coburn the winner;
Dwyer’s referee called it a draw;
The verdict was not resolved
Sep 2 William Miller Cincinnati, Oh EX
1877
Mar 6 -Coburn was sentenced to ten years in prison
for felonious assault with intent to kill
policeman William Tobias in New York, NY
on February 16, 1877
1882
Dec 7 -Coburn was released from prison
Dec 28 John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX 3
1883
Jan 20 John L. Sullivan Buffalo, NY EX
Jan 23 John L. Sullivan Toronto, Ont, Can EX
Jan 29 John L. Sullivan Troy, NY EX 3
Feb John L. Sullivan Rochester, NY EX
Mar 1 "Professor" William Clark New York, NY EX 3
Mar 13 John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX 3
Mar 19 John L. Sullivan Boston, Ma EX 3
Apr 20 Herbert Slade Troy, NY EX 3
Apr 23 Herbert Slade New York, NY EX
Apr 27 Herbert Slade New York, NY EX 3
May 15 -Coburn proposed a fight between John L. Sullivan
and Charlie Mitchell at Long Island, NY that was
scheduled but fell through
Jun Charlie Mitchell Syracuse, NY EX 3
1884
Dec 2 "Professor" William Clark New York, NY EX
1885
May 17 -Coburn was arrested on charges of robbery,
$950 from Charles Carter at Coburn's saloon;
Later, Carter dropped the charges and Coburn
was released
Aug 1 Bob Farrell Cincinnati, Oh EX 5
Aug 17 -Coburn got into a skirmish with a police officer
and an onlooker but was not imprisoned
Oct 12 Charlie Mitchell Auburn, NY EX
1886
Jul 24 Harry Umlah Scranton, Pa SCH
-This fight was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
Some sources report "Harry Dunlap"
1887
Nov 16 -Coburn was arrested for being under the influence
and for wrangling with a man on the street in
New York; He was released
1888
Apr 9 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey Boston, Ma EX
Dec 14 "Professor" William Clark St. Louis, Mo L 3
-Blackened gloves were used for this bout;
The most clean hits won
Dec 18 Tom Kelly St. Louis, Mo EX 3
Dec 19 -Coburn refereed the J. Daly-J. Victor bout in St. Louis, Mo
1889
Sep 9 Dominick McCaffrey New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Coburn did not show
Undated
Billy McLean EX
-Some sources report "D"
*** Much Data Was Provided By William Schutte ***
*** Assistance Was Provided By Tony Triem ***
*** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***
Review courtesy of
Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing
Research Organization
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