Paddy Duffy

Paddy Duffy was born on November 12, 1864 to an Irish-American family in Boston. According to one source he worked for a while in his youth as a bootblack or shoeshine in a Boston West End saloon. He began his career as a boxer around 1883.[2]

Duffy won his first professional fight by knockout over Skin Doherty around February 1, 1884 at the age of 19.[3]

In 1884, he fought three bouts with Paddy Sullivan in Massachusetts with the first two ending in draws, and the third on June 28, 1884 ending in a six round win by points decision in Gloucester according to the Boston Daily Globe. The bout was fast and hotly contested but the referee ruled in Duffy's favor.[3][4]

Jack McGee

He lost to hard hitting Jack McGee in Boston on December 19, 1884 in a fast second round knockout before a crowd of around 100. Both contestants were Boston natives, though McGee was four years older. After this rare knockout loss, Duffy lost only once more in his career.[5][3]

Black boxer Walter Edgerton, better known as "Kentucky Rosebud" fell to Duffy in a four round points decision in Philadelphia on July 28, 1886. Though Duffy towered over his opponent, Edgerton gave an even fight in the third scoring with a right to the side of his opponents head near the end of the round. The fit black boxer stood up to considerable punishment in the short contest and used agility and speed to avoid many of the blows he received in the first round. Duffy dominated the first two rounds, knocking his opponent to the mat in the first, and though the fourth began cautiously, he backed Edgerton against the ropes inflicting a rain of blows. Edgerton performed a double shuffle at the end of the bout, and though he often entertained during his matches, he was a serious pugilist.[6]

Billy Frazier

Duffy fought Billy Frazier to a four round draw on January 14, 1887 at the Adelphi Ring in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Additional meetings, fought as exhibitions took place with Frazier that winter and into the spring. Frazier was a well-known short, muscular, scientifically skilled boxer, who would later teach boxing at Harvard College.[7]

Duffy drew with Bill Dunn on March 1, 1887 at the Theatre Comique in Philadelphia. The bout was close, with intense fighting on both sides, particularly in the third round, when Duffy went frequently to Dunn's mid-section. The fourth saw Duffy scoring frequently again to Dunn's midsection, and at least twice to his eye, though he was not quite able to finish him due to clinching. The Times of Philadelphia felt Duffy had the better of the bout by a shade, but the referee called a draw to the close contest.[8]

He fought a four fight series with Jack McGinty in Boston in 1887, which ended in a seven round win on April 19, two seven round draws in May and October, and an eight round draw on November 17, 1888. The club which sponsored their bout did not allow more than eight round bouts.[3] Duffy defeated McGinty on February 9, 1888, by a ninth technical knockout before a crowd of around 300. The match had been close until McGinty broke his thumb in the ninth, and was forced to retire at the end of the round. McGinty had seemed exhausted by the end of the sixth, but recovered enough to fight on.[9] The Boston Globe, recognizing the skill of both boxers, considered their 1888 meeting an American welterweight championship.[10]

Duffy won a fourth round technical knockout against Tom Murphy on May 10, 1888. In a close bout, Duffy staggered Murphy at the close of the second that may have allowed him to subsequently end the bout, if not for the closing bell. Making it clear the match was nearing an end, Duffy dominated the third, punching Murphy across the ring, with little return, and putting him down twice for brief counts. In the fourth, a right from Duffy sent Murphy down for a long count of twelve, and when he arose, Duffy put him to the mat four additional times.[11]

In a bout with Charles Gleason, on January 7, 1889, Duffy was given "the fight of his life", in a ten round points decision in Boston. The official ruling was a draw, but Gleason proved a hard hitter and a clever sparrer and was game throughout the match. Gleason seemed to do his better work in the later rounds, pushing the judges to make the draw ruling.[12]

Just over a year after his win over Tom Meadows, while still reigning champion, he died of tuberculosis, then known as consumption, on July 10, 1890, at the age of 25, at his home at 5 Endicott Court in North Boston. He had been diagnosed with an incurable lung and heart ailment around six months earlier, though may have suffered from the illness for at least a year. Friends attributed his health problems to his boxing career, particularly his last brutal bout with Tom Meadows where he received frequent blows to his chest.[1] He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts.[20]

Duffy ended his career with a 33-3-21 win-loss-draw record with 18 knockout victories. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.[21][22]

All Newspaper decisions are regarded as “no decision” bouts as they have “resulted in neither boxer winning or losing, and would therefore not count as part of their official fight record."

• Lineal championship
• List of welterweight boxing champions

• Boxing record for Paddy Duffy from BoxRec (registration required)
• International Boxing Hall of Fame Bio