Joe Lannon
(the "Hammerer")

BORN   March 1 1865; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
HEIGHT 5-10 1/2
WEIGHT 190 lbs
RACE White; Irish-American

Lannon was sturdy and strong; He was among the top heavyweights of his time; He was not fancy but he was game and willing

During his career, Lannon defeated such men as Denny Kelliher, Billy Wilson, Jim Brady, Frank Herald and Mike Boden

1883
May 30 Neil Doherty               Walpole, Ma                       D  3
          -Some sources report "W 3" in "Boston, Ma" 
           (Highland Lake) in 1884

          -Lannon fought several local opponents at Boston, Ma 

1884
       James "Lefty" Havey        South Boston, Ma                  D  3
          -Some sources report "W 3"

1884-1885
          -Lannon declined to meet Denny Kelliher in a match

          -Lannon met all-comers in "exhibition" bouts during
           a tour of the Western United States

1885
Mar 18 Matt Cunningham            Boston, Ma                        D  4
Apr 10 Matt Cunningham            Boston, Ma                       TK  5
          -Some sources report "W 5"
Apr 30 Matt Cunningham            Boston, Ma                        W  4
          -Police intervened
Jun 12 Denny Kelliher             Boston, Ma                        D  4
          -Some sources report "W 4";
           Some sources report 6/12/84
Sep  2 Ed McKeown                 Neche, ND                        WF  4
          -Some sources report "WF 5"
Sep 15 Ed McKeown                 Grand Forks, ND                  WF  2
Oct  8 Pat Killen                 St. Paul, Mn                     LT  9
          -Some sources report 11/08/85; Some report 11/15/85;
           Some sources report "L 8"
Oct 16 James Duffy                Chicago, Il                      KO  2
          -Some sources report "KO 3";
           Some sources report "W 3"
Nov 20 Billy Wilson               St. Paul, Mn                      W  4
Dec 29 Jim Brady                  St. Paul, Mn                      W  4
          -Some sources report "Joe Brady";
           Some sources report "D 4"

1886
Jan 26 Ed Kerwin                  Boston, Ma                       KO  3
          -Perhaps, this man was "Jack Kirwin"
Feb 26 Ed Kerwin                  Boston, Ma                        W  3
          -Perhaps, this man was "Jack Kirwin"
Mar 12 John P. Loughlin           Boston, Ma                       KO  6
Mar 27 Jack Kirwin                Haverhill, Ma                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Apr 26 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                        D  6
          -Some sources report "L 6"
Aug 20 Denny Kelliher             Nantasket, Ma                    EX  3
          -Some sources report "D 8"
Aug 24 Denny Kelliher             Nantasket, Ma                    EX  3
Aug 27 Denny Kelliher             Nantasket, Ma                    EX  3
Aug 30 Denny Kelliher             Nantasket, Ma                    EX  3
Oct  7 Frank Herald               Boston, Ma                       KO  6
Nov  8 Jack Magee                 Boston, Ma                       EX   
Dec  6 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Dec 17 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 27 Mike Boden                 Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  4
          -Some sources report "W 4"
Dec 29 Tom Kelly                  Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"
Dec 31 Jack Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                  W  4
          -Some sources report "D 4"

1887
Jan 11 Jack Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                  D  4
Mar  8 Jake Kilrain               Watertown, Ma                    LT 11
         -Some sources report "LT 13";
          Some sources report "L 11";
Mar 28 John L. Sullivan           Hoboken, NJ                      EX  4
Mar    -Lannon traveled with the John L. Sullivan 
           Combination giving boxing exhibitions with 
           Sullivan and Steve Taylor from Mar 1887-Aug 1887
Jun  7 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX   
Jun  7 Steve Taylor               Boston, Ma                       EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jun  9 John L. Sullivan           Brockton, Ma                     EX   
Jul  4 John L. Sullivan           Hartford, Ct                     EX   
Aug  8 Steve Taylor               Boston, Ma                       EX   
Sep 19 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Oct 21 Jim Brady                  Boston, Ma                       TK  7
          -Some sources report "W 7"
Nov 15 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                       EX   
Nov 17 Dick Guthrie               Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Dec 19 Johnny Loring              Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Dec 28 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1888
Jan 16 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                       EX   
Jan 20 Jack Kirwin                Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 23 Steve Taylor               Boston, Ma                       EX  3
          -Some sources report 1/21/88
Feb 20 -Lannon refereed the Ed Binney-Johnny Banks bout in Boston, Ma
Feb 21 Steve Taylor               Lynn, Ma                         EX  3
Mar 19 Jim Fell                   Brooklyn, NY                     TK  2
          -Police intervened; Lannon was about to know Fell out;
           Some sources report "W 2"; Some sources report "ND 2"
May  1 Jack Ashton                Boston, Ma                       EX  4
Sep 17 Jack Glynn                 Boston, Ma                       KO  5
Oct 16 Denny Kelliher             Quincy, Ma                       EX   
Oct 20 Jack Glynn                 Halifax, NS, Canada             SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1889
Jan 15 Jack Ashton                Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb  4 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                        D 15
          -It had been agreed that the fight would be a "Draw"
           if a knockout was not scored; John L. Sullivan was
           the referee
Mar 30 Jack Ashton                Stillwater, RI                   LK 19
          -Some sources report 3/29/89 at Burrillville, RI
Jul  2 Denny Kelliher             Boston, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul  2 Jack Ashton                Boston, Ma                       ND 14
          -Police intervened
Jul 10 Denny Kelliher             Dedham, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Lannon did not show
Aug 17 Peter Jackson              Revere, Ma                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Police intervened
Dec  5 -Lannon refereed the Jack McAuliffe-Mike Daly bout in Boston, Ma
Dec 30 Mike Dyer                  Boston, Ma                       EX  3

1890
Feb  7 John L. Sullivan           Newark, NJ                       EX  3
Feb 12 John L. Sullivan           Hoboken, NJ                      EX  3
May  7 J.J. Bagley                Dover, NH                        EX  3
May  7 George Bush                Dover, NH                        EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
May 19 John L. Sullivan                                           SCH   
May 21 John L. Sullivan                                           SCH   
May 23 John L. Sullivan                                           SCH   
          -The previous 3 bouts were scheduled as part of the play,
           The Paymaster; The outcomes are not known
Jun 16 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 19  -Lannon married Lizzie Mooney 
Nov 24 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX   
Dec 16 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                     EX  3
Dec 16 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                     EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date

1892
Feb 16 Jim Corbett                New York, NY                     ND  3
          -Reports vary - "W 3" - "EX 3" - "L 3"
Apr  8 Jack Kirwin                 Charlestown, Ma                  EX   
May 16 George Godfrey             Coney Island, NY                 LK  4
          -Some sources report "LT 5"
Aug 29 John L. Sullivan           Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was later scheduled for this date;
           It probably replaced the Sullivan-Tracy bout;
           The outcome is not known
Sep 10 John L. Sullivan           New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1893
Sep  4 Gunner White               Halifax, NS, Can                  W  3

1903
Feb 23 -Lannon refereed the Johnny "Kid" Sheehan-Johnny Powers bout in Boston, Ma
Feb 23 -Lannon refereed the Jim Kennedy-Pat Roach bout in Boston, Ma
Feb 23 -Lannon refereed the Jack Riley-Ben Alexander bout in Boston, Ma
Feb 23 -Lannon refereed the Jimmy Gardner-Patsy Sweeney bout in Boston, Ma
          -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date
Feb 24 -Lannon refereed the Mike "Twin" Sullivan-Belfield Walcott bout in Boston, Ma 
Apr  8 -Lannon refereed the Young Sidney-Eddie Daly bout in Boston, Ma
Apr  8 -Lannon refereed the Young Kelley-John Cannon in Boston, Ma
Apr  8 -Lannon refereed the Kid Hessell-Hammond bout in Boston, Ma 
Apr  8 -Lannon refereed the Jimmy Briggs-Kid Goodman bout in Boston, Ma
          -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date

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