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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- American Bare Knuckle Champion

Patrick "Paddy" Ryan

BORN   March 14 1851; Thurles, Tipperary, Ireland (not 3/15/53)
DIED    December 14 1900; Green Island, New York (near Troy, NY; Some sources report 1901)
HEIGHT 5-11 (Reports vary between 5-11 and 6-1 1/2)
WEIGHT 195-220 lbs

Ryan was a boxer-wrestler who possessed bull-strength; He was a better wrestler than a boxer; He was not brought along properly to improve his boxing skills before taking on the better men of his day; Had he been taught correctly, he might have been much better

During his career, Ryan won the Heavyweight Championship of America; He was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1973

Undated
       Joe Hess                  Milwaukee, Wi                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
 
1878
Apr 25 John J. Dwyer             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"
Apr 25 -Ryan was attacked by a gang during the evening while
          in route to see Dwyer and arrange another match; He
          was stabbed in the groin
Jun 22 Joe Goss                  Brooklyn, NY                       SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; Ryan refused
          to fight when the promoter failed to come up with
          the prize money
 
1879
Feb  9 William Miller            Boston, Ma                          EX  2  
Apr 29 William Miller            New York, NY                        EX   
          -Miller was a boxer-wrestler; This was a boxing match;
          Gloves were used for this bout

May    -Ryan got into a barroom fight with John J. Dwyer at 
          New York, NY sometime after the Dwyer-Elliott fight
          of May 9 1879
Sep 29 Jimmy Elliott             Brooklyn, NY                       SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held

 
1880
Jan 19 Steve Taylor              Brooklyn, NY                        EX  3
Mar 20 William Miller            New York, NY                        EX  2
          -Reportedly, Ryan received an injury and retired from the match
May 30 Joe Goss                  Collier's Station, WV                W 87
          -Heavyweight Championship of America
Aug 26 Charlie McDonald          Ottawa, Ont, Can                    EX   
 
1881
Jan  3 Charlie McDonald          Cincinnati, Oh                      EX   
May    Mike Smith                New York, NY                        EX   
May 18 Joe Goss                  New York, NY                        EX  3  
Jul  2 John J. Dwyer             Brooklyn, NY                        EX  1
Oct  1 "Captain" James Dalton    Chicago, Il                         EX  3
Nov    Charlie McDonald          Philadelphia, Pa                    EX   
Dec  3 an unnamed opponent       Rockaway, NY                        EX   
Dec 21 Charlie McDonald          New York, NY                        EX   
 
1880-1882
 
          -Ryan got into a barroom fight with John "Red" Leary
          at New York, NY in Owney Geoghegan's place on the 
          Bowery
 
1882
Jan  3 Charlie McDonald          Cincinnati, Oh                      EX   
Feb  7 John L. Sullivan          Mississippi City, Ms                 L  9
          -Heavyweight Championship of America;
          London Prize Ring Rules and bare-knuckles were used
Mar 10 John Brooks               Milwaukee, Wi                       EX   
Oct 14 Jimmy Elliott             Chicago, Il                         EX   
Nov  5 Mike Kane                 Ogden, Ut                           EX   
 
1883
          -Ryan was challenged by Dominick McCaffrey in Leadville, Co
Oct 21 Jack Waite                Butte City, Mt                      EX  3
          -Waite was Champion of Montana; 
          Ryan knocked Waite out
Oct 23 an unnamed opponent       Helena, Mt                         SCH   
Oct 25 an unnamed opponent       Ogden, Ut                          SCH   
Oct 27 an unnamed opponent       Salt Lake City, Ut                 SCH   
          -The previous 3 bouts were scheduled;
          The outcomes are not known
 
1882-1885
       "Captain" James Dalton                                         L   
 
1885
Jan 19 John L. Sullivan          New York, NY                        LT  1
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "NC 1"
 
1886
       Harrison                  Chicago, Il                          W   
          -This was a "private" fight; Harrison (from Canada) 
          was backed by Duncan C. Ross and challenged Ryan
Sep 13 Frank Glover              Chicago, Il                          D  2 
          -Reports vary - "W 2" - "L 2";
           London Rules were used for this bout; Police intervened;
           Police Gazette (Oct 2 1886 p 10) reports that Ryan arranged
           for police to stop the fight if he was losing; It was possibly 
           stopped during round 1 or just after; The bout was fought on 
           a boat in the rain
Oct 25 Frank Glover              Chicago, Il                        SCH   
          -Arrangements were made for a private purse fight to the finish; 
           Ryan left town
Nov  6 -Glover challenged Ryan to an 8-round glove fight, $1,000 to be paid 
          if he failed to knockout Ryan, or to a finish fight under any rules (any 
          time on 24 hours notice)
From the Dallas (Texas) Morning News (Sep 14, 1886) --
 
   

Oct 25 Frank Glover                                                 SCH   
          -Arrangements were made for a "private" fight to the
          finish; Ryan left town
Nov  6 -Ryan ignored a challenge by Glover to another fight
Nov 13 John L. Sullivan          San Francisco, Ca                   LK  3
 
1887
Mar    -Ryan refereed the Joe Soto-Gus Brown bout in San Francisco, Ca
Oct    Jack Burke                San Francisco, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Authorities prevented the bout
Dec 23 Joe McAuliffe             San Francisco, Ca                   LK  3
          -Heavyweight Championship of the Pacific Coast
 
1888
Jan 23 Patsy Cardiff                                                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May  4 John P. Donner            San Francisco, Ca                   LK  3
          -Some sources report "Duluth, Mn"
 
1889
Apr 17 -Ryan refereed the Joe Bowers-Jack McAuley bout in San Francisco, Ca
Oct    John Donaldson            San Francisco, Ca                    L   
          -This was a barroom fight
 
1891
Nov 26 John L. Sullivan          San Francisco, Ca                   EX   
 
1894
May 21 John L. Sullivan          Boston, Ma                          EX  3
Jun 26 John L. Sullivan          Boston, Ma                          EX  3
 
1895
Jul 23 John L. Sullivan          Bangor, Me                          EX  3
Jul 25 John L. Sullivan          Bar Harbor, Me                      EX   
Oct  3 John L. Sullivan          Philadelphia, Pa                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct  5 John L. Sullivan          Cleveland, Oh                      SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled;
          Mayor McKisson, of Cleveland, refused
          to allow the bout
Oct 14 John L. Sullivan          Jersey City, NJ                     EX  3
Nov 18 John L. Sullivan          Buffalo, NY                         EX  3
 
1897
Feb 17 John L. Sullivan          Philadelphia, Pa                    EX  3
 
1899
Mar 15 -Ryan refereed the Alt Allen-Fred Wyatt bout at Plattsburgh, NY

*** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***

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