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 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 Sep 25 Bob Fitzsimmons New Orleans, La EX 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 10 Tom Lansing Nashville, Tn SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled 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 19 Louis Seifker Louisville, Ky EX 3 Aug 20 Louis Seifker Louisville, Ky EX 3 Aug 21 Charles Smith Louisville, Ky KO 3 Aug 22 Tom Lansing Louisville, Ky EX 3 Aug 30 Tom Lansing Louisville, Ky SCH -This bout was scheduled but cancelled Sep 1 Tom Lansing Louisville, Ky EX Sep 2 Dick Moore Louisville, Ky TK 6 Oct 7 Abraham "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 -Some sources report McCoy as "Kid Morrow" Mar 2 Tommy Ryan Maspeth, NY KO 15 -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America 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 W 10 Oct 10 James Fox Philadelphia, Pa ND 4 Dec 26 Bill Doherty Johannesburg, Trans, South Africa KO 9 -Middleweight Championship of South Africa 1897 Jan 23 Bill Doherty Cape Town, Cape, South Africa ND 6 Apr 23 Tim Crowley Louisville, Ky KO 1 Apr 23 Con Riley Louisville, Ky EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Apr 24 Jack Graham Louisville, Ky KO 2 -This man was "Kid Grim" who used the name "Jack Graham" Apr 24 Con Riley Louisville, Ky EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date 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 Con Riley 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 22 Dick Moore Buffalo, NY KO 2 Aug 9 Jim Franey Cincinnati, Oh EX 4 Aug 11 Louis Seifker Louisville, Ky EX Aug 11 Pat Minton Louisville, Ky EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date 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 (American version); 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 New York, NY KO 3 -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version) 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 -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version) 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 -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version) 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, England KO 2 Dec 2 Jack Scales London, England KO 2 -Some sources report 12/03/01 for this bout Dec 2 Jack "Kid" Madden London, England KO 2 -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date 1902 May 2 Fred Russell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 19 Edward "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, Canada KO 1 Sep 22 Oscar "Kid" Elle New York, NY KO 1 Oct 6 Jim Savage Far Rockaway, NY KO 4 Nov 23 Hubert Roc Paris, France W 10 -Some sources report 11/22/11 Dec 20 Harry Croxon Paris, France KO 3 1912 Jan 10 George Gunther Paris, France W 10 Feb 21 Matthew "P.O." Curran Nice, France W 10 -Some sources report "W 20" 1914 Aug 2 Matthew "P.O." Curran London, England 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, France W 12 1914 Nov 12 Fred Fulton San Francisco, Ca EX 4 *** NCR ALL-TIME MIDDLEWEIGHT COMPUTER TOURNAMENT ***1969 Emile Griffith L 15*** Much Data Was Provided By Mike DeLisa ****** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***
Compiled By Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
