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| The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer |
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Harry Johnston
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| BORN | c. 1877; Youngstown, Ohio (Fought out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| WEIGHT | 125-130 lbs |
Johnston was a quick and scrappy fighter; He compiled a nice record in a time period when many fights were called draws
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Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Johnston came to Pittsburgh at an early age, where he took up boxing and joined Red Mason’s stable. He fought most of his early bouts in New Kensington, Beaver Falls, Millvale and Pittsburgh. He was both a clever boxer and a hard puncher who stopped many local lads on his march to the top of the local pecking order.
Johnston’s most frequent opponent in his early years was Billy McIsaacs, a superior boxer who lacked the power that Johnston himself possessed. McIsaacs topped Johnston by decision in their first bout in Natrona. Their second bout the following year saw McIsaacs having his way until Johnston clipped him with a titanic blow in the second round, stopping him. Their next two fights were closely contested ten round draws with neither man having the edge. Their final bout on January 21, 1901 was for fifteen rounds and was billed as being for the “Featherweight Championship of Western Pennsylvania.” It was a torrid affair with Johnston finally ending the question of superiority by stopping McIsaacs in the fifteenth round.
After topping his archrival, Johnston left Pittsburgh for several years, returning in 1906 to face streaking local bantamweight star Jock Phenicie, who twice stopped him.
-- From the book Pittsburgh Boxing: A Pictorial History -by Douglas Cavanaugh
Click to see the Facebook page for the book
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Johnston had a good reputation as a fighter but data is rare; If anyone comes across information, please contact Tracy Callis or Douglas Cavanaugh
1897 Sep 5 Cam Hager New Kensington, Pa W 3 Sep 12 Eddie Campbell New Kensington, Pa KO 3 Sep 15 W.F. Hopper New Kensington, Pa D 6 Sep 23 Martin Lee New Kensington, Pa W 4 Oct 4 Fred Fairman New Kensington, Pa L 8 Oct 11 Mark Kerwin Pittsburgh, Pa D 6 Oct 18 Young Finley Pittsburgh, Pa D 4 Oct 23 Young Finley Pittsburgh, Pa ND-D 4 1898 Mar 19 Billy McIsaacs Natrona, Pa L 8 Sep Martin Lee McKeesport, Pa W 10 Dec Mike Lavelle Beaver Falls, Pa D 10 1899 Jan 17 Mike Lavelle Beaver Falls, Pa W 15 Feb 16 Billy McIsaacs Beaver Falls, Pa KO 2 Mar 7 Buzz Auber Beaver Falls, Pa KO 7 Jun 17 George Tucker Washington, Pa TK 3 Oct 24 Sig Hart Millvale, Pa L 10 Nov 6 Fred Schlate Millvale, Pa KO 2 Nov 6 Tim O'Day Millvale, Pa KO 2 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Nov 20 Billy McIsaacs Millvale, Pa ND-D 10 Dec 19 Joe MacMahon Buffalo, NY D 20 1900 Feb 5 Luke Burke Buffalo, NY W 20 Feb 10 Osh Flynn Buffalo, NY W 4 Feb 26 Joe Leonard Buffalo, NY D 20 Apr 18 Luke Burke Jamestown, NY D 20 May 25 Billy McIsaacs Pittsburgh, Pa D 10 Jul 16 Billy Ryan Buffalo, NY D 20 Aug 24 Kid Bush Buffalo, NY D 20 Dec 10 Tony Moran Millvale, Pa W 21 1901 Jan 16 Kid Bush Erie, Pa D 20 Jan 21 Billy McIsaacs Millvale, Pa TK 15 Feb 5 Jimmy Dunn Youngstown, Oh TK 20 1902 Feb 12 Kid Farmer Chicago, Il L 6 1904 Apr 5 Fred Jones Allentown, Pa KO 5 1906 May 11 Jock Phenicie East Pittsburgh, Pa LT 8 1907 Jan 19 Jock Phenicie Pittsburgh, Pa LT 23 *** Most Data Was Provided By Douglas Cavanaugh *** *** Photo Provided By William Schutte ***
Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization