Billy Wilson
(the "Black Demon")

BORN   1859; St. Paul, Minnesota (Some sources report October 1 1862; Petersburg, Virginia)
HEIGHT 5-10 (Some sources report 5-9 1/2, some 5-11)
WEIGHT 156-200 lbs

Wilson was strong and willing; He fought the best black fighters of his day as well as the good white men who would meet him
 
During his career, he defeated such men as Charles Hadley, Mervine Thompson, Harry Woodson, the "Black Diamond", and Joe Sheehy

1883
Apr 20 Charles Hadley                Boston, Ma                       EX  4
       George Brown                  Boston, Ma                        D  4
Nov    Glanville Olivatus            Boston, Ma                       KO  2

1884
Jun 24 McHenry Johnson               New York, NY                      D  3
          -Police Gazette Colored Heavyweight Championship;
           Johnson was called the "Minneapolis Star";
           Members of both camps "broke" onto the stage when
           Johnson threw Wilson in the third round; Police 
           intervened and the bout was declared a draw;
           Reports vary - 6/28/84 - 6/29/84
       Jack Hutchinson               Montreal, Que, Canada            TK  3
Dec 23 Charles Hadley                Winnipeg, Man, Canada            KO  4

1883-1885
          -Wilson beat 12 minor opponents                                   
       George Godfrey                                                  L   

1885
Mar 21 Charles Hadley                St. Paul, Mn                     KO  3
May 26 Mervine Thompson              St. Paul, Mn                     KO  1
May 30 Charles Hadley                White Bear Lake, Mn               W  4
Jun 10 George W. Curtis              St. Paul, Mn                     KO  3
          -Some sources report "James Curtiss" in "Eau Claire, Wi"
Jun 14 Patsy Cardiff                 St. Paul, Mn                     LK  9
          -Heavyweight Championship of the Northwest;
           Reports vary - 6/17/85 - 6/19/85
Nov  5 Patsy Cardiff                 Minneapolis, Mn                   D  4
Nov 20 Joe Lannon                    St. Paul, Mn                      L  4

1886
Jun 25 Patsy Cardiff                 St. Paul, Mn                     LK  7
          -Some sources report "L 7"
Dec  2 McHenry Johnson               St. Paul, Mn                      D 10

1887
Feb    McHenry Johnson               St. Paul, Mn                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 24 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) St. Paul, Mn                      D  9 
Mar 28 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) St. Paul, Mn                     WF  6
          -Police intervened;
           Some sources report 3/29/87;
           Some sources report "LF 6"
Apr  4 Tom Manning                   Milwaukee, Wi                    EX  4
Apr  4 Tom Chandler                  Milwaukee, Wi                    EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
May  1 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) St. Paul, Mn                     KO 13
          -Some sources report "KO 3" on 5/02/87

1888
Jan  3 -Wilson was appointed a Patrolman of the St. Paul (Mn) Police Department Badge # 72;
           He served until he resigned December 8, 1888
Dec 21 John P. Donner                Duluth, Mn                        W  6
          -Police intervened

1889
Jan  3 Joe Sheehy                    Duluth, Mn                        W  6
Jan 25 Black Frank (Frank Taylor)    Duluth, Mn                        W 12
Sep 11 Thomas Jefferson              San Francisco, Ca                EX   

1890
Mar 26 Joe Choynski                  San Francisco, Ca                LK  2
       Jack Hall                     Sacramento, Ca                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1891
Jun 29 Jerry Slattery                New York, NY                    SCH   
         -This bout was scheduled but not held; Negotiations fell through

1892
Feb 15 James Butler                  Boston, Ma                       EX  3
Mar  7 Jim Godfrey                   Boston, Ma                       EX  3

1893
Mar 25 Billy McCarthy                Philadelphia, Pa                 LK  2
May 15 Jack Fallon                   Boston, Ma                        W  6
          -Some sources report 5/16/93

*** Some Data Was Provided By Jeff Neuberger  ***
       (of the St. Paul (Mn) Police Historical Society)

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

1894
May 21 Jack Dolan                    Boston, Ma                       EX  3
          -Dolan boxed a man named "Billy Wilson";
           Perhaps, he was this "Billy Wilson"

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