Terry McGovern (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Terrible Terry McGovern born John Terrence McGovern in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
, United States
, was a boxer who held the world bantamweight
and featherweight
titles.
in 1 round. He never defended the title and relinquished it in 1900.
He then moved up in weight and captured the featherweight crown from George Dixon
on January 9, 1900, by scoring a technical knockout in the eighth round. As a featherweight, McGovern was involved in some controversial bouts. For example he is credited with knocking out Aurelio Herrera in defense of his crown in 5 rounds. Herrera afterwards claimed he had been doped during the fight. McGovern is also credited with scoring a 2 round knockout over Joe Gans
. Gans claimed that he threw the fight.
McGovern lost his crown when he was stopped by Young Corbett II
in 2 rounds on November 28, 1902. Corbett also won their rematch
McGovern finished his career with a record of 65 wins (42 KOs) 5 losses and 5 draws. As was common in that era, he also engaged in many No Decision bouts. In 2003, McGovern was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Boxing historian Nat Fleischer
ranked McGovern as the greatest featherweight of all time.
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was a boxer who held the world bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
and featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
titles.
Professional career
McGovern won the bantamweight crown in 1899 when he knocked out Pedlar PalmerPedlar Palmer
Alfred Brian Palmer MBE, DSC was a Royal Navy Reserve captain and near the end of his career was the commander of the shore base HMS Furneaux in Brisbane. He is known for his bravery in breaking the German blockade of Tobruk in the Second World War with his small schooner Maria Giovanni...
in 1 round. He never defended the title and relinquished it in 1900.
He then moved up in weight and captured the featherweight crown from George Dixon
George Dixon (boxer)
George Dixon was the first black world boxing champion in any weight class, while also being the first ever Canadian-born boxing champion.George was born in Africville, Halifax, Nova Scotia...
on January 9, 1900, by scoring a technical knockout in the eighth round. As a featherweight, McGovern was involved in some controversial bouts. For example he is credited with knocking out Aurelio Herrera in defense of his crown in 5 rounds. Herrera afterwards claimed he had been doped during the fight. McGovern is also credited with scoring a 2 round knockout over Joe Gans
Joe Gans
Joe Gans was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Gans was rated as the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder, Nat Fleischer and was known as the "Old Master". He fought from 1891 to 1909.Gans started boxing professionally about 1891 in Baltimore...
. Gans claimed that he threw the fight.
McGovern lost his crown when he was stopped by Young Corbett II
Young Corbett II
Young Corbett II is a boxer who held the world featherweight championship. He was He took the name "Young Corbett II" in honor of James J. Corbett, a heavyweight champion....
in 2 rounds on November 28, 1902. Corbett also won their rematch
McGovern finished his career with a record of 65 wins (42 KOs) 5 losses and 5 draws. As was common in that era, he also engaged in many No Decision bouts. In 2003, McGovern was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Boxing historian Nat Fleischer
Nat Fleischer
Nathaniel Stanley Fleischer was a noted American boxing writer and collector. Fleischer inaugurated in 1922, encouraged by Tex Rickard, the Ring Magazine publication...
ranked McGovern as the greatest featherweight of all time.
Life after boxing
McGovern spent much of his later life in mental institutions. He died of pneumonia and kidney ailment in the charity ward of King's County Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, USA, on February 22, 1918.External links
- Antiquities of the Prize Ring
- The Boxing Magazine.com
- The Tracy Callis Profile