Joe Butler
(the "King of the Middleweights")
BORN May 18 1866; Paoli, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia) HEIGHT 6-0 1/2 WEIGHT 156-175 lbs MANAGER Jack Fogarty, Howie Hodgkins Butler was a quick, clever, and slippery fighter who could box or punch; He had fast hands and fast feet
During his career he defeated such men as Johnny Banks, C.A.C. Smith, Ed Binney, Jim Daly, Frank Craig, Henry Baker, Frank Slavin, and Al Weinig
1883 John Fredericks Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 1883-1888 John Banks New York, NY W 4 George Reading Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 George Reading Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 Abe Harris in New Jersey TK 18 William White Pittsburgh, Pa TK 9 1891 Nov 7 Jimmy Clark Philadelphia, Pa W 4 Nov 15 Jack Houghey Philadelphia, Pa SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known 1892 Feb 27 Joe Godfrey Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Mar 26 Jack Houghey Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 Sep 21 Joe Goddard Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 -Some sources report "TK 3"; Police intervened; Some sources report 9/22/92 C.A.C. Smith Washington, DC KO 3 Nov 13 Ed Binney Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World; Some sources report 9/14/92 Nov 26 Joe Choynski Philadelphia, Pa EX 3 Dec 3 Peter Jackson Philadelphia, Pa EX 4 1893 Jan 14 Alec Greggains Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Mar 18 Frank Craig Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World Jun 22 Jim Daly Brooklyn, NY KO 6 -Some sources report "W 6" Nov 25 Joe Stafford Brooklyn, NY W 6 Billy Yeager W 4 Bob Baker TK 1 Jack Glynn TK 1 George Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Dec 15 George Godfrey D 4 Jack Wildey KO 2 1894 Jan 25 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Feb 20 Frank Craig Philadelphia, Pa L 4 -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World Jul Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Oct Pat Cleary Mt. Carmel, Pa KO 3 Dec 12 Jim McCabe Philadelphia, Pa ND 8 Dec 29 Billy Hennessey Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 1895 Mar 20 Dick Baker Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 May Bobby Dobbs Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Jul 20 Dick Burns Sea Isle City, NJ KO 2 1896 Jun 27 Henry Baker Williamsburg, NY LK 1 Jul 13 Frank "Paddy" Slavin Philadelphia, Pa LK 1 Aug 18 Walter Johnson Trenton, NJ NC 10 -The men were accused of "faking" Some sources report 8/17/96 Aug 31 Ben Coleman Philadelphia, Pa KO 5 Oct 15 Charles Strong Buffalo, NY LK 1 Nov 23 Jim McCabe Baltimore, Md L 6 1897 Jan 23 Henry Baker Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 -Reports vary - "ND 1" - "W 1" Jan Henry Baker Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 -Reports vary - 3/19/97 - 3/23/97; Butler claimed a win; Baker denied this Mar 6 Bob Armstrong Brooklyn, NY LT 6 -Some sources report "New York, NY" Mar 29 Jack Cattanach New York, NY KO 1 May 3 George Williams San Francisco, Ca KO 1 May 21 Frank "Paddy" Slavin San Francisco, Ca TK 1 "Big Six" (Albert Walker) KO 1 Sep 5 Frank Purcell SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; Purcell backed out Sep 5 Tom "Jabber" Carey Philadelphia, Pa KO 5 Jack "Bubbles" Davis Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 -Police intervened Oct 21 Harry Peppers Philadelphia, Pa EX 4 Nov 1 Jack Bonner Philadelphia, Pa LT 2 -Butler claimed he had Bonner almost out in the first round when the referee stepped in and gave him a chance to recover; In the second round, Bonner had knocked Butler down for three seconds when the referee stopped the bout Nov 13 Jack Bonner Philadelphia, Pa LF 2 -Butler claimed that he had knocked Bonner down three times when the referee stepped in and gave him a chance to recover; The police subsequently stopped the bout; Bonner was taken to a hospital 1898 Feb 28 Mike Brennan Athens, Pa NC 2 -Butler knocked Brennan down; The cornermen entered the ring and the bout was declared a "NC 2"; Should the verdict be "TK 2" ? Police intervened May 27 Bob Armstrong Philadelphia, Pa LK 3 Joe Wahlder Hazleton, Pa ND 4 Aug 5 Harry Peppers Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 Sep 26 James F. "Doc" Payne Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 1899 Jan 21 Frank Childs Chicago, Il LF 2 Jim McCabe Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 22 Ed Dunkhorst Athens, Pa KO 6 Jun 29 Kid Moore Columbus, Oh D 7 -Police intervened the "Buffalo Giant" KO 2 Nov 8 Harry Marks Wilmington, De KO 1 -Some sources report "KO 2" 1894-1900 Levi Thomas KO 1 Jack McCormick KO 1 Jack McCormick KO 5 Denny Kelliher D 4 1900 Mar 15 Jack Stelzner San Francisco, Ca LF 2 -Butler claimed that he had knocked Stelzner down five times in two rounds but the referee would not count him out; Then, Butler was disqualified; Some sources report 3/14/00 Apr 25 Lon Beckwith Phillipsburg, NJ TK 1 Dec 15 Frank Childs Chicago, Il LK 6 1902 Feb 6 George Cole Mahonoy City, Pa ND 6 -Some sources report "EX 6" 1903 Apr 21 Jack Butler Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 11 Jack Johnson Philadelphia, Pa LK 3 Jun 8 Kid Carter Philadelphia, Pa LK 1 Jun 27 Al Weinig Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 Oct 2 Fred Cooley Philadelphia, Pa LF 1 1904 Apr 7 "Young" Peter Jackson Philadelphia, Pa LT 5 Sep 29 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa LK 1 1905 Jan 6 Jim Jeffords Philadelphia, Pa LK 2 Mar 2 Ed Gross Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 Apr 27 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa LK 1 Oct 27 Charles Stevenson Philadelphia, Pa LF 1 1909 Mar 26 Jack Weldon Philadelphia, Pa EX 3 May 10 Jack Fitzgerald Philadelphia, Pa LF 3 -Police intervened; Some sources report "KO 3" 1911 Nov 2 Mike Donovan Rochester, NY ND 10 *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** Undated Joe Choynski D 4 1893 Frank Craig KO 1 1897 Joe Goddard Philadelphia, Pa W 3 -Perhaps, this is the 9/21/92 bout; Butler once wrote that he beat Goddard in 3 rounds; Some sources report "D 3"; Police intervened 1897-1898 Bob Armstrong Philadelphia, Pa KO 2
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
