Mike Cleary
BORN May 19, 1858; County Queens, Ireland (Fought out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Newburgh, New York) DIED September 5, 1893; Belfast, New York (at William Muldoon's farm) HEIGHT 5-8 WEIGHT 172 lbs Cleary was quick and scrappy and willing to mix it up; A number of men, including Jim Corbett, called Cleary one of the hardest hitters they had ever seen
During his career, Cleary defeated such men as Harry Hicken, George Rooke, William Sheriff, Jack Fay and Mike SmithUndated Jack Wilkes D 4 Jack Langdon LT -Cleary broke a wrist on Langdon's head 1875 Jan 5 Lew Chambers Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 1876 Mar 22 "Philadelphia" Jimmy Weedon Cecil County, NJ KO 70 -Some sources report "W 80" near Newark, NJ 1878 Feb 18 Sam Carr Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 Jun 14 Harry Hicken Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 1879 Mar 11 Jem Stewart Glasgow, Scot EX 3 May 30 Jerry Leary Brooklyn, NY KO 1 Sep 3 Pat Skeleon Trenton, NJ KO 2 1881 Mar 25 Mike Donovan New York, NY EX "Captain" James Dalton Philadelphia, Pa EX 4 Sep Dominick McCaffrey Philadelphia, Pa ND 5 -Some sources report "D 5" 1882 Feb 27 Johnny McGee Philadelphia, Pa EX Mar 27 Jimmy Ryan New York, NY EX Oct 18 George Rooke New York, NY KO 3 -Rooke was the Middleweight Champion of America; He had offered to beat Cleary inside of four rounds; Cleary knocked him down five times; Some sources report 10/18/79 Nov 10 Billy McLean New York, NY EX Dec 21 Mike Mullen Philadelphia, Pa EX Dec 28 Edward McGlenchey New York, NY EX 1883 Feb 11 Jimmy Ryan Shenandoah, Pa EX Feb 14 Jimmy Ryan Shenandoah, Pa EX Mar 19 John L. Sullivan Boston, Ma EX 3 Apr 9 Charlie Mitchell New York, NY L 3 -Police intervened; Some sources report "LK 3" Some sources report "LT 3" Some sources report "D 3" on 4/19/83 Nov Florrie Barnett New York, NY EX 3 1884 Apr 18 William Sheriff New York, NY KO 1 May 19 William Sheriff Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 -Some sources report "New York, NY" Jun 16 Jimmy Ryan Philadelphia, Pa EX Johnny McGee EX Jun 26 Jake Kilrain New York, NY D 4 -Kilrain had Cleary out on his feet and should have gotten a "Win" verdict Jul 19 Jem Goode Chicago, Il KO 1af Jul 28 Jack Burke New York, NY D 4 -There were two referees; One called the bout a "draw"; The other referee ruled in favor of Burke; Some sources report "L 4" at "Philadelphia, Pa" Sep Tom Henry New York, NY EX -This bout was held during Sep 1-7 of 1884 Oct 6 Steve Taylor New York, NY EX 3 Dec 2 Steve Taylor New York, NY EX 1885 Jan 29 Pete McCoy New York, NY EX 4 Feb 6 "Captain" James Dalton Louisville, Ky KO 1 Mar 13 Jack Brady San Francisco, Ca KO 1 Apr 6 Frank Crockett San Francisco, Ca KO 5 May 22 Charlie Mitchell San Francisco, Ca D 4 -Police intervened; Some sources report "D 5" Aug 28 Jim Corbett San Francisco, Ca EX 2 -Cleary was better but said that Corbett "got away" from a right-hand punch better than anyone he had ever seen Sep 9 John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX 3 Oct 23 Jack Burke San Francisco, Ca D 8 -Some sources report "D 9" Nov 23 Jack Burke Chicago, Il L 3 -Some sources "D 8" at "San Francisco, Ca" Dec Bill Gabig Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 Dec 28 Jack Burke San Francisco, Ca D 9 -Some sources report "LT 3" at Chicago, Il 1886 Jan 6 Denny Kelliher Philadelphia, Pa D 4 Jan 16 Joe Cooper Philadelphia, Pa D 4 Mar 13 Dave Campbell Philadelphia, Pa EX 3 -Some sources report 3/23/86 Apr 10 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey New York, NY EX 3 May 4 Jack Fay Philadelphia, Pa KO 1 May 5 Jack Langdon Philadelphia, Pa W 4 Nov 15 -Cleary refereed the Jake Kilrain-Joe Godfrey bout in Philadelphia, Pa Nov 20 -Cleary refereed the Pete McCoy-Jimmy Dailey bout in Philadelphia, Pa 1888 Jun 5 Peter J. Nolan Hot Springs, Ar D 4 Nov 27 Johnny Reagan Brooklyn, NY EX 1889 May John L. Sullivan Gloucester, NJ EX 3 Jun 4 "Denver" Ed Smith Hot Springs, Ar LK 1 Jun 25 John L. Sullivan Belfast, NY EX Aug 2 John L. Sullivan New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Sep 9 John L. Sullivan New York, NY EX 3 Sep 26 -Cleary was scheduled to spar at Fishkill, NY Dec 18 Andy Reilly SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known 1890 Jan 30 Felix Vacquelin New Orleans, La EX 1 Feb 13 Jake Kilrain Dallas, Tx EX Feb 17 Mike Smith New Orleans, La KO 2 Mar 12 Jake Kilrain Hot Springs, Ar SCH -This bout was scheduled but not held; Cleary was delayed in coming from out of town Apr 3 "Denver" Ed Smith Hot Springs, Ar LK 3 May 19 Jack Ashton Chicago, Il EX 4 -Some sources report "EX 5" 1892 Mar 7 Charlie Mitchell Buffalo, NY EX 3 1893 -Cleary suffered an accident which required the amputation of one foot; He later developed tuberculosis Sep 5 -Cleary died at Belfast, NY (buried here) 1900 May 26 -Cleary's body was moved to Philadelphia, Pa and buried in the New Cathedral Cemetery next to his mother *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1885 Mar 20 James Robertson Couper Philadelphia, Pa LK 4 1894 Jan 5 Jimmy Duffy Fishkill, NY KO 1 -This bout is reported but is questionable due to Cleary's foot injury in 1893 *** Much Data Was Provided By William Schutte ***
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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