Ruby Robert

Bob Fitzsimmons
(Robert James Fitzsimmons)
("Ruby Robert")
("Speckled Bob")
Fitzsimmons is rated among the greatest fighters that ever lived. He held three World Championships during his career -- Middleweight, Heavyweight, and Light Heavyweight. Some sources, including Fitz himself, claim he had over 350 fights, but this may be an an exaggeration. In the ring, Fitzsimmons moved quickly and hit hard from all angles. He took on much larger men without hesitation.
Nat Fleischer ranks Fitzsimmons as the #3 All-Time Heavyweight; Charley Rose ranks him as the #1 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Fitzsimmons was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990


BORN : May 26 1863; Helston, Cornwall, England
DIED : October 22 1917; Chicago, Illinois
HEIGHT : 5-11 3/4
WEIGHT : 150-175 lbs
RACE : White
MANAGERS : Charles Glori, Martin Julian
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1880
-Fitzsimmons defeated four men at Timaru, NZ and
won a "Jem Mace" Tournament for the Lightweight
Championship of New Zealand

1881
-Fitzsimmons defeated five men at Timaru, NZ and
won a "Jem Mace" Tournament for the Middleweight
Championship of New Zealand

--- Herbert Slade Timaru, NZ TK 2
--- Tom Baines Timaru, NZ TK 1
--- Jim Crawford Timaru, NZ LT 3
--- Pat McCarney Timaru, NZ KO 11
--- Arthur Cooper Timaru, NZ KO 3
-Bare Knuckles were used for this bout
--- Jack Murphy Timaru, NZ TK 8
-Bare Knuckles were used for this bout;
The previous bouts are believed to be Amateur bouts

1883
--- Jim Crawford Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 3
-Bare Knuckles were used for this bout
--- Pablo Frank Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
--- Joe Riddle Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
--- Alf Brinsmead Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
--- Jack Greentree Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 3
--- Jack Bonner Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
--- Dick Sandall Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4

1886
May 15 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus LT 4
Jun 2 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus L 4
Jun 5 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus L 4
Jul 10 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
Aug 7 McArdle Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Oct 7 Bill Smith Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4

1887
Mar Bill Slavin Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 5
--- George Eager Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
--- Dave Conway Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 2

1888
--- Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
--- Frank "Paddy" Slavin Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
--- Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
--- Billy McCarthy Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Dec 1 McEwan Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4

1889
Dec 12 Dick Ellis Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
-Evidence exists that this bout never took place

1890
Feb 4 Edward "Starlight" Rollins Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 10 Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Feb 12 Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 4
-Middleweight Championship of Australia;
It is alleged that the previous 2 bouts
were prearranged
Feb 22 Edward "Starlight" Rollins Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 9
-Rollins knocked Fitzsimmons down in the 9th round
but broke his right hand in doing so
Mar Professor West Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 1
May 17 Frank Allen San Francisco, Ca TK 1
May 29 Billy McCarthy San Francisco, Ca KO 5
Jun 28 Arthur Upham New Orleans, La KO 9
Jul 10 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca ND 4

1891
Jan 14 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey New Orleans, La KO 13
-Middleweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 150 1/2 - 147 1/2
Apr 27 Billy Woods Chicago, Il EX 3
Apr 28 Abe Cougle Chicago, Il (2:00) TK 2
May 1 Harris Martin "Black Pearl" Minneapolis, Mn W 4
Jul 22 Jim Hall Minneapolis, Mn
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Authorities prevented it from being held
Dec 12 Austin Gibbons Bay St. Louis, La EX 3

1892
Mar 2 Peter Maher New Orleans, La TK 12
Apr 18 Henry Baker Chicago, Il EX
Apr Charles Puff Newark, NJ KO
Apr Thomas Robbins Newark, NJ TK 3
Apr 30 James Farrell Newark, NJ KO 2
May 1 Fred Woods Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 3 Fred Woods Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 3 Dick Wiley Philadelphia, Pa EX
-Wiley weighed 250 lbs;
May 4 Billy McLean Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 5 Fred Woods Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 6 Joe Godfrey Philadelphia, Pa (1:00) KO 1
May 7 Fred Woods Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 11 Jerry Slattery New York, NY KO 2
May 12 Jim Brady New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 13 Thomas Knifton New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 3 Millard Zender Anniston, Al KO 1
Sep 5 Ted Pritchard New Orleans, La
-This bout was tentatively scheduled but not held
Dec 10 Jack Fallon Newark, NJ EX
-Fitz injured a hand on Fallon's head
Dec 17 Frank Bosworth New York, NY EX 3

1892-1893
--- Tommy Ryan Chicago, Il EX 4
--- George Siler Chicago, Il EX

1893
Feb 20 Frank Bosworth Bay St. Louis, Ms KO
-This bout was held during Feb 20-25 1893
Mar 3 Frank Bosworth Bay St. Louis, Ms EX 5
Mar 8 Jim Hall New Orleans, La (1:00) KO 4
-Middleweight Championship of the World
Mar 25 Phil Mayo Chicago, Il KO 2
Mar 31 Jack Warner Baltimore, Md TK 1
-Warner was Middleweight Champion of New Jersey
Apr Frank Bosworth Baltimore, Md EX 3
Apr 10 Jack Hockey Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
Apr 10 Frank Bosworth Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Apr 11 Whitey Connors Philadelphia, Pa
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Connors did not show
Apr 11 Frank Bosworth Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
Apr 12 Dan Curry Philadelphia, Pa TK 1
Apr 12 Hank Smith Philadelphia, Pa TK 1
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Apr 13 Alexander Kilpatrick Philadelphia, Pa TK 3
Apr 14 Jack McGee Philadelphia, Pa
Apr 14 Jim Butler Philadelphia, Pa
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled but not held;
Both men backed out
Apr 14 T.F. McCormick Philadelphia, Pa EX 2
Apr 14 Biddle Philadelphia, Pa EX 2
Apr 14 Frank Bosworth Philadelphia, Pa EX 2
-The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Apr 15 Jack Sheridan Philadelphia, Pa (2:00) TK 1
Apr 15 Frank Bosworth Philadelphia, Pa EX
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Apr 22 Joe Godfrey Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Apr 22 Mike Monoghan Philadelphia, Pa TK 1
Apr 22 Alexander Kilpatrick Philadelphia, Pa ND 3
-The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
May 6 Mike Brennan Boston, Ma KO 4
-Fitzsimmons knocked down Brennan repeatedly in round 4
May 9 Butler Boston, Ma EX
May 29 Al O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 30 Dan Coner Philadelphia, Pa TK 1
May 31 John McVey Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
Jun 1 Joe Donnelly Philadelphia, Pa
-This bout was scheduled but Donnelly backed out
Jun 1 John McVey Philadelphia, Pa EX
Jun 2 -Fitzsimmons gave an exhibition of hitting the bag;
He hit it so hard it burst
Jun 2 Dominick McCaffrey New York, NY
-Scheduled bout cancelled after McCaffrey fell and struck his head in training
Jun 3 Tom James Philadelphia, Pa SCH
Jun 3 Jack Clinton Philadelphia, Pa SCH
Jun 3 Jack McVey Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-The previous 3 bouts were scheduled for the same date;
The outcomes are not known
Sep 4 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey New York, NY EX 3
Sep 5 Jack Hickey Newark, NJ (7:00) W 3
--- Paul Loeser Chicago, Il W 5
--- Louis the Giant Chicago, Il KO 3
--- George Dobson Chicago, Il KO 3
--- Charlie Biehle Chicago, Il KO 5
--- Wyoming Chicago, Il KO 3
--- "Big" Bill Collins Chicago, Il KO 2
--- Paul Loeser Chicago, Il KO 2
--- an unnamed opponent Chicago, Il KO 1
-The previous 7 bouts were held the same evening;
Fitzsimmons knocked out 7 men in 19 rounds;
All men were over 200 lbs; The largest was 6-7 240 lbs

1893-1894
--- Peter Courtney Trenton, NJ EX 4

1894
Jan 26 Jack Handler Newark, NJ EX
Feb 15 Tom Dwyer Paterson, NJ EX 3
Feb 17 Dan Creedon New York, NY
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Mar 14 Jack Stelzner St. Louis, Mo EX 4
Mar 21 Jimmy Handler Newark, NJ EX 3
Apr 5 Jim Daly Buffalo, NY
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Jun 17 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma (2:40) D 5
-Police intervened
Jul 28 Frank Kellar Buffalo, NY KO 2
-Kellar weighed 185 lbs
Aug 16 an unnamed opponent Trenton, NJ EX
Sep 4 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey New Orleans, La EX
Sep Jim Dwyer New Orleans, La EX
Sep 26 Dan Creedon New Orleans, La (1:40) KO 2
-Middleweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 156 - 157
Sep 29 -Fitzsimmons began a theatrical tour at
Paterson, NJ; Exhibitions were probably held
Oct 8 -Fitzsimmons began a theatrical tour at
Philadelphia, Pa; Exhibitions were probably held;
Fitz showed Oct 8-13 1894
Oct 19 Joe Courtney Brooklyn, NY
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Oct -Fitzsimmons began a theatrical tour at
New York City, NY; Exhibitions were held;
Fitz showed in late Oct 1894 for a week
Oct 30 Con Riordan New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 3 an unnamed opponent New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 16 Con Riordan Syracuse, NY EX KO 2
-Fitzsimmons knocked Riordan out;
Riordan remained unconscious at ringside
for two hours; He was finally removed and
died later
Nov 16 Joe "Stiff" Dunfee Syracuse, NY EX 1
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 26 Charles Farrell Philadelphia, Pa EX
Nov 27 Charles Farrell Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 29 Charles Farrell Philadelphia, Pa EX
Nov 29 Charles Farrell Philadelphia, Pa EX
Dec 1 Charles Farrell Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 3 Tom McCarthy Cincinnati, Oh EX
-Fitzsimmons injured his left hand
Dec 25 Tom McCarthy Chicago, Il EX 3

1895
Jan Tom McCarthy Milwaukee, Wi EX
-McCarthy quit as sparring partner after this bout;
He said Fitz was trying to knock him out
Jan 21 -Fitzsimmons appeared in St. Louis, Mo;
He gave exhibitions for the week of Jan 21-26
Feb James F. "Doc" Payne Cleveland, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held during Feb 19-26 1895
Mar -Fitzsimmons appeared in Washington, DC;
He gave exhibitions for a week
Mar 2 John Donnelly Buffalo, NY EX 3
-Fitzsimmons knocked Donnelly out
Apr 16 Al Allich New York, NY KO 3
-In round two, Allich adopted foul tactics and Fitz
knocked him down; In round three, Allich struck Fitz
below the belt and Fitz knocked him out
Apr 19 Mike Connors New York, NY KO 1
Jun 8 Frank Bosworth New York, NY EX
Aug 2 Tom Forrest Philadelphia, Pa EX 4
Aug 3 an unnamed opponent Philadelphia, Pa SCH
Aug 3 an unnamed opponent Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled;
The outcomes are not known
Oct 31 Jim Corbett Dallas, Tx
Heavyweight Championship of the World;
This bout was scheduled but not held

1896
Feb 21 Peter Maher Mexico, near Langtry, Tx (1:35) KO 1
This bout was promoted as a Heavyweight Championship
of the World contest
Feb 29 Peter Maher New York, NY ND 3
Dec 2 "Sailor" Tom Sharkey San Francisco, Ca LF 8
-This bout was promoted as for the Heavyweight Championship
of the World. Fitz knocked Sharkey flat on his back;
Referee Wyatt Earp ruled that Fitzsimmons had fouled

1897
Jan 3 Ernest Roeber EX 1
Mar 17 Jim Corbett Carson City, Nv (1:40) KO 14
Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 167 - 183
Mar 21 Jack Stelzner San Francisco, Ca EX
Jun 5 Leadville Blacksmith Leadville, Co KO 2
-Some sources report this man was "Lew Joslin",
a 260 lb heayweight
John L. Sullivan Brooklyn, NY
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
The men were present and ready to spar;
Police intervened and prevented it
Jul an unnamed opponent Mt. Vernon, NY EX
Oct 10 Mike Dempsey Cincinnati, Oh EX KO
Nov 25 Mike Conley Topeka, Ks EX
Dec 19 Charles Lawler Chicago, Il EX

1899
Jun 9 Jim Jeffries Brooklyn, NY (1:32) LK 11
Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 167 - 206
Jun 26 Dan Hickey Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Oct 28 Geoff Thorne Chicago, Il (1:10) KO 1

1900
Mar 27 Jim Daly Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Apr 30 Ed Dunkhorst Brooklyn, NY (2:45) KO 2
Jul 15 an unnamed opponent Chicago, Il SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 10 Gus Ruhlin New York, NY KO 6
Aug 24 "Sailor" Tom Sharkey Brooklyn, NY (2:06) KO 2

1901
Jun Gus Ruhlin New York, NY EX
-This was a wrestling match;
Fitzsimmons lost the first 2 falls to Ruhlin
Dec "Sailor" Tom Sharkey New York, NY EX 5
1902
Jul 25 Jim Jeffries San Francisco, Ca LK 8
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 172 - 219

-Fitzsimmons toured the western United States with
Jim Jeffries and took on all-comers

Dec 19 Steward Butte, Mt KO 1
Dec 27 Mike Ranke Bozeman, Mt KO 2
-Ranke weighed 190 lbs

1903
Feb 12 George Weikel Evansville, In EX 3
Feb 12 Jim Jeffries Evansville, In EX
Mar 2 Jim Jeffries Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
Mar 3 Jim Jeffries Chester, Pa EX 3
Sep 30 Con Coughlin Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Coughlin died the next day
Oct 14 Joe Grim Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Grim knocked down 15-20 times
Nov 25 George Gardner San Francisco, Ca W 20
Light Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 168 - 170

1904
Jul 23 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa ND 6

1905
Dec 20 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien San Francisco, Ca LT 13
Light Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 165 - 164

1906
Jan 31 Charles Haghey Webster, Ma KO 4

1907
Mar 7 Tony Ross Newcastle, Pa EX 4
Jul 17 Jack Johnson Philadelphia, Pa LK 2

1908
Sep 21 Jean Paul Benson Mines, NY KO 1
-Reports are confusing; This bout possibly lasted longer
Sep 21 Ralph Barter Benson Mines, NY EX 3
Sep 26 Jean Paul Watertown, NY EX 3
Sep 26 Ralph Barter Watertown, NY EX 3

1909
--- William "Iron" Hague in England EX
Dec Peter Felix in Australia EX 1
Dec Dave Smith in Australia EX 1
Dec Bill Turner in Australia EX 1
Dec Victor McLaglen in Australia EX 1
Dec 27 Bill Lang Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 12
Heavyweight Championship of Australia

1913
Dec 24 Contracts to fight Alfred "Soldier" Kearns in New York City.
Dec 30 The NY Atheletic Commission prohibits
Fitzsimmons from fighting in NY. Fitz sues the Comission.
1914
Jan 27 NY Supreme Court upholds the NY Commission's decision
barring Fitz from fighting in NY
Jan 29 Bob "K.O." Sweeney Williamsport, Pa ND 6
-The Elmira (NY) Herald reports motion pictures were taken
Feb 20 Jersey Bellew Bethlehem, Pa ND 6
Mar 2 Kid Wagner Easton, Pa
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Fitzsimmons did not show

1916
Mar 27 "Young" Bob Fitzsimmons Troy, NY EX 4