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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Title Claimant

Tommy "Spider" Kelly
(the "Harlem Spider")

BORN   September 6 1867; New York, New York
DIED January 4 1927; New York, New York
HEIGHT 5-4
WEIGHT 105-115 lbs
MANAGERS P.H. Black, Billy Murray

Kelly was a popular fighter of his day; He was quick and scrappy and fought on a world class level ; During his career, he won the Bantamweight Championship of the World and the Bantamweight Championship of America

Kelly defeated such men as Michael "Chappie" Moran, "Torpedo" Billy Murphy, Tommy Russell, Frank Donovan, Eugene Hornbacher, Harry "Young" Walton, Benny Murphy and Maxie Haugh

1887
Jan    George Loughran             Brooklyn, NY                    EX  
Apr    Larry Boylan                New York, NY                    KO  7
       Hughey Boyle                Westchester, NY                  D  9
       Michael "Chappie" Moran     Gloucester, NY                   W 10
       Jimmy Farrell               Long Island, NY                 TK  7
          -Some sources report "W 7"
May    Dick Roche                  Westchester, NY                 TK  2
Jun    Paddy Carr                  Westchester, NY                 TK 13
          -Some sources report "Manhattanville, NY"
Oct    Frank Donovan               Gloucester, NJ                   W 10
Nov    Tommy Russell               Gloucester, NJ                   W 10
          -Kelly claimed the Bantamweight Championship of America
          a few days after this fight
Dec 22 Larry Boylan                Brooklyn, NY                    EX  
Dec 24 Hughey Boyle                Harlem, NY                      LK  8
          -Bantamweight (105 lbs) Championship of America;
          Some sources report 10/24/87 at "Gloucester, NY"

1888
Jan    Eugene Hornbacher           New York, NY                     W 15
          -Some sources report Jan 1889
       Paddy Kelly                 Boston, Ma                       D  7
May 10 George Dixon                Boston, Ma                       D  9
          -Dixon claimed the 105 lb Championship of America;
          Some sources report "D 8";
          Some sources report "LK 9"
       Sammy Watson                Paterson, NJ                     W  
       Joe Byrnes                  Hoboken, NJ                      W  
       Joe Glassey                 New York, NY                     W  
       Fred Jamison                Pottsville, Pa                   W 
       John Van Heest              Philadelphia, Pa                 W  
          -This bout ended in a riot
       Tommy "Young" Milton        Wilmington, De                   W  
       Tommy James                 Troy, NY                         W  
Oct 12 Eugene Hornbacher           Blissville, NY                   D 15
Oct 24 Cal McCarthy                New York, NY                     D  8
          -Some sources report Bantamweight Championship
          of the World
; Some sources report "LK 4"

1889
Jan 29 Billy Murphy                Troy, NY                         W 10
Mar  9 Tommy Russell               New York, NY                     W  4
Mar 16 Cal McCarthy                Elizabeth, NJ                   EX  5
May 28 Harry "Young" Walton        Troy, NY                        TK 17
          -Some sources report Bantamweight Championship
          (110 lbs) of the World
; Some sources report Mar 1888
Sep    Cal McCarthy                                                EX  
          -The men sparred almost every night during September
Nov 11 Jimmy Kennard               Hoboken, NJ                     EX  3

1890
Jan 31 Michael "Chappie" Moran     New York, NY                    KO 10
          -Bantamweight (105 lbs) Championship of the World;
          Some sources report "Easton, Pa"
Mar  5 Benny Murphy                New York, NY                    KO  3
          -Bantamweight (105 lbs) Championship of the World
May  6 Hughey Boyle                Quinnsport, NY                  EX  3
Jun 26 Benny Murphy                Centerport, NY                  TK  3
          -Bantamweight (107 lbs) Championship of the World
Jul  3 Pete Carroll                Weehawken, NJ                   KO  2
Aug 16 Benny Murphy                Hoboken, NJ                      W  6
Aug 25 Benny Murphy                Brooklyn, NY                    EX  6
          -This bout was part of a benefit for "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey
Sep 16 Tommy Russell               Hoboken, NJ                     KO 11
          -Some sources report Bantamweight (107 lbs) Championship
          of the World
; Some sources report 9/04/90
Oct 12 Billy Murphy                Guttenberg, NJ                  KO  3
Oct 27 Benny Murphy                Elizabeth, NJ                   EX  
Dec 10 Billy Murphy                Guttenberg, NJ                  KO  3
          -Some sources report "Martin Flaherty"
Dec 20 Billy Murphy                Hoboken, NJ                     KO  1

1891
Jan 19 Frank Donovan               Hoboken, NJ                      W 10
          -Some sources report Bantamweight (107 lbs) Championship
          of the World

Mar    Mike Scanlon                Lynn, Ma                         W  4
Jun  6 Patsy Daly                  Guttenberg, NJ                  KO  3

1892
Feb 15 Ike Weir                    New York, NY                    EX  3
May  9 Billy Plimmer               Coney Island, NY                LK 10
          -Bantamweight Championship of the World
Jul 15 Eddie Avery                 New York, NY                    EX  6
          -Some sources report "ND 6"
Jul 25 "Torpedo" Billy Murphy      New York, NY                     W  6
Sep 24 Tim Murphy                  New York, NY                    LK  4
          -Bantamweight Championship of America

1893
Feb 10 Maxie Haugh                 Buffalo, NY                     LK  1
Oct 28 Maxie Haugh                 New York, NY                     W  6
Dec 30 Tim Murphy                  New York, NY                     L  6

1894
Feb 17 Tim Murphy                  New York, NY                     L  4
Feb 24 Dolly Lyons                 New York, NY                    EX  3
Aug  6 Kid Gleason                 New York, NY                    LT  8
          -Some sources report 8/02/94

1895
Jan  3 Frank Brierly               Boston, Ma                       L  8
          -Some sources report "L 6"
Jan 20 Harry Fisher                New York, NY                     L  4
Jul  4 Jimmy Haughie               Jersey City, NJ                 KO  3

1896
Mar  7 Billy Weldon                near New York, NY               KO  3
Apr 25 Casper Leon                 New York, NY                    LK  5
          -Some sources report Sep 1896
Jul 20 Jack Burns                  Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2
Nov 15 Hugh McDonnough             Union Hill, NJ                  NC  7
          -Some sources report "ND 7"

1897
Jan 23 Fred Mayo                   New York, NY                     L 10

1900
May    Barney "Kid" Abel           Chicago, Il                      D  6

1909
Dec 21 Casper Leon                 New York, NY                    EX  2
          -This bout was part of a Benefit for Leon


*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1887
       Cal McCarthy                                                 L  3

1888
Jun
  5 Michael "Chappie" Moran     Hoboken, NJ                      W  4

Dec 24 Cal McCarthy                Harlem, NY                       D  8
          -Bantamweight Championship of America

1889
Apr    Michael "Chappie" Moran     Hoboken, NJ                      W  4
          -Bantamweight Championship of the World;
           This bout was held during Mar-Jun 1889
Jun  5 Michael "Chappie" Moran     Brooklyn, NY                     L 10
          -Some sources report Bantamweight Championship
          of the World

 


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

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