Billy Papke boxer

Billy Papke boxer
bouts
54
won
37
lost
11
draw
6
Status
inactive
Division
middleweight
Debut
1906-03-24
Height
5′ 9″/175cm
Reach
-
Age
50
Born
1886-09-17
Death
1936-11-26
Nationality
USA

Billy Papke (born William Papke, and known as "The Illinois Thunderbolt") (September 17, 1886 – November 26, 1936) was an American boxer who held the World Middleweight Championship from September 7 to November 26, 1908. In 1910-12, he also took the Australian and British versions of the World Middleweight Championship, though American boxing historians generally take less note of these titles. With a solid and efficient punch, 70 percent of his better publicized career wins by decision were from knockouts, and roughly 40% of his reported fights were as well. Papke was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Sportswriter Nat Fleischer, original owner of "Ring" Magazine, ranked Papke as the seventh best middleweight of all time. Announcer Charley Rose ranked him as the tenth greatest middleweight in boxing history. He was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972.Papke was born on September 17, 1886 in Spring Valley, Illinois. He began his boxing career in 1906, eventually winning 40 fights by decision and drawing six times. He worked as a miner during his years in Illinois and occasionally boxed with fellow miners. His earliest fights in 1906 took place near Spring Valley or Peoria where he had moved by 1907, though he traveled frequently North to box in the next few years.In an important early bout on September 14, 1907, Papke knocked out Terry Martin in the third round at the National Athletic Club in Philadelphia. The win led several reporters to view Papke as a middleweight title contender.On November 22, 1907, Papke defeated Bartley Connolly in a fourth round technical knockout. In a one sided bout, Papke floored his opponent once in the first and five times in the third. Connolly tried to clinch in the early rounds to avoid his aggressive and better skilled opponent. In his career, Connolly would defeat the great Joe Walcott, and box in Great Britain.In a well publicized bout On November 14, 1907, Papke defeated Tony Caponi in their first bout in a second round knockout at the Peoria Club in Peoria, Illinois. After only two minutes and ten seconds of fighting in the second, Papke put Caponi down for the count with a strong right uppercut to the jaw immediately after breaking from a clinch. Caponi tried to rise, but went back down and stayed on the mat. The two had fought two draws the previous May and June, with Papke holding a slight lead during the more recent match. Adding to the interest in the contest was Caponi's unsuccessful attempt at Hugo Kelly's World and American 158 lb. middleweight championship the previous August.On March 16, 1908, Papke defeated Hugo Kelly at the Hippodrome in Milwaukee in a ten round points decision that was billed as the world and American 158 pound middleweight championship, though it was not a universally sanctioned bout. There was a significant amount of clinching, and some butting in the match mostly attributed to Papke. Papke put Kelly on the mat in the first round with a blow to the jaw, but Kelly recovered quickly and fought well defensively. There was a shower of blows in the fourth, followed by more clinching in the fifth, as the boxers recovered from fatigue. The final four rounds were close, but the referee decided in favor of Papke at the bell in the tenth. Papke's management successfully used the win as a stepping stone to a world middleweight title match with Stanley Ketchel ten weeks later. On May 15, 1909, Papke would defeat Kelly more decisively in a first round knockout in Colma, California.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1919-05-14 Jimmy Darcy LDDLWW Dreamland Arena, San Diego LOST
Points
1919-04-08 Soldier Bartfield LLWLDL Coliseum, San Francisco LOST
Points
1916-06-01 Jack Smith WDL Clermont Avenue Rink, Brooklyn LOST
1913-10-14 Marty Rowan WLLLLL Future City A.C., Saint Louis LOST
Points
1913-03-05 Frank Klaus WWWWWW Cirque de Paris, Paris LOST
1912-12-04 Georges Bernard WWWLWW Cirque de Paris, Paris WIN
Corner retirement
1912-10-23 Georges Carpentier WWWWWL Cirque de Paris, Paris WIN
Technical knockout
1912-09-27 Leo Houck WWLWWW Olympia A.C., Philadelphia LOST
1912-09-25 Jack Denning WWDLWL St. Nicholas Arena, New York LOST
1912-06-29 Marcel Moreau WWWWLW Cirque de Paris, Paris WIN
Technical knockout
1912-05-02 Billy Leitch debut New Amsterdam Opera House, New York WIN
Technical knockout
1912-02-22 Frank Mantell LDWWWL Sacramento LOST
Points
1911-10-31 Bob Moha WWLWDW Arena (Armory A.A.), Boston LOST
Points
1911-08-22 Sailor Burke WWLLWW St. Nicholas Arena, New York LOST
1911-06-08 Jim Sullivan WWWWWW London Palladium,Argyle Street, Soho WIN
KO
1911-03-11 Dave Smith WWWWWW Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
Technical knockout
1911-02-11 Cyclone Johnny Thompson WWWWWL Sydney Stadium, Sydney LOST
Points
1910-12-26 Dave Smith WWDWWW Sydney Stadium, Sydney LOST
1910-10-26 Ed Williams WWLWLW Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
Technical knockout
1910-06-21 Jack Twin Sullivan WWLWWW Armory, Boston WIN
Points
1910-06-14 Al Goodale L Hippodrome, Kansas City WIN
1910-05-19 Joe Thomas WWWDWW Dreamland Rink, San Francisco WIN
KO
1910-03-19 Willie Lewis LWWWWD Cirque de Paris, Paris WIN
KO
1909-11-11 Frank Klaus LWWLWW Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh LOST
1909-10-08 Willie Lewis WWWWWW Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh WIN
1909-07-14 Fireman Jim Flynn LLWLWL Naud Junction Pavilion, Los Angeles DRAW
1909-07-05 Stanley Ketchel LWWWWW Mission Street Arena, Colma LOST
Unanimous decision
1909-05-15 Hugo Kelly DLWLDW Mission Street Arena, Colma WIN
KO
1909-03-19 Fireman Jim Flynn WDLLWL McCarey's Pavilion, Los Angeles LOST
1908-12-15 Hugo Kelly DDDLWL Jeffries' Arena, Vernon DRAW
Points
1908-11-26 Stanley Ketchel WWWWWL Mission Street Arena, Colma LOST
KO
1908-09-07 Stanley Ketchel WWWWWW Jeffries' Arena, Vernon WIN
Technical knockout
1908-08-18 Sailor Burke WWLDW National A.C., New York WIN
1908-08-13 Johnny Carroll LWLWW Armory A.A., Boston WIN
Technical knockout
1908-06-04 Stanley Ketchel WDWWWW Hippodrome, Milwaukee LOST
Points
1908-03-16 Hugo Kelly DWWDDD Hippodrome, Milwaukee WIN
Points
1908-01-21 Walter Stanton LWWWWD Armory A.A., Boston WIN
Technical knockout
1907-12-30 Hugo Kelly WDWWDD Schlitz Park, Milwaukee DRAW
Points
1907-11-22 Charlie Haghey LLLDW Winnisimmet A.C., Chelsea WIN
Technical knockout
1907-11-14 Tony Caponi WLDDDW Peoria A.C., Peoria WIN
KO
1907-11-09 Pat O'Keeffe WWWWWW National A.C., Philadelphia DRAW
Points
1907-10-30 Cy Flynn WLWWWD Pavillion, Brazil WIN
Technical knockout
1907-09-14 Terry Martin WWLWWW National A.C., Philadelphia WIN
KO
1907-09-02 Tommy Sullivan WWDLW Glen Forest Park, Methuen WIN
KO
1907-06-20 Tony Caponi LWWLDD Spring Valley DRAW
Points
1907-06-14 Foster Walker WLLWLL Light Guard Armory, Detroit WIN
KO
1907-06-06 Jack Morgan WWWLWW Peoria WIN
KO
1907-05-21 Tony Caponi DLWWLD Davenport A.C., Davenport DRAW
Points
1907-04-30 Johnny Carroll WWLWWD Peoria A.C., Peoria WIN
KO
1907-03-26 Billy Rhodes WLWDDL Davenport A.C., Davenport DRAW
Points
1907-03-06 Billy Rhodes WWLWDD Peoria A.C., Peoria WIN
Points
1907-02-14 Carl Anderson L Spring Valley A.C., Spring Valley WIN
KO
1907-01-29 Dick Fitzpatrick DWLLWL Peoria A.C., Peoria WIN
Points
1907-01-15 Tommy Wallace DLLLLL Riverside A.C., Peoria WIN
KO
1906-12-17 Kid Farmer LWWWLW Riverside A.C., Peoria WIN
KO
1906-11-27 Milt Kinney DLLWLW Peoria A.C., Peoria WIN
KO
1906-07-04 Carl Purdy debut La Salle WIN
Technical knockout
1906-06-01 Jack Denny debut Peru WIN
KO
1906-05-30 Buster Teegan debut Turn Hall, La Salle WIN
KO
1906-04-30 Red Morrisey LL Jones's Club, La Salle WIN
KO
1906-03-24 Mexican Wonder debut La Salle WIN
Points