Tommy Ryan
(Joseph Youngs)

BORN     March 31 1870; Redwood, New York
DIED     August 3 1948; Van Nuys, California
HEIGHT   5-7 3/4
WEIGHT   130-158 lbs
MANAGERS "Professor" Robertson, Charles E. "Parson" Davies, "Captain" Jim Westcott

Ryan was a smart and scrappy fighter who was quick, elusive, and game; He was an outstanding boxer and a hard hitter too; Tommy was considered by many as the best Middleweight ever

He was innovative in his boxing style and worked with many fighters on improving their techniques, including Jim Jeffries; He was a fantastic bag puncher and won many such contests between boxers
 
Nat Fleischer rated Ryan as the #2 All-Time Middleweight; Tommy was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1958 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991



Bag Punching Exhibition Like Ryan Used To Give (Not Tommy Ryan) Video Clip

Ryan-Kelly 1907 Video Clip (Ryan is the shorter man - from the right)

Ryan Speaks Video Clip

(Press the  button at the top of the screen to return)


1887
       John Case                                                     KO  5
       Jack Conway                  Rock Island, Il                  KO  3
       Chris Christopher            Grand Rapids, Mi                 KO  8

1888
Jul 20 Joe Johnson                  Marion, Mi                       KO  5
Dec 21 Dick England                 Lake City, Mi                    KO 23
          -Some sources report "KO 33"

1889
Apr 30 Martin Shaughnessy           Detroit, Mi                      KO 23
May 29 Mike Dunn                    Grosse Point, Mi (nr. Detroit)   KO  9
Jun 18 Martin Shaughnessy           Lake St. Clair, Mi (nr. Detroit) KO 48
          -Some sources report "KO 46"
Aug 10 Jimmy Murphy                 Grand Rapids, Mi                 NC 57
Sep  3 Henry Baker                  Grand Rapids, Mi                 KO  3
Nov 20 Jimmy Murphy                 Grand Rapids, Mi                 EX  8

1890
Jul 20 John McInerssey              Chicago, Il                      KO  5
Aug  4 Bob Harper                   Chicago, Il                      KO  4
Aug 28 Professor Maguire            Chicago, Il                      KO  3
Oct  5 Charles "Con" Doyle          Shelby, In                       TK 27
          -Some sources report "TK 28"
Nov 23 Ed Bartlett                  Sheffield, Il                    KO  3

1891
Feb 16 Danny Needham                Minneapolis, Mn                  KO 76
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America;
           Some sources 02/17/1891
Mar 31 Danny Needham                Chicago, Il                      EX   
May    -Ryan got married
Aug  9 Billy McMillan               Richardson, Il                   KO  3
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America;
           Some sources report 04/08/1891
Sep 28 Jim Hall                     Chicago, Il                      EX  5
          -Some sources report "ND 5"
Dec 15 Frank Howson                 Chicago, Il                      KO 14
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Dec 20 Frank Garrard                                                  W   

1892
Feb 29 Danny Needham                                                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held; Ryan was ill
Apr 11 Charles "Con" Doyle          Dubuque, Ia                       W  8
May  6 Reddy Brennan                Dubuque, Ia                      TK 10
Jul 30 Jack Wilkes                  South Omaha, Ne                  TK 17
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America;
           Police intervened
Sep    Wiley Evans                  Omaha, Ne                       SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 24 Jack Collins                 Detroit, Mi                       D  8
Dec    "Hoboken" Tommy Kelly        Detroit, Mi                       D  8

1892-1893
       Bob Fitzsimmons              Chicago, Il                      EX  4

1893
Feb    Danny Needham                New Orleans, La                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Feb    Henry Baker                  Bay St. Louis, Ms                EX   
          -Ryan and Baker sparred often during Feb-Mar
Mar  1 George Dawson                New Orleans, La                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but postponed;
           Ryan was injured while training
Apr 18 George Dawson                Chicago, Il                      EX  6
          -Some sources report "ND 6"
Apr    -Ryan and Henry Baker were scheduled to tour America 
          and give exhibition bouts during Apr-May
Aug 29 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Coney Island, NY                  D  6
Nov  2 Harry Jamieson               Naugatuck, Ct                    KO  2
          -Some sources report "Waterbury, Ct"
Nov    Montana Kid (Dick Egan)      near Bridgeport, Ct             SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 11 Dick Guthrie                 Naugatuck, Ct                    NC  3
          -Some sources report "D 3"

1894
Jan  9 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Boston, Ma                        D  6
Feb 10 Jimmy Dime                   New York, NY                     EX  4
Feb 24 Billy Vernon                 New York, NY                     EX  3
Apr 10 Morris Lane                  West Haven, Ct                   TK  3
Apr 22 Jack Wilkes                                                   NC  5
May 22 Jack Falvey                  Hartford, Ct                     KO  8
Jun  1 Jack Pitts                   Minneapolis, Mn                  KO  3
Jul 26 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Minneapolis, Mn                   W 20
          -Welterweight Championship of America
Sep 13 Billy Layton                 near St. Joseph, Mo              KO  4
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America;
           This bout was held on a on a sandbar in the Missouri River;
           Ryan drew first blood in round two;
           Tommy had Layton groggy and almost out in round three;
           He finished him in round four; Weights: 146-146
Nov    Joe Choynski                 Chicago, Il                      EX   
          -Public exhibitions were held nearly every day during November
Nov  7 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     New Orleans, La                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Nov    Jim Hall                     Detroit, Mi                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held; Authorities prevented it
Dec 12 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     New Orleans, La                 SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Dec 13 Joe Choynski                 New Orleans, La                  EX   
Dec 19 Joe Choynski                 Chicago, Il                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           Ryan and Choynski were scheduled for some exhibition
           bouts in Chicago

1895
Jan    Joe Choynski                 New York, NY                     EX   
          -Ryan and Choynski sparred nearly every day during
           the first 2 weeks of January prior to Ryan's bout
           with "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey
Jan 18 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey     Coney Island, NY                 TK  3
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Jan 28 Fred Woods                   Philadelphia, Pa                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 23 an unnamed opponent          Philadelphia, Pa                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 25 Shorty Ahearn                Chicago, Il                       W  4
Mar 10 Emmett Mellody               Kansas City, Mo                   W  4
Mar 20 Tom Tracey                   Chicago, Il                       D  8
          -Some sources report "ND 8"; Tracey was bleeding 
           badly by the end of the fight and almost blinded; 
           The verdict should have been "TK 8"
Apr  5 Jack Wilkes                  Chicago, Il                     SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but prevented; Police guarded the hall
May    Joe Choynski                 Deal Lake, NJ (near Asbury Park) EX   
May    Harry Pigeon                 Deal Lake, NJ (near Asbury Park) EX   
May    Bob Armstrong                Deal Lake, NJ (near Asbury Park) EX   
May    Jimmy Barry                  Deal Lake, NJ (near Asbury Park) EX   
          -Ryan sparred with the previous 4 men nearly every day
           during May prior to the "Mysterious" Billy Smith bout
May 27 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Coney Island, NY                 NC 18
          -Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
           Police intervened; Some sources report "D 18"
Jun  8 Harry Pigeon                 New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 25 Tom Crawford                 Syracuse, NY                     EX  4
Jun 27 Harry Pigeon                 New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 19 Joe Walcott                  New York, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug    -Ryan opened a saloon The Champion in Syracuse, NY
Nov 18 Joe "Stiff" Dunfee           Buffalo, NY                      EX  3
          -Some sources report "ND 3"

1896
Jan  9 George "Kid" Lavigne         New York, NY                     EX  4
Jan 15 Harry Baker                  Grand Rapids, Mi                  W  3
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "NC 6"
Mar  2 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Maspeth, NY                      LK 15
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of America
Mar  6 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Syracuse, NY                     ND  6
Apr  4 Jack Mahoney                 Cortland, NY                     ND  6
May 18 Joe "Stiff" Dunfee           Buffalo, NY                      KO  6
Jun 22 Billy "Shadow" Maber         Buffalo, NY                      TK  9
Aug 20 Dick Moore                   Buffalo, NY                       W 20
Nov 25 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Maspeth, NY                      WF  9
          -Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Dec 21 "Australian" Billy McCarthy  Buffalo, NY                      TK  7
Dec 23 Billy Payne                  Syracuse, NY                     KO  4

1897
Feb 24 Tom Tracey                   Syracuse, NY                     TK  9
          -Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Mar  8 Jem Mace                     Syracuse, NY                     ND  4
Mar 17 Patsy Raedy                  Rochester, NY                    TK 18
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "TK 16"
May 10 Paddy Gorman                 Rochester, NY                    TK  3
May 24 Patsy Raedy                  Rochester, NY                    TK  6
Jun 21 Tom Williams                 Syracuse, NY                     KO  2
          -Some sources report Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Sep  8 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Syracuse, NY                     NC  5
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "D 5"
Sep 30 Tommy West                   Brooklyn, NY                    SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 17 -Syracuse (NY) Herald reports on a past bout between Ryan
          and Tommy West
Nov 17 Jack "Doc" Hamilton          Messina Springs, NY              EX   
          -Ryan sparred with Hamilton often during early Nov 1897
Nov 25 "Australian" Jim Ryan        Elmira, NY                       KO  5
          -Some sources report 11/24/97
Nov 30 Billy Stift                  Chicago, Il                      TK  6
          -Some sources report "W 6"
Dec 20 Bill Hefferman               Buffalo, NY                      KO  3
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version)

1898
Feb    Jim Jeffries                 Los Angeles, Ca                  EX   
          -Ryan sparred regularly with Jeffries
Feb 25 Young Corbett (George Green) San Francisco, Ca                TK 18
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version)
Jun 13 Tommy West                   New York, NY                     TK 14
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America;
           Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Oct 24 Jack Bonner                  Coney Island, NY                  W 20
          -Middleweight Championship of America
Nov  8 Jack Bonner                  Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Nov 23 Johnny Gorman                Syracuse, NY                     KO  8
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America;
           Some sources report "W 8" on 11/28/1898
Dec  2 Tommy West                   Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -This was a "tame" fight; It looked like a "pre-arranged draw";
           Some sources report "NC 6"
Dec 23 Dick O'Brien                 Hartford, Ct                     TK 14
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America;
           Police intervened

1899
Feb  1 "Sailor" Tom Sharkey         Syracuse, NY                     EX  6
Feb 22 Tom McCarthy                 Hot Springs, Ar                  KO 12
Mar  1 Charles Johnson              Hot Springs, Ar                  KO  8
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Some sources report 03/05/1899
Mar 13 Paddy Purtell                Cincinnati, Oh                   TK  4
Mar 18 Bob Douglass                 St. Louis, Mo                    ND  6
Apr  6 Frank "Dutch" Neal           Dubuque, Ia                       W  6
Apr 17 Billy Stift                  Davenport, Ia                     W 20
          -Some sources report 04/19/1899
May 30 Jim Jeffries                 Loch Arbor, NJ                   EX   
May 31 Jim Jeffries                 Loch Arbor, NJ                   EX  6
Jun  5 Jim Jeffries                 Loch Arbor, NJ                   EX   
Jun 19 Jim Jeffries                 Coney Island, NY                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 31 Jack Moffatt                 Dubuque, Ia                       W 20
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America;
           Welterweight Championship of the World (American version)
Sep 18 Frank Craig                  Coney Island, NY                 TK 10
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America
Oct 24 Jim Jeffries                 Asbury Park, NJ                  EX  6
Oct 27 Jim Jeffries                 Asbury Park, NJ                  EX  6
Oct 31 Jim Jeffries                 Asbury Park, NJ                  EX  6

1900
Feb  2 George Lawlor                Hot Springs, Ar                  TK 13
Mar    -Ryan trained with Jim Jeffries
Apr 16 Jim Jeffries                 Allenhurst, NJ                   EX   
Apr 24 Jim Jeffries                 Allenhurst, NJ                   EX  4
May  3 Jim Jeffries                 Allenhurst, NJ                   EX  4
May  5 Jim Jeffries                 Allenhurst, NJ                   EX  5
May 29 Charles "Kid" McCoy          Chicago, Il                       L  6
          -This was the referee's decision; The verdict was later changed to "D 6"
Jun 29 Young Mahoney                Chicago, Il                       W  6
Jul 24 Jack Root                    Chicago, Il                       D  6
Nov 10 Geoff Thorne                 Chicago, Il                      KO  3
          -Some sources report "W 6"
Nov 27 Edward "Kid" Carter          Chicago, Il                       W  6

1901
Jan 17 Jack Beauscholte             Springfield, Oh                  KO  3
          -Some sources report "Springfield, Il"
Jan 31 Martin Judge                 Minneapolis, Mn                  KO  4
          -Some newspapers report this fight as a "fake"
Mar  4 Tommy West                   Louisville, Ky                   TK 17
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America
Aug 22 Bob Douglass                 Kansas City, Mo                  KO  7
Oct 10 Young Corbett (George Green) Kansas City, Mo                  LF  6

1902
Jan 30 Young Corbett (George Green) Kansas City, Mo                  KO  7
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America
Feb 15 Jack Beauscholte             Chicago, Il                       W  6
Feb 25 Tim Murphy                   Kansas City, Mo                  TK  9
Mar 14 "Mysterious" Billy Smith     Kansas City, Mo                  KO  4
Apr  3 Billy Stift                  Kansas City, Mo                   W 10
May 26 Jimmy Handler                Kansas City, Mo                  TK  4
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Some sources report 05/28/1902
Jun 24 Johnny Gorman                London, England                  KO  3
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of the World (English version)
Sep 15 Edward "Kid" Carter          Fort Erie, Ont, Canada           KO  6
          -Middleweight Championship of the World (American version);
           Middleweight Championship of America
Oct  3 Patrick Walsh                Kansas City, Mo                  KO  2
          -Some sources report "Barney Walsh"
Oct  3 Jack Beauscholte             Kansas City, Mo                  KO  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date

1903
Jan 15 Billy Stift                  Kansas City, Mo                  KO  4
Feb  3 William "Cyclone" Kelly      Hot Springs, Ar                  TK  7
          -Some sources report 02/04/1903
Jun  1 James "Soldier" Walker       Battle Creek, Mi                 KO  5
Jun 15 "Big" Jack Hickey            Battle Creek, Mi                 KO  4
Jun 30 John Wille                   Butte, Mt                        KO  4

1904
Jan 27 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien  Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 24 Jack Beauscholte             Indianapolis, In                  W  6
          -Some sources report "TK 6"
Sep 10 Frank Garrard                Chicago, Il                      KO  3
Oct 10 Bob Douglass                 St. Louis, Mo                    KO  4
Oct 26 Tom Wallace                  Benton Harbor, Mi                KO  5
Nov 15 Jack Graham                  South Bend, In                   KO  4
Nov 23 Jack Root                    Philadelphia, Pa                 NC  4
Dec 29 Billy Stift                  Benton Harbor, Mi                KO  4

1905
Oct    -Ryan became manager/trainer of Marvin Hart

1906
Jan  1 Marvin Hart                  Butte, Mt                        EX   
Jan  2 Marvin Hart                  Butte, Mt                        EX   
Dec  5 -Ryan retired from boxing (only to return later);
          He "gave" the Middleweight Championship to Hugo Kelly 
          (This was the tradition at this time); The public did not 
          accept Kelly

1907
Feb  5 Dave Barry                   Hot Springs, Ar                  KO  5
Mar  4 Hugo Kelly                   Rochester, NY                     D  6
Aug  4 Oscar "Battling" Nelson      South Bend, In                   EX  6
1908
Aug 22 Howard Morrow                Benton Harbor, Mi                EX  6

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

1887
Aug    Andy Bowen                   New Orleans, La                   L  3 

1890
       Frank Glover                                                  KO  3

1892
Sep    Patsy Kerrigan               New Orleans, La                  EX   
          -Reportedly, Ryan sparred with Kerrigan a few days
           before the Jim Corbett-John L. Sullivan bout

1897
Feb 20 Jack "Doc" Hamilton          New York, NY                      W 10
          -Hamilton fought a man named "Joe Youngs";
           Perhaps, it was Tommy Ryan

1903
May 13 Kid Sullivan                 San Pedro, Ca                    NC   
*** Much Data Was Provided By Christopher LaForce ***

*** Some Data Was Provided By Mark Dunn ***
 
Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization