Steve Taylor
(John Mahan)
BORN January 26 1851; Kells County, Meath, Ireland HEIGHT 6-0 WEIGHT 200-265 lbs RACE White; Irish-American
Taylor was a big, strong fighter who relied upon his strength; He was not a clever boxer type; He was the Champion of New Jersey during 1877-1883
Steve lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he worked as a coroner about 1872-1873; He also worked as a police officer at Coney Island
He is most famous as a sparring partner for John L. Sullivan; In the 1945 movie, "The Great John L.," Taylor is introduced as Sullivan's undefeated opponent - with 21 straight winsUndated C.A.C. Smith L 14 Joe Coburn D 1870 Mike Flaherty W 13 1872 Tim Hussey W Tim Hussey W 1873 Jun 3 -Taylor was scheduled to spar in New York, NY 1875 Apr 27 Peter Croker Brooklyn, NY EX 1876 Jan 24 John J. Dwyer New York, NY L 5 -Reports vary - "D 5" - "KO 5" - "ND 5" - "NC 4" Some sources report 11/17/76; Police intervened Feb 11 Professor Muller Brooklyn, NY EX -Perhaps, this man was "William Miller" Feb 28 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 John J. Dwyer 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 George Rooke Brooklyn, NY EX Jun 5 Billy Edwards Brooklyn, NY ND 18 -English/Queensberry rules and gloves were used; Edwards boxed and dodged skillfully early in the bout; Later, Taylor began to punish him; Edwards was "silly" at the end; Taylor knocked down Edwards and possibly broke Edwards' wrist; Taylor's face was puffed; Police intervened; Some sources report "ND 15" Jul Charles McDonald W 18 Jul 24 Jem Mace Toronto, Ont, Canada EX -Taylor and Mace boxed exhibitions during the week of Jul 24-29 Jul John Scholes Toronto, Ont, Canada EX Oct 30 John J. Dwyer New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Nov 17 John J. Dwyer New York, NY L 5 -Gloves were used' Police intervened Dec 22 -Taylor was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY 1877 Apr 23 John J. Dwyer Philadelphia, Pa L 15 Jun John J. Dwyer SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled Sep 24 Joe Goss Brooklyn, NY EX 3 Oct 8 John J. Dwyer Brooklyn, NY EX Dec 3 John J. Dwyer Brooklyn, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known 1878 Apr 9 Mike Smith Brooklyn, NY ND May 27 Joe Goss Brooklyn, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jul 13 John J. Dwyer New York, NY EX 3 1879 Apr 19 -Taylor was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY 1880 Mar 20 Joe Goss New York, NY EX Mar -Taylor trained Paddy Ryan (vs. Joe Goss) during Mar-May 1880 in Far Rockaway, NY 1881 Jan 21 -Taylor was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY Mar 31 John L. Sullivan New York, NY LT 2 -Some sources report "L 3" Oct John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX 3 1882 Jan 26 John Riley New York, NY EX Mar 28 John L. Sullivan Jersey City, NJ EX 3 Jul 8 Mike Mullery New York, NY EX 1883 Feb 17 John Riley New York, NY EX Mar 13 John Riley New York, NY EX Mar 15 George Rooke New York, NY EX -Some sources report "W" Mar 19 John L. Sullivan Boston, Ma EX 3 Apr -Taylor was sparring nightly in New York, NY at "The Allen's Mabile", Blecker Street Aug 8 Hial Stoddard Syracuse, NY EX 3 -Taylor scored a knockdown in the first round; Stoddard scored a knockdown in the third; Taylor was easily the better fighter Aug 23 John Riley New York, NY EX Oct 17 Mike Gillespie McKeesport, Pa EX Oct 19 John L. Sullivan Allegheny City, Pa EX Oct 22 John L. Sullivan Wheeling, WV EX Oct 29 John L. Sullivan Louisville, Ky EX Nov 3 John L. Sullivan St. Louis, Mo EX Nov 5 John L. Sullivan St. Louis, Mo EX 4 Nov 6 John L. Sullivan St. Louis, Mo EX Nov 16 John L. Sullivan Chicago, Il EX 4 Nov 26 John L. Sullivan St. Paul, Mn EX 4 Nov 26 John Donaldson St. Paul, Mn EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Dec 4 John L. Sullivan Davenport, Ia EX Dec 26 John L. Sullivan Denver, Co EX1884
Jan 10 John L. Sullivan Helena, Mt EX 3
Jan 11 John L. Sullivan Helena, Mt EX
Jan 25 John L. Sullivan San Francisco, Ca EX 3
Jan 26 John L. Sullivan San Francisco, Ca EX 3
Feb 1 John L. Sullivan Astoria, Or EX 3
Feb 6 John L. Sullivan Seattle, Wa EX
Feb 9 John L. Sullivan Seattle, Wa EX 3
Feb 18 John L. Sullivan San Francisco, Ca EX 3
Mar 21 John L. Sullivan Tucson, Az EX 3
Apr 9 John L. Sullivan Galveston, Tx EX
Apr 10 John L. Sullivan Galveston, Tx EX
Apr 12 Mike Gillespie New Orleans, La EX
Apr 13 John L. Sullivan New Orleans, La EX
Apr 14 John L. Sullivan New Orleans, La EX
Apr 23 Mike Gillespie Atlanta, Ga EX
Apr 23 John L. Sullivan Atlanta, Ga EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Apr 28 John L. Sullivan Memphis, Tn EX
Apr 30 John L. Sullivan Little Rock, Ar EX 3
May 1 John L. Sullivan Memphis, Tn EX
May 2 John L. Sullivan Nashville, Tn EX
May 8 John L. Sullivan St. Louis, Mo EX
Jun 30 Mike Donovan New York, NY EX
Aug 13 John L. Sullivan Boston, Ma EX 3
Sep -Taylor was scheduled to appear in New York, NY
Oct 6 Jack Burke New York, NY EX
Oct 6 Mike Cleary New York, NY EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 2 Mike Cleary New York, NY EX
1884-1885
Dec Jack Burke Philadelphia, Pa EX
-This bout was held during Dec 1884-Jan 1885
1886
Oct -Taylor worked as a policeman in Coney Island, NY
Oct 29 John L. Sullivan Stillwater, Mn EX 3
Oct 30 John L. Sullivan St. Paul, Mn EX 3
Oct 31 Tom Hinch St. Paul, Mn EX
Oct 31 John L. Sullivan St. Paul, Mn EX
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date (night)
Nov 13 Con Riordan San Francisco, Ca EX
Dec 10 Jimmy Carroll Portland, Or EX 3
Dec John L. Sullivan Tacoma, Wa EX 3
Dec 29 John L. Sullivan Denver, Co EX
Dec 30 John L. Sullivan Georgetown, Co EX
1886-1887
-Taylor toured with the John L. Sullivan Combination
along with Sullivan, George LaBlanche, Jimmy Carroll,
Duncan McDonald, James Well, Robert "Cocky" Turnbull,
Dan Murphy and James McKeon
1887
Jan 1 John L. Sullivan Denver, Co EX
Jan 18 Jimmy Carroll Minneapolis, Mn EX 4
-Carroll was extraordinarily agile and scientific
but Taylor was much larger and knocked Carroll
down in round two
Mar 28 John L. Sullivan Hoboken, NJ EX 4
May 2 Jimmy Carroll Logansport, In EX 3
Aug 8 Jack Ashton Boston, Ma EX 3
1888
Jan 21 Joe Lannon Boston, Ma EX 3
Feb 21 Joe Lannon Lynn, Ma EX 3
*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***
1886-1887
Oct 31 William Miller St. Paul, Mn L 9
-Taylor received a broken arm;
Some sources report 10/31/86
but Miller was in Australia
at that time
1891
Peter Maher Sligo, Ireland LK 3
*** Much Data Was Provided By Adam Pollack ***
*** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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