Charles "Kid" McCoy
(Norman Selby)
BORN October 13 1872; Rush County, Moscow, Indiana DIED April 18 1940; Detroit, Michigan (suicide) HEIGHT 5-11 WEIGHT 142-185 lbs MANAGERS Frank Kelly, Bob Benton
McCoy was one of the craftiest boxers to ever enter the ring; He was quick, agile, and slippery; His hands were fast and his blows were sharp and hard; He was often cruel in the ring and was famous for his "corkscrew" punch that ripped opponent's faces to shreds; At his peak, he was able to handle bigger and stronger men easily
The "Kid" led a controversial life outside the ring, was married many times, was convicted of killing a lady friend, served seven years in prison and eventually committed suicide
Many historians rate McCoy among the greatest fighters in boxing history; Nat Fleischer ranked him as the #1 All-Time Light-Heavyweight; He was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1957 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991
McCoy-Corbett Sparring Video Clip (Press thebutton at the top of the screen to return)
1891 Jun 2 Peter Jenkins St. Paul, Mn W 4 1892 Jun 6 Billy Barlow Indianapolis, In W 6 Sep 14 Bob Lewis Indianapolis, In KO 1 Sep 29 Herb Hall Columbus, Oh D 8 1893 Jan 11 Jim Dickson Hot Springs, Ar KO 5 Jan 27 Jim Conners Hot Springs, Ar KO 3 Feb 12 an unknown opponent Milen, Tn KO 2 Feb 22 Frank Lamode New Orleans, La KO 3 May 4 Frank Murray Indianapolis, In KO 2 Jul 6 Charles "Kid" McCarthy Muncie, In KO 3 -Some sources report "06/14/93" Jul 23 Ike Boone near Muncie, In D 19 -Some sources report "D 22" or "NC 22"; Jul 30 Dick Harris Marion, In KO 1 Aug 15 Frank Merritt Indianapolis, In KO 2 Sep 26 George Bennett Akron, Oh D 8 Oct 13 Jack Welsh Wheeling, WV KO 9 -Some sources report "KO 8"; Some sources report "NC 9 Oct 22 "Deaf Mute" Pittsburgh, Pa KO 4 1894 Jan 8 Pay Hayden Providence, RI KO 2 Feb 12 Joe Burke Fall River, Ma KO 2 Mar 13 Jim Scully New Bedford, Ma W 6 -Some sources report "KO 6"; Some sources report "KO 7" May 10 Billy Steffers Cleveland, Oh LK 1 May 18 Jim Barron Minneapolis, Mn D 10 Jun 1 Charles Maxwell Akron, Oh W 6 Jun 24 Jack Grace Cleveland, Oh KO 7 -Some sources report 8/12/94 Jul 2 Harry O'Connor Cleveland, Oh KO 3 Aug 29 Billy Steffers Cleveland, Oh W 10 Oct 12 Al Roberts Cincinnati, Oh D 10 Oct 29 Al Roberts Cincinnati, Oh D 10 1895 Jan Billy "Shadow" Maber Cincinnati, Oh SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jan 19 Al Roberts Cincinnati, Oh KO 5 Mar 13 Billy "Shadow" Maber Memphis, Tn W 10 Apr 1 Danny Needham Little Rock, Ar SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Apr 15 Leslie Pearce Boston, Ma EX Apr 19 Tom Tracey Boston, Ma SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Apr 19 Jack Wilkes Boston, Ma TK 2 May 20 Dick O'Brien Boston, Ma D 25 Jun Tom Tracey Brooklyn, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jun 8 Billy "Shadow" Maber New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jun 14 -McCoy refereed the Stanton Abbott-Jack Burke bout at Montreal, Que, Can Jul 27 Billy "Shadow" Maber New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Jul 27 Billy Vernon New York, NY EX 3 Aug Charles Siefert Louisville, Ky W 3 Aug Joe Sheers Louisville, Ky W 3 Aug Joe Sheers Louisville, Ky W 3 Aug Charles Siefert Louisville, Ky W 3 Sep 2 Dick Moore Louisville, Ky KO 6 Oct 7 Abe Ullman Baltimore, Md TK 13 Oct 13 Arthur Walker Jersey City, NJ EX 3 -Some sources report "ND 3" Nov 25 Ted White London, Eng L 10 1896 Jan 8 Charles Johnson Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Jan 9 Steve O'Donnell Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 -Some sources report this bout held at New York, NY with an "EX 4" verdict Jan 31 Tommy West New York, NY KO 2 Mar 2 Tommy Ryan Maspeth, NY KO 15 Mar 21 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 4 -Police intervened and allowed only sparring Apr 22 Frank Bosworth Memphis, Tn KO 2 May 7 Jim Daly New York, NY TK 3 May 18 "Mysterious" Billy Smith Boston, Ma WF 6 May 30 Dick Moore Brooklyn, NY TK 10 Oct 10 James Fox Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Dec 26 Bill Doherty Johannesburg, Trans, SA KO 9 -Middleweight Championship of South Africa 1897 Jan 23 Bill Doherty Cape Town, Cape, SA ND 6 May 7 Mike Creedon Pittsburgh, Pa KO 2 May 7 Mike O'Hara Pittsburgh, Pa KO 1 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date May 19 an unnamed opponent New York, NY EX May 26 Dick O'Brien New York, NY TK 10 May 31 Jack Bonner Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 5 Nick Burley Troy, NY KO 3 Jul 21 Dick Moore Buffalo, NY KO 2 Aug 9 Jim Franey Cincinnati, Oh EX 4 Aug 14 Dan Bayliff Dayton, Oh KO 3 -Some sources report 8/13/97 Sep 8 Tommy Ryan Syracuse, NY NC 5 -Police intervened; Some sources report "D 5" Oct 18 Jim Hall Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 -This bout was an "obvious" fake; The referee stopped it; Some sources report "NC 4" Oct 23 Con Riley Chicago, Il EX 4 Nov 12 George LaBlanche Dayton, Oh KO 1 Nov 12 Beach Ruble Dayton, Oh KO 1 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Nov 15 "Texas" Billy Smith Chicago, Il TK 2 -Some sources call this man "Australian" Billy Smith; Police intervened Dec 17 Dan Creedon Long Island City, NY TK 16 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Some sources report "TK 15" 1898 Jan 10 James "Doc" Payne Louisville, Ky KO 4 Feb 15 H. Long Dayton, Oh KO 2 Mar 4 Nick Burley Hot Springs, Ar KO 2 Mar 7 James Blackwell Indianapolis, In KO 2 Mar 7 John Tierney Indianapolis, In KO 3 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Mar 11 Jim Bates Fort Wayne, In KO 1 Mar 11 Vern Hardenbrook Fort Wayne, In W 4 -Some sources report "L 4"; The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Mar 17 -McCoy refereed the "Wilmington" Jack Daly-Kid Lavigne bout at Cleveland, Oh Mar 18 Bert Bolby Springfield, Oh KO 1 -Some sources call this man "Dick Boldy" and report this bout held at "Defiance, Oh" Apr 4 Dan Molson Indianapolis, In KO 1 Apr 5 Tom Shea Dayton, Oh KO 2 May 20 Gus Ruhlin New York, NY W 20 -Some sources report "Syracuse, NY" Jul 28 James "Doc" Payne Saratoga Lake, NY EX Aug 7 James "Doc" Payne Saratoga Lake, NY EX Aug 7 Jim Daly Saratoga Lake, NY EX 4 Aug 7 Len Wagner Saratoga Lake, NY EX Aug 7 an unnamed opponent Saratoga Lake, NY EX -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date Aug 9 James "Doc" Payne Saratoga Lake, NY EX 2 Aug 10 James "Doc" Payne Saratoga Lake, NY EX 3 Aug 10 Jim Daly Saratoga Lake, NY EX 4 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Aug 11 Jim Daly Saratoga Lake, NY EX 4 Sep 10 Jim Corbett Buffalo, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled due to the deaths of Jim Corbett's parents Sep 28 -McCoy and Jim Corbett got into an altercation at the "Gilsey House" on Broadway Avenue in New York; Corbett injured a leg Dec 16 Joe Goddard Philadelphia, Pa WF 5 1899 Jan 10 Tom Sharkey New York, NY LK 10 Mar 24 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca W 20 Aug 10 Tom Duggan Dubuque, Ia TK 2 Aug 10 Jack Graham Dubuque, Ia KO 4 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date; Some sources report "Davenport, Ia" Aug 14 Jim Carter Joplin, Mo KO 5 Aug 18 Jim "Jack" McCormick Chicago, Il LK 1 Sep 5 Geoff Thorne Brooklyn, NY KO 3 Sep 19 Steve O'Donnell Brooklyn, NY KO 6 -Some sources report "KO 5" Sep 26 Jim "Jack" McCormick New York, NY TK 8 -Some sources report 9/27/99 Oct 6 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il D 8 -This bout was a "Pre-Arranged Draw"; Some sources report that McCoy was better; Others report a "W 6" verdict Oct 27 Billy Stift St. Louis, Mo KO 13 Nov 9 Jack McDonough Buffalo, NY KO 4 1900 Jan 1 Peter Maher Brooklyn, NY KO 5 Jan 12 Joe Choynski Brooklyn, NY TK 4 -Some sources report "TK 3" May 18 Dan Creedon New York, NY TK 6 May 29 Tommy Ryan Chicago, Il W 6 -This was the referee's decision; The verdict was later changed to "D 6" Jun 1 Jack Bonner New York, NY TK 13 Aug 30 Jim Corbett New York, NY LK 5 -It appeared that McCoy was faking to win bets; Some sources report "LK 6" 1901 Dec 2 Dave Barry London, Eng KO 2 Dec 2 Jack Scales London, Eng KO 2 -Some sources report 12/03/01 for this bout Dec 2 Jack Madden London, Eng KO 2 -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date 1902 May 2 Fred Russell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 19 Kid Carter Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1903 Feb 23 Jim "Jack" McCormick Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Apr 22 Jack Root Detroit, Mi L 10 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World 1904 Apr 5 Henry Placke Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 May 14 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 27 Jack "Twin" Sullivan Los Angeles, Ca W 20 1905 Mar 3 Jack Crawford Hot Springs, Ar KO 1 1908 Jul 24 Peter Maher New York, NY KO 2 -Some sources report 7/25/08 Oct 16 Jim Stewart New York, NY ND 6 1911 Mar 20 Jack Fitzgerald Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 4 Bob Day Toronto, Ont, Can KO 1 Sep 22 Kid Ely New York, NY KO 1 Oct 6 Jim Savage Far Rockaway, NY KO 4 Nov 23 Hubert Roc Paris, Fr W 10 -Some sources report 11/22/11 Dec 20 Harry Croxon Paris, Fr KO 3 1912 Jan 10 George Gunther Paris, Fr W 10 Feb 21 Matthew "P.O." Curran Nice, Fr W 10 -Some sources report "W 20" 1914 Aug 2 Matthew "P.O." Curran London, Eng W 20 1916 Aug 4 Artie Sheridan Mission, Tx W 4 *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1912 Jan 19 Matthew "P.O." Curran Paris, Fr W 12 1914 Nov 12 Fred Fulton San Francisco, Ca EX 4 *** NCR ALL-TIME MIDDLEWEIGHT COMPUTER TOURNAMENT ***1969 Emile Griffith L 15 *** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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