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 wins

Undated
       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
Mar 11 Peter Croker               New York, NY                     EX   
Apr 27 Peter Croker               Brooklyn, NY                     EX   

1876
Jan 20 John J. Dwyer              New York, NY                     EX   
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   
          -The sparring became almost real fighting
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"
Jun  7 George Rooke               New York, NY                      D  9
Jun 10 George Rooke               New York, NY                      D  7
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
Dec 31 William Miller             Boston, Ma                       EX   

1878
Apr  9 Mike Smith                 Brooklyn, NY                     ND   
May 16 Joe Goss                   New York, NY                     EX   
May 27 Joe Goss                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 18 -Taylor was scheduled to appear in Boston, Ma
Jul 13 John J. Dwyer              New York, NY                     EX  3

1879
Apr 19 -Taylor was scheduled to spar in Brooklyn, NY

1880
Jan 19 Paddy Ryan                 Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
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 18 George Rooke               New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Taylor refused to fight
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   
Dec 14 John Riley                 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   
Sep 20 Johnny Saunders            New York, NY                     EX   
Oct  8 Mike Gillespie             Harrisburg, Pa                   EX   
Oct 12 Mike Gillespie             Wilkes-Barre, Pa                 EX   
Oct 17 Mike Gillespie             McKeesport, Pa                   EX   
Oct 19 Mike Gillespie             Allegheny City, Pa               EX   
Oct 19 John L. Sullivan           Allegheny City, Pa               EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
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                       EX   
1884
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  
May 10 Mike Gillespie             Peoria, Il                       EX  
May 10 John L. Sullivan           Peoria, Il                       EX  
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date;
           Some sources report "Bloomington, Il"
Jun 30 Mike Donovan               New York, NY                     EX  
Aug 13 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Aug 13 Jake Kilrain               Boston, Ma                      SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           The previous 2 bouts were to be held the same date
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 13 James "Sparrow" Golden     Philadelphia, Pa                 EX  3
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  2 Jimmy Taylor               St. Paul, Mn                     EX  
Nov  2 John L. Sullivan           St. Paul, Mn                     EX  
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date (night)
Nov 10 Tom Hinch                  St. Paul, Mn                     EX  4
Nov 10 Jimmy Carroll              St. Paul, Mn                     EX  4
Nov 10 John L. Sullivan           St. Paul, Mn                     EX  3
          -The previous 3 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 18 John L. Sullivan           Butte, Mt                        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,
           Tom Hinch, 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
Jun  7 Joe Lannon                 Boston, Ma                       EX  
Jun  7
John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX  
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jun  9 John L. Sullivan           Brockton, Ma                     EX  
Aug  8 Joe Lannon                 Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Aug  8 Jack Ashton                Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Aug  8 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX  
          -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Aug 11 John L. Sullivan           Boston, Ma                       EX  
Oct 17 Denny Kelliher             Quincy, Ma                      SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 19 George Godfrey             Boston, Ma                      SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
          Taylor had an injured hand
Dec 28 Pete McCoy                 Boston, Ma                      SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1888
Jan 23 Joe Lannon                 Boston, Ma                       EX  3
          -Some sources report 1/21/88
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 ***

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