"Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien
(James Francis Hagan)

BORN   January 17 1878;  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DIED November 12 1942; New York, New York
HEIGHT 5-10 1/2
WEIGHT 152-165 lbs
RACE   White; Irish-American
MANAGER Harry Pollock
O'Brien was agile, quick and limber; He was a two-handed puncher who was not a particularly hard hitter but landed often; His best punches were a left jab and a hard overhand right; Jack was also a good defensive fighter who blocked punches well and counter-punched accurately

Jack tangled with anyone who was willing - middleweight, light heavyweight or heavyweight - black or white; Nat Fleischer ranked O'Brien as the #2 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Charley Rose ranked him as the #3 All-Time Light Heavyweight; O'Brien was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1968 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994




O'Brien-Burns #1 1906 Fight Video Clip

O'Brien-Greb Sparring Video Clip

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1896
Dec 14 Isadore "Izzy" Strauss     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 19 George Russell             Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 23 Bobby Dobbs                Chester, Pa                       D  4

1897
Jan 11 Bobby Dobbs                Conshohocken, Pa                  L  4
Jan 12 Martin Judge               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 28 Martin Judge               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb  8 Isadore "Izzy" Strauss     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 15 Dan McConnell              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb    Leslie Pearce              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Mar 15 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr  6 Bobby Dobbs                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
May  4 Young Smyrna               Chester, Pa                       D  4
May 24 Charles "Bull" McCarthy    Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun  3 Charles "Bull" McCarthy    Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun  7 Barney Connors             Baltimore, Md                     D 15
Jun  9 Paddy Sheehan              Reading, Pa                       D  4
Jun 25 Martin Judge               Reading, Pa                       W  6
Jun 27 Jack Hanlon                Reading, Pa                       W  6
Jul 26 Martin Judge               Reading, Pa                       D  6
Oct 12 Joe Dougherty              Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  3
Dec 31 Isadore "Izzy" Strauss     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1898
Jan 10 Barney Connors             Baltimore, Md                     W  8
Jan 17 Paddy Sheehan              Reading, Pa                       W  6
Jan 29 Isadore "Izzy" Strauss     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 31 Young Smyrna               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb  4 "Wilmington" Jack Daly     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 14 Jack McCann                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  3
Apr 15 Young Smyrna               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr    Dick Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Aug 12 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Dec 17 Hugh McWinters             Brooklyn, NY                      W 20

1899
Jan  7 Fred Stricker              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Jan  7 Tom Cavanaugh              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Jan 21 George Cole                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 28 Jack Collier               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 11 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Feb 11 Dick Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  4
Feb 23 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  8
          -This bout was held in "private"
Mar 20 George Cole                Trenton, NJ                       W 20
May 15 Tony Drew                  Trenton, NJ                      KO  7
Jun 20 Kid Baxter                 Chicago, Il                       W  6
Jun 27 Walter Nolan               Chicago, Il                      KO  4
Jul 21 Shorty Ahearn              Chicago, Il                       W  6
Aug  4 Tom McCune                 Clinton, Ia                      KO 12
Aug 29 Billy Murray               Dubuque, Ia                      KO  3
Sep 15 Tom Tracey                 Chicago, Il                       W  6

1900
Jan  6 Al Neill                   San Francisco, Ca                 D 15
          -Police intervened; Referee called it a "Draw";
           Some sources report 1/05/00;
           Some sources report "D 20"
Feb 14 "Young" Peter Jackson      San Francisco, Ca                LT 13
          -O'Brien far ahead on points when bout stopped
Apr 13 Bob Long                   Chicago, Il                       W  6
May 25 John "Young" Mahoney       Chicago, Il                       W  6
Jun  7 Charley Bell               Iowa City, Ia                    KO  2
Jun 14 Jack Lewis                 Des Moines, Ia                   KO  7
Jun 21 Jim Adams                  Des Moines, Ia                    D  5
Jul  3 Jim Adams                  Des Moines, Ia                    D  6
Sep 21 Andy Walsh                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Sep 26 "Wilmington" Jack Daly     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  3
Oct  1 Jack Bonner                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct  8 George Cole                Trenton, NJ                      WF 10
Oct 15 Tommy West                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Some sources report "L 6"
Oct 29 Jimmy Handler              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov  6 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 12 Jimmy Handler              Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  6
          -Handler knocked O'Brien down in the 1st round

1901
Feb 25 Harry Smith                Newcastle, Eng                   TK  3
Mar 20 Jack Thompson              Newcastle, Eng                   KO  2
Mar 24 Big Bourbon                Nice, Fr                         TK  9
May 20 George Chrisp              Newcastle, Eng                   TK 11
Jun 25 Harry Neumeier             Newcastle, Eng                   KO  6
Aug  3 Jack Scales                Newcastle, Eng                   TK  6
Aug 19 Dido Plumb                 Newcastle, Eng                   KO  6
Sep  3 Mike Lynch                 West Hartlepool, Eng             KO  3
Sep 23 Jack McDonald              Liverpool, Eng                   KO  1
Sep 23 Jasper White               Liverpool, Eng                   KO  2
Sep 30 Harry Smith                Leeds, Eng                       KO  3
Sep 30 Andy "Cock" Robin          Leeds, Eng                       KO  3
Nov  7 Jack Scales                Liverpool, Eng                   KO  1
Nov 18 Frank Craig                London, Eng                      WF  7
Dec 12 Yank Kenny                 Liverpool, Eng                   WF 12

1902
Jan 18 Frank Kelly                Edinburgh, Scot                  TK  4
Jan 20 Pat McDonald               Glasgow, Scot                    TK  2
Jan 27 Charles McKeever           London, Eng                      WF  3
Feb  1 Yank Kenny                 West Hartlepool, Eng             WF  5
Mar  3 Andy Walsh                 Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  3
Mar 10 Charles McKeever           Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Mar 19 Ed Denfass                 Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  5
Mar 20 Rufus Graham               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Mar 26 Jack McCann                Reading, Pa                      EX  2
          -O'Brien knocked McCann out
Mar 26 Morris Mahoney             Reading, Pa                      EX  2
Apr  1 Charles McKeever           Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr 11 Joe Walcott                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr 28 "Young" Peter Jackson      Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May  3 George Cole                Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  4
May 10 Tom Lenihan                Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  2
May 10 Jack Williams              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  3
May 23 Jack Bonner                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun  2 Charles McKeever           Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  1
Jun  6 Al Neill                   Chicago, Il                      KO  3
Jun 12 George Cole                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun 16 Jack Bonner                Paterson, NJ                     ND  6
          -This bout was a "pre-arranged Draw"
Jun 20 Yank Kenny                 Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  3
Jun 30 Jim Driscoll               Chicago, Il                       W  6
Jun 30 Jack Beauscholte           Chicago, Il                       W  6
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jul 29 Jack Lewis                 Mount Clemens, Mi                KO  1
Sep 12 Billy Stift                Chicago, Il                       W  6
Sep 29 Joe Choynski               Chicago, Il                       W  6
Oct  3 Peter Maher                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct 22 Jim Jeffords               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Some sources report 10/23/02
Oct 30 Peter Maher                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 19 Marvin Hart                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -O'Brien knocked Hart down
Dec 15 Charles McKeever           Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 18 Jim Watts                  Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  4
          -O'Brien knocked Watts down 13 times

1903
Jan  1 Al Weinig                  Fort Erie, Ont, Can              KO 12
Jan  8 Joe Grim                   Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -O'Brien broke a knuckle on his right hand
Feb 26 Al Weinig                  Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  4
          -O'Brien knocked Weinig down 7 times
Mar  5 Jack Butler                Lancaster, Pa                    ND  6
Mar  9 Jim Jeffords               Allegheny, Pa                    ND 10
Mar 19 Billy Payne                Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  3
Mar 30 Joe Choynski               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr 20 Joe Walcott                Boston, Ma                        D 10
          -Sources report that O'Brien deserved the win
May  5 Marvin Hart                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May 14 George Feeley              Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  3
May 23 George Byers               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May 26 Jack Williams              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun 24 Jack Bonner                Mauch Chunk, Pa                  ND 10
Jul  1 Edward "Kid" Carter        Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jul 11 Jim Jeffords               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jul 21 Paddy Sheehan              Bethlehem, Pa                    ND  6
Sep 21 Charles Haghey             Newcastle, Eng                   KO  3
Oct 12 Jack Mullen                Newcastle, Eng                   KO  9
Oct 26 Bill Heveron               Newcastle, Eng                   KO  5
Nov 18 Jack "Twin" Sullivan       Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec  5 Jack Williams              Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  3
Dec 12 Mike Schreck               Chicago, Il                       W  6
Dec 18 "Diamond" Dick Torpey      Chicago, Il                       W  6
Dec 22 Jack "Twin" Sullivan       Boston, Ma                        W 15
Dec 24 Jim Jeffords               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 29 Hugo Kelly                 Kansas City, Mo                   D 10

1904
Jan 27 Tommy Ryan                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 22 Charles Mack               Chicago, Il                      TK  3
Mar 10 Mike Schreck               St. Louis, Mo                     W 15
Mar 18 Hugo Kelly                 Chicago, Il                       W  6
          -Reports vary - "L 6" - "D 6"
Apr 14 Jack "Twin" Sullivan       St. Louis, Mo                    KO  3
Apr 28 Edward "Kid" Carter        St. Louis, Mo                    TK  3
          -Police intervened
May 14 Charles "Kid" McCoy        Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May 25 George Cole                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jul  8 Bob Fitzsimmons            Philadelphia, Pa                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but postponed; Mayor Weaver ordered the police
           to prevent the contest
Jul 23 Bob Fitzsimmons            Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Sep 13 Hugo Kelly                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Some sources report 9/14/04
Sep 23 Billy Stift                Baltimore, Md                    KO  2
Sep 27 Billy McLean               Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  3
          -McLean was 72 years old
Sep 29 Joe Butler                 Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  1
Oct  7 Tommy Burns                Milwaukee, Wi                     W  6
Oct 21 Jim Jeffords               Baltimore, Md                    KO  3
Nov  9 John Wille                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 12 Dixie Kid (Aaron Brown)    Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 18 Black Bill (Claude Brooks) Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 10 Larry Temple               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Some sources report 12/11/04
Dec 19 Morris Harris              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1905
Feb  1 John Wille                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Mar 24 "Young" Peter Jackson      Baltimore, Md                    WF  2
          -O'Brien insisted on clean breaks in this bout;
           In the second round, Jackson hit O'Brien coming 
           out of a clinch and knocked him out; The crowd 
           cheered what they thought had been a Jackson
           knockout victory; But after Jackson had left 
           the ring, the referee declared him the loser 
           by foul
Apr  7 "Young" Peter Jackson      Baltimore, Md                     W 10
Apr 25 Hugo Kelly                 Indianapolis, In                  L 10
Jul  4 Jack "Twin" Sullivan       Dawson, Yukon Territory, Canada   D 20
          -O'Brien had the best of the fighting
Aug 31 Bill Bates                 Dawson, Yukon Territory, Canada   W 10
          -Bates knocked O'Brien down in the 2nd round;
           Bates was 30 lbs heavier than O'Brien
Sep  9 Bill Bates                 Fairbanks, Ak                    WF  6
          -O'Brien won by disqualification; Jack was 
           winning easily when the bout was stopped
Oct 27 Al Kaufmann                San Francisco, Ca                KO 17
Dec 20 Bob Fitzsimmons            San Francisco, Ca                TK 13
          -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World

1906
Jul 16 Sam Berger                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Aug 20 Ted Beecham                New Castle, Pa                   KO  2
Oct 16 Fred Cooley                Los Angeles, Ca                  KO  3
Oct 16 Jim Trimble                Los Angeles, Ca                  KO  9
Nov 28 Tommy Burns                Los Angeles, Ca                   D 20
          -Heavyweight Championship of the World

1907
Feb 22 Abdul Malgan               Los Angeles, Ca                  WF  5
May  8 Tommy Burns                Los Angeles, Ca                   L 20
          -Heavyweight Championship of the World
Dec 13 Bill Heveron               Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  1

1908
Feb 11 Bob Ward                   Charleston, WV                    W 10
Mar  2 Jack Bonner                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr  4 Anthony J. Drexel Biddle   Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  4
Jun 10 Jack Blackburn             Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Aug 29 Jack Rush                  Clarksburg, WV                   KO  7
Sep  7 Larry Temple               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Sep 23 Anthony J. Drexel Biddle   Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  4
Sep 25 Tom Lenihan                Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  4
Nov  9 George Cole                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1909
Jan  4 Jack Reed                  Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  2
Jan  4 Fred Cooley                Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  2
Jan  4 Jack Cooper                Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  2
Feb 11 Anthony J. Drexel Biddle   Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  4
Mar 26 Stanley Ketchel            New York, NY                     ND 10
          -O'Brien was saved by the bell
May 19 Jack Johnson               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Heavyweight Championship of the World
Jun  9 Stanley Ketchel            Philadelphia, Pa                 LT  3
Jul 30 "Fireman" Jim Flynn        Denver, Co                       ND  6
Aug 20 "Fighting" Dick Gilbert    Denver, Co                       EX  4
Nov 29 Charles Stevenson          Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1910
Jan 19 Al Kaufmann                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr 21 Al Kaufmann                Pittsburgh, Pa                   ND  6
May  2 Mike Schreck               Lexington, Ky                     W 10

1911
Aug 15 Sam Langford               New York, NY                     LT  5
Nov 27 Harry Ramsey               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1912
Apr 18 "Young" Jack O'Brien       Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  4
Jun 17 Ben Koch                   Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1921
Jun 19 Jack Dempsey               Atlantic City, NY                EX  1

1930
       Jack Johnson                                                EX  3

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

1897
Jan 31 Isadore "Izzy" Strauss     Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

Nov 26 Edward "Kid" Carter        Brooklyn, NY                     WF 11
          -This bout was reported but likely belongs to "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien

Compiled By Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization

The Cyber Boxing Zone WAIL ! Article on "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien (Mar 2002)
Tracy Callis All-Time Rankings