Jake Kilrain
(John Joseph Killion)

BORN   February 9, 1859; Greenpoint, New York
DIED December 22, 1937; Quincy, Massachusetts
HEIGHT 5-10 1/2
WEIGHT 175-230 lbs
Kilrain was a bouncy, durable fighter with a solid punch and great stamina

He was recognized by Richard K. Fox (of the Police Gazette) as the Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1887

During his career, Kilrain defeated such men as George Godfrey, William Sheriff, Jack Ashton, Frank Herald, John P. Clow, Joe Lannon, Jerry Slattery and Mike Brennan

*** SOME AMATEUR BOUTS ***

1879
       Jack Daley                 Somerville, Ma                   KO  2
       Jem Driscoll               Somerville, Ma                   TK   
       Dan Dwyer                  Somerville, Ma                    W   
       Dennis Roach               Somerville, Ma                   TK   
*** PROFESSIONAL BOUTS ***

Undated
       Pete McCoy                                                  EX   

1880
       "Dangerous Jack" Hughes    Boston, Ma                        W  3

1882
       George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                        D  3

1883
Feb 10 John Allen                 Boston, Ma                        W  4
          -Kilrain had Allen knocked out in the first round 
          but was persuaded by onlookers to "carry" him; 
          The fight continued but Allen showed so poorly 
          that management stopped the bout
May 16 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                        W  3
          -Police intervened
Oct 26 Jem Goode                  Boston, Ma                        D  5
          -Kilrain had Goode out on his feet and should have
          gotten a "Win" verdict; Some sources report "D 6"

1884
Mar 26 Charlie Mitchell           Boston, Ma                        D  4
May  8 William Sheriff            Cambridge, Ma                     W  3
          -Police intervened;
          Some sources report "KO 3" on 5/07/84
Jun 17 Danny Gill                 Highland Lake, Ma                EX   
Jun 17 an unnamed opponent        Highland Lake, Ma                EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jun 26 Mike Cleary                New York, NY                      D  4
          -Kilrain had Cleary out on his feet and should 
          have gotten a "Win" verdict
Jul  3 Jem Goode                  Chicago, Il                       D  5
          -Some sources report "D 4" on 7/02/84
Aug 13 Steve Taylor               Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec  1 Jack Burke                 Boston, Ma                        D  5
          -The first round fighting was so furious that 
          the police intervened; Four rounds more were 
          permitted; Kilrain had the best of the fight
Dec 19 -Kilrain refereed the Jack Magee-Paddy Duffy bout in Boston, Ma

1885
Apr 16 John McGlynn               New Bedford, Ma                  TK  4
          -Some sources report 4/16/83
May 15 George Fryer               Boston, Ma                        D  5
Jul  3 George LaBlanche           Gloucester, Ma                   EX  3
Oct 29 Jerry Murphy               Bangor, Me                       KO  2
          -Police intervened;
          Some sources report "D 4";
          Some sources report 10/29/83

1884-1886
       Alf Greenfield                                               W   

1886
       Frank Faber                Boston, Ma                        D   
Jul  3 Jack Ashton                New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Police intervened
Jul 31 Jack Ashton                Brooklyn, NY                      W  8
Nov  8 Frank Herald               Herring Run, Md                  TK  1
          -Some sources report "L 1"; Police intervened;
          Herring Run was 3 miles east of Baltimore
Nov 15 Joe Godfrey                Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  2
Nov 17 Tom Kelly                  Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  4
Nov 19 Denny Killen               Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
          -Some sources report "Denny Killian"
Dec  4 Dominick McCaffrey                                         SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 22 John Clow                  Baltimore, Md                     W  4
          -Some sources report "EX 4"

1887
Mar  8 Joe Lannon                 Watertown, Ma                    TK 11
Apr    Mervine Thompson           Baltimore, Md                    EX   
Apr 15 Mike Donovan               New York, NY                     EX   
May 28 Charlie Mitchell           New York, NY                     EX  4
Jun    Charlie Mitchell           Buffalo, NY                      EX    
Jul  4 Charlie Mitchell           Shelbyville, In                  EX    
Aug 20 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey   North Adams, Ma                  EX   4
Aug 29 Peter J. Nolan             Cincinnati, Oh                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Sep  8 Charlie Mitchell           New York, NY                     EX  4
Sep 10 Billy Madden               Brooklyn, NY                     EX  4
          -This bout was part of a Benefit for "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey
Sep 19 Charlie Mitchell           Boston, Ma                       EX   
Dec 19 Jem Smith                  Isle des Souverains, Fr           D 106
          -Richard Fox (of the Police Gazette) recognized Kilrain
          as Heavyweight Champion of the World following this
          bout; London Rules and bare-knuckles were used

1888
Jan  6 Charlie Mitchell           Dublin, Ire                      EX  3
Jan 10 Jem Smith                  London, Eng                      EX  3   
Feb  8 Jem Smith                  Enfield, Eng                     EX    
Feb 10 Jem Smith                  Portsmouth, Eng                  EX   
Nov 19 Charlie Mitchell           Philadelphia, Pa                 EX   
          -Police intervened
Dec 17 Charlie Mitchell           Chicago, Il                      EX  3
Dec 18 Charlie Mitchell           Chicago, Il                      EX  3
Dec 19 Charlie Mitchell           Chicago, Il                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Police prevented the bout
Dec 20 Charlie Mitchell           Chicago, Il                      EX  3
Dec 22 Charlie Mitchell           Cincinnati, Oh                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Warrants were issued to arrest the fighters;
          The fighters did not appear
Dec 26 Charlie Mitchell           Cleveland, Oh                    EX   
Dec 27 Patrick "Reddy" Gallagher  Cleveland, Oh                    EX   
Dec 27 Patrick "Reddy" Gallagher  Cleveland, Oh                    EX   
          -Gallagher twice substituted for Charley Mitchell;
           This was part of a "Parson" Davies tour with 
           Kilrain and Mitchell
Dec 27 Charlie Mitchell           Cleveland, Oh                    EX   
          -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Dec 31 Charlie Mitchell           St. Louis, Mo                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Police intervened and prevented the bout

1889
Jan  4 Charlie Mitchell           Buffalo, NY                      EX   
Jan  5 Charlie Mitchell           Buffalo, NY                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan    Charlie Mitchell           Albany, NY                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan    Charlie Mitchell           Troy, NY                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 11 Charlie Mitchell           Newburgh, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
          Mitchell was sick
Jan 12 Charlie Mitchell           Kingston-on-the-Hudson, NY       EX   
Apr  5 Charlie Mitchell           Leicester, Eng                   EX   
May    Charlie Mitchell           Dublin, Ire                      EX   
Jun 13 Charlie Mitchell           New York, NY                     EX   
Jul  8 John L. Sullivan           Richburg, Ms                     LT 75
          -Heavyweight Championship of America;
          London Rules and bare-knuckles were used
Nov  4 John Scholes               Toronto, Ont, Can                 D  4

1890
Feb  2 Felix Vacquelin            New Orleans, La                  KO  3
Feb 13 Mike Cleary                Dallas, Tx                       EX   
Feb 18 Jim Corbett                New Orleans, La                   L  6
Mar 12 Mike Cleary                Hot Springs, Ar                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Cleary was delayed in coming from out
          of town
Jun 10 Frank Bosworth             New York, NY                      W  3
Jun 12 Frank Straub               New York, NY                     KO  4
Jun 13 Tommy McManus              New York, NY                      W  3
          -Some early sources reported 7/13/87
Jun 18 Dick Mayel                 Cleveland, Oh                     W  3
Aug  1 Jerry Slattery             New York, NY                     TK  2
Dec  1 George Harris              New York, NY                     KO  2
Dec  3 Mike Brennan               Montana, NY                       W  3
Dec  4 George Maguire             Utica, NY                        KO  2

1891
Mar 13 George Godfrey             San Francisco, Ca                KO 44
Jun 16 Frank "Paddy" Slavin       Hoboken, NJ                      LT  9
Jul 21 Billy Woods                Denver, Co                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held

1895
Mar 18 Steve O'Donnell            Boston, Ma                        D  8
May  6 Steve O'Donnell            Coney Island, NY                 LK 21
Sep 30 Abraham "Abe" Ullman       Baltimore, Md                    ND 10

1896
Sep 14 Frank "Paddy" Slavin       Baltimore, Md                    LT  1

1899
Oct 20 Steve O'Donnell            Baltimore, Md                    LT  5

1909
Apr 18 John L. Sullivan           Phoenix, Az                      EX   
Apr 19 John L. Sullivan           Phoenix, Az                      EX   
Apr 24 John L. Sullivan           Prescott, Az                     EX   
Apr 25 John L. Sullivan           Prescott, Az                     EX   

*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed  ***

1887-1889
       Jack Fallon                                                  W   

*** Some Data Was Provided By Mark Dunn ***

*** Assistance Was Provided By Christopher Shelton ***

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