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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

"Denver" Billy Woods

BORN     1867; Edinburgh, Scotland
(Some reports say Birmingham, England;
Fought out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
Fought out of Denver, Colorado)
DIED     December 13 1925; Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
HEIGHT   5-11 (or 6-0; approximately, from descriptions)
WEIGHT   170-183 lbs

 

Woods was a fighter with some "pop" in his punches; He was also an internationally known cyclist; Billy served as a sparring partner for Jim Corbett on occasions; A.D. Phillips (Ring Magazine Aug 1924 pp 15, 17) describes Woods as being bigger than Joe Choynski in their 1891 fight

The San Francisco Chronicle reported, "He is splendidly built, and which is better, is very active for a big man; He can use both hands, has a good position and with experience ought to make a fine fighter."

In the 1973 movie "Hec Ramsey: A Hard Road to Vengeance" Billy Woods is referenced as a middleweight fighter from Los Angeles; There was a black welterweight fighter named Billy Woods from California who fought just after this Billy Woods

Billy defeated such men as Mike Conley, Martin "Buffalo" Costello, Jack Slavin, "Omaha" Jack Davis, Jim McClarney and Tom Whalen

1889 
       Jim McClarney              Denver, Co                         TK  3
       Burt McCormick             Denver, Co                         TK 39
          -London Prize Ring Rules were used for this bout
Nov 29 Tom Whalen                 Denver, Co                         TK  4

1890
Feb  9 Burt McCormick             Denver, Co                          W  3
          -Some sources report "TK 3"
       George Kessler             Denver, Co                          D   
          -This bout was stopped due to crowd disruption
May  6 Jim Bates                  Denver, Co                         TK 12
May 22 Al Denmeau                 Denver, Co                          W  4
          -Some sources report "TK 4";
           Perhaps, this man was "Al Dunmeade"
       Burt McCormick             Denver, Co                         TK  3
          -Some sources report "Bert Liverpool";
           Some sources report "TK 2"
Jun 18 Jack Ashton                Denver, Co                         EX  4
          -Some sources report "D 4"
Jul  2 Mike Conley                Denver, Co                          D  3
          -Police intervened; 
           Some sources report 7/02/91;
           Conley was to knock out Woods inside of five
           rounds or 20 minutes; Conley began knocking 
           Woods around and Woods resorted to fouling 
           techniques and falling when Conley came near
Jul 23 Jack Ryan                  near Denver, Co                    KO  5
Oct  3 Jim Doyle                  Denver, Co                         TK  4
          -Perhaps, this man was "Frank Doyle"
Oct  9 Billy Hennessey            Ogden, Ut                          LK  3
          -Some sources report "L 3"
Dec 28 Ed Pitts                   Denver, Co                         TK  3
          -Some sources report "TK 2"

1891
Feb  9 Mike Conley                New Orleans, La                    KO  2
          -Some sources report 1892
Feb 16 -Woods sparred with Bob Fitzsimmons twice a day for a week
          in New York, NY
Mar 24 Charles Langster           Washington, DC                     KO   
Mar 24 Alfred Johnson             Washington, DC                     KO  1
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Mar 25 George Northedge           Washington, DC                     KO   
Apr  5 Bob Fitzsimmons            Chicago, Il                        EX  3
          -This bout was part of a play, Fashions;
          Fitzsimmons and Woods sparred for a week
Apr 13 Bob Fitzsimmons            Pittsburgh, Pa                     EX  4
          -Fitzsimmons and Woods sparred for a week
Apr 27 Abe Cougle                 Chicago, Il                       SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Cougle was not able to meet Hall after
           being stopped by Fitzsimmons
Apr 27 Jim Hall                   Chicago, Il                        EX  3
          -Some sources report "ND 3"
Apr 27 Bob Fitzsimmons            Chicago, Il                        EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Apr 29 Jim Hall                   Cleveland, Oh                      EX  3
          -Some sources report "ND 3"
Apr 30 Al Woods                   Cleveland, Oh                      EX  3
Jun 15 Charles Moth               St. Paul, Mn                       TK  3
          -Moth was a famous wrestler;
           Some sources report "TK 4"
           Some sources report 6/15/90
Jul  1 Mahoney                    San Francisco, Ca                  EX  3
Jul 21 Jake Kilrain               Denver, Co                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but not held
Sep    Charlie Carroll            San Francisco, Ca                   D   
          -This bout was held during Sep-Oct 1891 
Sep 21 "Omaha" Jack Davis         San Francisco, Ca                  KO 13
          -Police intervened;
           Some sources report "KO 12"
Dec 17 Joe Choynski               San Francisco, Ca                  LK 34

1892
Aug 25 Billy Groves               Pueblo, Co                         KO  2
Oct    W.K. "Bill" Johnson        Leadville, Co                       W  4
          -Johnson was known as the "Fighting Swede"
           and the "Terrible Swede"; Other men such
           as Bill Fenner used these nicknames too

1893
Jun 12 Martin "Buffalo" Costello  Roby, In                            D 57
Sep    Jack Hurley                Bakersfield, Ca                    KO 16
Dec    Jim Hall                   Boston, Ma                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1889-1894
       Peter Jackson              Denver, Co                         EX  4

1894
Feb 17 Steve Farrell              Denver, Co                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 17 Henry Baker                Chicago, Il                         L  8
          -Reports vary - "L 7" - "LK 7" - "LK 8"
Nov 15 Jim Hall                   Chicago, Il                        EX  4
          -Woods lasted and claimed win;
           Some sources report 11/16/94

1895
Mar  4 Martin "Buffalo" Costello  Montreal, Que, Canada               W 10
Mar    Jim Williams               Denver, Co                        SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 10 Jack Slavin                Montreal, Que, Canada               W  6
Jul 19 Steve O'Donnell            Montreal, Que, Canada              LK 13
          -Reports vary - "LK 15" -"L 15"-"L 14"
Nov 11 George Godfrey             Baltimore, Md                      LF  9
          -Some sources report 11/10/95;
           Some sources report "LF 8"
Dec  4 Joe "Stiff" Dunfee         Syracuse, NY                       LK  2
Dec 21 Tom Brennan                Junius, NY                          L  4
          -This bout was stopped due to crowd disruption;
           Some sources report "LT 4" on 12/31/95
Dec 28 Peter Maher                New York, NY                       EX  4
          -Some sources report "EX 3";
           Some sources report "ND 4"

1896
Aug  7 Jim Corbett                Cripple Creek, Co                  EX  4
          -Some sources report 8/06/97
Oct  3 Mike Queenan               Cripple Creek, Co                   L 12

1897
Feb  6 Jim Corbett                Kansas City, Mo                    EX   
Feb 17 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 17 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Feb 18 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 19 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 19 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Feb 20 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 21 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 22 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  4
Feb 23 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 24 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 25 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 26 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 27 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Feb 28 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Mar  1 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  2
Mar  5 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar  5 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar  5 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar  5 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
          -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date
Mar  6 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Mar  7 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  3
Mar  8 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  4
Mar  9 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Mar 10 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  4
Mar 11 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  3
Mar 12 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 12 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 12 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
          -The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Mar 13 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 13 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 13 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 13 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
          -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date
Mar 14 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX  1
Mar 15 Jim Corbett                Shaw's Hot Springs, Nv             EX   
Apr  8 Jim Jeffries               Oakland, Ca                        EX  3
Apr 27 Jim Jeffries               Los Angeles, Ca                    EX  6

1898
Feb 11 "Mexican" Pete Everett     Cripple Creek, Co                  LK  7
          -Some sources report "LK 4";
           Some sources report "LK 6"

1903
Jul 11 Joe Millett                Honolulu, Oahu, Hi                 LT  6

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

1889-1895
       George Lear                                                   TK  2
       George Lear                                                    W  3
       Billy Kennedy                                                 TK  7
       Chauncy Lynch                                                  W  4
       Tom Scanlan                                                    W  4
       Morris Murphy                                                 TK  3

*** Much Data Was Provided By Bill Schutte ***

*** Assistance Was Provided By Ron Brammer (Columbia, Md) ***

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