Young Corbett II
(William Rothwell)

BORN   October 4 1880; Denver, Colorado
DIED April 10 1927; Denver, Colorado
HEIGHT 5-2 1/2
WEIGHT 126-133 lbs
MANAGERS Sam Harris, Joe Humphreys

 

Corbett was a man from the "Wild West" who was tough, capable and willing; He could be hurt but he could also hit; He won the Featherweight Championship of the World during his career

In addition to his fighting skills, he knew how to frustrate his opponent; Insulting, demeaning remarks about his foe's skills and personal character were part of his attack - before the fight and during the contest; He certainly got the best of Terry McGovern; Few doubt that McGovern at his peak was a better fighter than Corbett; But, none doubt that on the nights they fought for the title, Corbett was the better man

During his career, Corbett defeated such men as Terry McGovern, George Dixon, Billy Irwin, Joe Bernstein, Eddie Santry, Oscar Gardner, Austin Rice, Jimmy Briggs, Eddie Hanlon, Dave Sullivan, Harry Scroggs, Tommy Mowatt, Maurice Thompson and Joe Tipman

1896
Apr 19 Nigger Smith               La Junta, Co                     KO  7

1897
       Bert Crater                                                 KO  3
       Kid Harris                                                  KO  4
       Julius Segil                                                KO  4
       Tom Delaney                                                 NC  4

1898
Jul 24 Fred O'Neil                Omaha, Ne                        KO  4
Nov 14 Reddy Coogan               Aspen, Co                         D 20
Dec 12 Dago Mike                  Aspen, Co                        KO  2
          -Some sources report 12/16/98

1899
Feb  7 Abe Spitz                  Denver, Co                        D 20
          -Some sources report 2/27/99
Apr  7 Tom Glen                   Leadville, Co                    KO  5
May  2 Billy Irwin                Aspen, Co                        KO  4
          -Some sources report 4/17/99
Jun 10 Abe Spitz                  Denver, Co                       KO  4
Jun 23 "Colorado" Jack Dempsey    Aspen, Co                         D 20
Jul 24 Billy Rotchford            Denver, Co                        L 20
          -Bantamweight Championship of the West
Aug  4 Jack Munson                Denver, Co                       KO  2
Aug 19 Paddy Hughes               Hastings, Ne                     KO  1
Aug 24 Eugene Turner              Denver, Co                       ND  6
Sep  1 Jack Flint                 Omaha, Ne                         W  4
Sep  3 Billy Harris               Omaha, Ne                        KO  2
Oct  4 Al Rivers                  Des Moines, Ia                   KO  4
Oct  6 Billy Brown                Des Moines, Ia                    W  4
Nov 27 Kid Bennett                Cripple Creek, Co                KO  3
          -Some sources report "KO 4" on 12/22/99
Dec 12 Ray Lee                    Cripple Creek, Co                KO  6

1900
Jan 10 Spike Wallace              Denver, Co                       KO  1
Jan 22 Jack Munson                Denver, Co                       KO  2
Feb 12 "Colorado" Jack Dempsey    Pueblo, Co                       LK  2
          -Some sources report 2/28/00
Feb 23 Kid Kelly                  Denver, Co                       TK  2
          -Some sources report 2/11/00
Feb 26 "Colorado" Jack Dempsey    Pueblo, Co                       KO  3
          -Some sources report 3/14/00
Apr 13 Benny Yanger               Denver, Co                       LK  8
Apr 24 Jimmy Coogan               Denver, Co                        W  6
May 30 Frank Newhouse             Aspen, Co                        KO 17
Jul  5 Ray Streeter               Cripple Creek, Co                KO  2
Jul 28 "Montana" Kid Lee          Cripple Creek, Co                KO  4
          -Reports vary - "KO 3" - "KO 4" - "KO 6"
Aug 27 Larry Lacy                 Denver, Co                       KO  1
Sep  5 Jimmy Reilly               Denver, Co                        D 10
Sep 15 Jack Kane                  Cripple Creek, Co                 D 20
Oct  6 Jimmy Coogan               Pueblo, Co                        W 20
Oct 23 Jimmy Reiily               Denver, Co                       KO  3
          -Some sources report 9/28/00
Nov 27 Benny Yanger               Denver, Co                        D 10
Dec  7 Jim "Kid" McGuire          Denver, Co                       KO  2
Dec  7 Kid Downing                Denver, Co                       TK  3
          -The previous 2 bout were held the same date
Dec 15 Reddy Coogan               Cripple Creek, Co                KO  3

1901
Jan 18 Joe Bernstein              Denver, Co                       TK  7
Mar 10 Whitey Watson              Cripple Creek, Co                 D 10
Mar 21 Ned "Kid" Broad            Denver, Co                       LK  4
          -Some sources report 3/22/01
Apr 12 Eddie Santry               Denver, Co                       KO  2
Jun 26 Oscar Gardner              Denver, Co                       TK  6
Jul 26 Ned "Kid" Broad            Denver, Co                        W 10
Aug 16 George Dixon               Denver, Co                        W 10
Nov 28 Terry McGovern             Hartford, Ct                     KO  2
          -Featherweight Championship of the World
Dec 20 Jim Jeffries               Denver, Co                       EX  6

1902
        Frankie Downey             Denver, Co                       KO  5
May 23 Ned "Kid" Broad            Denver, Co                        W 10
Oct  7 Eddie Lenny                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct 16 Joe Bernstein              Baltimore, Md                    TK  7
          -Featherweight Championship of the World
Oct 27 Young Erne                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 17 Frank "Crocky" Boyle       Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6

1903
Jan 14 Austin Rice                Hot Springs, Ar                  TK 18
          -Featherweight Championship of the World
Feb  2 Billy Maynard              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 26 Eddie Hanlon               San Francisco, Ca                 D 20
          -Featherweight Championship of the World
Mar 31 Terry McGovern             San Francisco, Ca                KO 11
          -Featherweight Championship of the World
Apr 23 George Memsic              Portland, Or                     EX  4
May  2 Tommy Jacobs               Ogden, Ut                        EX  3
May 19 Jack O'Keefe               St. Louis, Mo                    KO  3
          -Some sources report "Jack Keefe"
Jun 25 Hughey Murphy              Boston, Ma                       KO  6
Jun 29 Jimmy Briggs               Boston, Ma                        W 10
Jul  6 Sammy Smith                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jul 22 Jimmy Briggs               Boston, Ma                        W 10
Jul 24 Billy Maynard              Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  1
Jul 29 Jack O'Neil                Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  5
Oct 10 Herman "Kid" Stein         Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct 21 Tim Callahan               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct 27 Hughey Murphy              Boston, Ma                       KO 11
Dec 29 Eddie Hanlon               San Francisco, Ca                TK 16

1904
Feb 29 Dave Sullivan              San Francisco, Ca                TK 11
Mar 25 Jimmy Britt                San Francisco, Ca                 L 20
Apr  2 Tommy Mowatt               Chicago, Il                       W  6
Nov 26 Frank George               San Francisco, Ca                KO  3
Nov 29 Oscar "Battling" Nelson    San Francisco, Ca                LT 10

1905
Feb 28 Oscar "Battling" Nelson    San Francisco, Ca                LT  9
Mar 31 Kid Sullivan               Baltimore, Md                     D 10
Apr  3 Young Erne                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jun  2 Eddie Hanlon               San Francisco, Ca                 L 20
Jun 13 Maurice Thompson           Butte, Mt                        TK 10
Oct 25 Young Erne                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Oct 27 Joe Tipman                 Baltimore, Md                    TK  8
Oct 31 Abe "Kid" Goodman          Chelsea, Ma                       D 15
Nov  5 John "Unk" Russell         Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 18 Charlie Sieger             New York, NY                      W  3
          -Some sources report "KO 3"
Dec  1 Charlie Sieger             New York, NY                     EX  4

1906
Jan 12 Aurelio Herrera            Los Angeles, Ca                  LK  5
Apr 30 Dick Hyland                Portland, Or                     LK  5
May 29 Eddie Johnson              New York, NY                     ND  6
Oct 17 Terry McGovern             Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Reports vary - "W 6" - "D 6"

1907
Jan  9 Tommy Murphy               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Apr 27 Young Erne                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May  3 Kid Sullivan               Baltimore, Md                    LK 11
Dec 12 Phil Brock                 New Orleans, La                   D 10

1909
Jan 24 Harry Ferns                New Orleans, La                  KO 11
          -Some sources report "McDonoughville, La"
Feb  9 Neill "Mull" Bowser        Pittsburgh, Pa                   ND  6
Feb 15 Bob Wilson                 Schenectady, NY                  ND 10
Mar  2 Johnny Marto               New York, NY                     ND 10
Mar  9 Cy Smith                   Schenectady, NY                  ND 10
Mar 25 Robert "Bert" Keyes        New York, NY                     ND 10
Apr 23 Robert "Bert" Keyes        New York, NY                     ND 10
May 11 Harry Scroggs              Baltimore, Md                     W 15
May 17 Dick Nelson                Schenectady, NY                  ND 10
Jun  4 Sammy Smith                New York, NY                     ND 10
Jun  8 Mike Fleming               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jul 17 Johnny Frayne              Colma, Ca                        LT  8
Aug 21 Muggsy Shoels              Cheyenne, Wy                     KO 15
Oct  5 Dave Deshler               Boston, Ma                       LK  5

1910
Oct 20 Willie Beecher             New York, NY                     LT  4

1913
Apr  4 Terry McGovern             New York, NY                     EX  3

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