John J. Dwyer

BORN   August 15 1847; St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
DIED    March 10 1882; Brooklyn, New York
HEIGHT 5-9 1/2
WEIGHT 163-175 lbs

Dwyer claimed the Heavyweight Championship of America during 1879-1880; He was a skillful boxer and a hard hitter, especially with his right hand; In addition, he moved well and was tough and courageous with good boxing "savvy"

John was a man of very decent character, not like that of many others in the fighting profession during his time; His physique was magnificent, his mental view of life was mature and, to him, pugilism was something that he pursued because he excelled at it; His brother was Alderman William Dwyer

1867
       Hugh "Butt" Reilly         Brooklyn, NY                      W   
       -This was a "barroom" fight
 
1867-1868
          -Dwyer beat several minor opponents
 
1868
Jan  4 Hugh "Butt" Reilly         Brooklyn, NY                      W 125

1876
Jan 24 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                      W  5
          -Reports vary - "D 5" - "KO 5" - "ND 5" - "NC 4"
           Some sources report 11/17/76; Police intervened
Feb 11 George Rooke               Brooklyn, NY                     ND   
          -Police intervened
Feb 28 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Feb 29 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Mar  1 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Mar  2 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Mar  3 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Mar  4 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Mar  5 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "Tom and Jerry"
Apr 24 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                     EX  6
          -Some sources report "EX 4"
May 11 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This wrestling match was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 12 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
May 12 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -The previous 2 wrestling matches were scheduled for 
           the same date; The outcomes are not known
May 13 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
May 13 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -The previous 2 wrestling matches were scheduled for 
           the same date; The outcomes are not known
May 15 William Miller             South Brooklyn, NY              SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 16 William Miller             Williamsburg, NY                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 17 William Miller             Williamsburg, NY                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 18 William Miller             Greenpoint, NY                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 12 William Miller             Boston Ma                         L   
          -Wrestling Championship of the United States
Aug  9 Joe Coburn                 Brooklyn, NY                      W   
          -This was a wrestling match; Falls : 2-1
Aug 21 William Miller             Baltimore, Md                     W   
          -This was a wrestling match; Falls : 2-1
Aug 30 Joe Coburn                 New York, NY                     ND 11
          -Dwyer’s referee called it a draw;
           Coburn’s referee called Coburn the winner;
           The verdict was not resolved
Oct 17 Joe Goss                   New York, NY                     ND  4
          -Dwyer knocked Goss down
Oct 19 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 30 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1877
Feb 22 William Miller             New York, NY                     EX  5
          -Miller had the better of the fighting
Apr 23 Steve Taylor               Philadelphia, Pa                  W 15
Jun    Steve Taylor                                               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Jul  9 Patrick "Strong Arm" Kelly                                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Aug  6 Patrick "Strong Arm" Kelly Brooklyn, NY                     TK  2
          -Dwyer flattened Kelly, who could not come out for round three;
           After Kelly's head cleared, he and Dyer boxed one more round;
           Gloves were used for this bout
Sep 24 -Dwyer refereed the Jim Kelley-Seddon's Mouse bout
           in Brooklyn, NY
Oct  8 Steve Taylor               Brooklyn, NY                     EX   
Dec  3 Steve Taylor               Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 21 Mike Smith                 Brooklyn, NY                     EX   
Dec 31 William C. McClellan       Boston, Ma                       EX   
 
          -Dwyer beat several minor opponents
1878
Mar 25 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 26 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 27 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 27 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
           The previous 2 bouts were scheduled for the same date
Mar 28 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 29 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 30 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
Mar 30 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           This was a sparring scene in the play, "A Great Encounter"
           The previous 2 bouts were scheduled for the same date
Apr    Joe Goss                   Troy, NY                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Apr 25 Paddy Ryan                 Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; Ryan refused
           to fight when the promoter failed to come up with
           the prize money; Some sources report "Championship
           of America"
May 27 William Miller             Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
         -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul 13 Steve Taylor               New York, NY                     EX  3
Sep    Joe Goss                                                   SCH   
         -This bout was scheduled but plans fell through

          -Dwyer challenged any man in America
 
1879
Apr 19 John McDonald              Brooklyn, NY                     EX   
       "Captain" James Dalton                                       L   
          -This bout was held shortly before Dwyer
           boxed Jimmy Elliott
May  9 Jimmy Elliott              Long Point, Canada                W 12
          -Heavyweight Championship of America;
            Dwyer claimed the title due to Joe Goss' inactivity

May    -Dwyer got into a barroom fight with Paddy Ryan at
           New York, NY sometime after the Dwyer-Elliott fight
           of May 9 1879

May 28 Professor Collins          Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1880
          -Dwyer retired from the ring and worked as the
           Chief Clerk in the County Court of Brooklyn, NY
 
1881
Jul  2  Paddy Ryan                Brooklyn, NY                     EX  1



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