Old Smoke Defeats Benicia Boy

John Morrissey claimed the World Bare Knuckle Prizefighting Championship in a controversial bout with Yankee Sullivan in October 1853.  After beating a murder charge for his participation in the murder of Bill “The Butcher” Poole, Morrissey decided to defend his title against John C. Heenan, “the Benicia Boy”.  “Old Smoke” Morrissey defeated Heenan in the October 1858 bout held in Ontario, Canada.

Morrissey developed his fighting prowess while working for an Irish criminal gang in his original hometown of Troy, New York.   In the early 1850s, Morrissey moved to New York City, where he used his enforcing skills for the New York Democratic machine, Tammany Hall.  “The Benicia Boy” was also originally from Troy, New York.

Heenan entered the ring first by throwing his hat in the ring and immediately following it.  Morrissey repeated Heenan’s entrance.  The camps met to select a referee which took two hours.  The groups only arrived at a decision because the crowd began to boo and hiss.  After the referee was selected, the men toed the scratch to begin the bout.

If the entire fight proceeded like the first round, it might have been the most evenly fought prizefight of the Nineteenth Century.  Morrissey and Heenan traded blows with Heenan landing the harder and more effective strikes.  Heenan ended the round by getting his leg behind Morrissey and tripping him to the ground.

The six minute first round fatigued both men but was much more telling on Heenan.  After falling on top of Morrissey to end the second round, “Old Smoke” began to work.  Morrissey often took beatings in his fights only to outlast the opponent in the end.

Morrissey threw Heenan heavily to end the third round.  Morrissey also would fall down on top of Heenan further fatiguing him.  By the tenth round, Heenan was throwing week ineffective blows.  Heenan barely regained his feet to toe the scratch to begin the eleventh round.

Morrissey saw his opportunity and took it.  A smashing blow to Heenan’s neck dropped him for good.  Morrissey walked away as the referee called the fight.  30 minutes would pass before Heenan was able to recover and get back to his feet.

Morrissey said it would be his last fight and stayed true to his word.  Heenan repeated the behavior of past prizefighters by claiming the title upon the retirement of Morrissey.  While Heenan was well respected by fighting men, he only fought in three professional fights.  Heenan lost two and drew one fight.   Heenan would succumb to tuberculosis at 39 years of age.

Morrissey would continue to rise in Tammany Hall politics until he was eventually elected state senator.  “Old Smoke” would die of pneumonia at 47 years of age.  Unlike many heavyweights, they did not live long.

Why do you think defeated prizefighters were able to claim the title after their opponent retired?  You can leave a comment or question on my Facebook page or Twitter profile.

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