Description
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Philadelphia Jack O’Brien
Born: January 17, 1878 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died: November 12, 1942 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 152-165
Division: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight
Record:
Total fights: 194
Wins: 145
Wins by KO: 52
Losses: 16
Draws: 28
No Contest: 5
Biography:
Joseph Francis Hagan (better known as Philadelphia Jack O’Brien) (January 17, 1878 – November 12, 1942) was the world light heavyweight boxing champion. Nat Fleischer, founder and editor of The Ring Magazine, ranked O’Brien as the No. 2 All-Time Light Heavyweight, and famed boxing promoter Charley Rose ranked him as the No. 3 All-Time Light Heavyweight. O’Brien was inducted into the Ring Magazine hall of fame in 1968, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.
O’Brien was agile, quick and limber; He was a two-handed puncher who was not a particularly hard hitter but landed often; His best punches were a left jab and a hard overhand right; Jack was also a good defensive fighter who blocked punches well and counter-punched accurately.
Jack tangled with anyone who was willing – middleweight, light heavyweight or heavyweight – black or white; Nat Fleischer ranked O’Brien as the #2 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Charley Rose ranked him as the #3 All-Time Light Heavyweight; O’Brien was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1968 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.
O’Brien won the world light heavyweight championship with a 13-round TKO over Bob Fitzsimmons in San Francisco, California, but abandoned the title. He challenged world heavyweight champion Tommy Burns on November 28, 1906, in Los Angeles, and got a 20-round draw. The referee was former world champion James J. Jeffries. O’Brien challenged Burns again in Los Angeles on May 8, 1907, and this time Burns won the 20-round decision. He fought the fearsome middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel in a 10-round No Decision on March 26, 1909, in which O’Brien was saved by the bell at the end of the 10th round. He fought heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in a six-round No Decision on May 19, but on June 9 he faced Ketchel again and was beaten in three rounds. His career record in 194 fights is 145 wins, 16 loses and 28 draws.
Hagan is believed to have managed a gym at 1658 Broadway, New York City, in the late 1920s/early 1930s. World middleweight champion Harry Greb trained in O’Brien’s at gym, and the only existing films of Greb in action are workouts and sparring with O’Brien.
More info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Jack_O%27Brien
http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/10817
http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/obrien.htm
