William Bryan Downey

Bryan Downey fought the best fighters of his time including Hall of Famers Ted "kid" Lewis, Jack Britton, Harry Greb and Tommy Loughran.

Downey also fought many boxers that held a title at one time in their career including middleweight champions George Chip, Mike O'Dowd, Johnny Wilson and Harry Greb. He even fought champions from the light heavyweight division including Tommy Loughran and Jack Delaney. He also fought welterweight champions Ted "Kid" Lewis and Jack Britton.

Downey fought for the middleweight title 3 times. Twice against Johnny Wilson in 1921, and once against Harry Greb in 1923.

The most controversial situation of Bryan Downey's career occured when he battled Johnny Wilson for the Middleweight Title on July 21, 1921 in Cleveland. The referee for the fight said Wilson won the fight on a foul. The Cleveland boxing commision refused to abide by the referee, claiming Downey won by KO ! Because of the referee's decision in this title fight, Wilson retained the middleweight thrown.

Downey and Wilson fought each other immediately afterwards on September 5th in a No Decision bout. Wilson was to lose the middleweight thrown the next time he defended it, against Harry Greb.

During Downey's career he experienced a great combative dual against 150 pounder Jock Malone. The two of them fought each other a total of an astounding 9 times between the years 1918-1923. These two great boxers were very evenly matched and made each fight a classic to watch. The final record from the 9 bouts was 1 draw, 4 no decisions, Downey won once, and Malone won 3 times. Jock Malone was born in 1897 in St. Paul Minnesota. Jock was 5' 8" tall and an Irish-American. How tuff was Jock Malone? Well, tuff enough to beat Mickey Walker in 10 rounds on Aug 2, 1922. So for Bryan Downey to beat and draw Malone, as well as continue to fight him, says something about Downey's character as a great boxer.

Pictured here in this 1916 Vintage photo is Bryan Downey posed with his other two fighting brothers Joe and Anthony. Joe Downey (in the middle)was a Light Heavyweight who fought Charley Weinert and Hall of Famer Tommy Gibbons in unsuccessful attempts. William Bryan Downey is on the right.

Tale Of The Tape Born: Sept. 7, 1896-Columbus, Ohio Died: March 28, 1970 Weight: 145-165 lbs. Height: 5ft. 6.25" Reach: 70" Nationality: Irish-German American Manager: Jimmy Dunn

RING RECORD: 37 wins - 10 losses - 57 ND's -14 draw - (119 total bouts)

 complete record

Feb 2	1914	Jimmy Albright			Columb.		KO 2
Feb 14	1914	George  Watson			Columb.		ND 4
Mar 16	1914	Eddy      Erb			Columb.		KO 2
Mar 30	1914	Ted     Hatch			Columb.		KO 3
Apr 14	1914	Jack Sullivan			Columb.		KO 2
May 18	1914	Matty  Califf			Columb.		KO 1
June 15	1914	Jack  Frambes 			Cincin.		ND 4
Jul 20	1914	Willy Jennings			Columb.		KO 1
Aug 31	1914	Willy   Jones			Columb.		KO 12
Nov 5	1914	Richie Mitchell			Columb.		ND 12
Dec 8	1914	Young  Goldie			Columb.		ND 12

1915
Jan 18	1915	Patsy   Cline			Columb.		ND 12
Feb 22	1915	Peanuts Schieberl		Columb.		KO 1
Mar 29	1915	Cal   Delaney			Columb.		ND 12
Jun 14	1915	Joe     Daily			Columb.		ND 12
Aug 2	1915	Patsy McMahon			Columb.		ND 12
Sep 6	1915	Cal   Delaney			Columb.		ND 12
Oct 5	1915	Franky  Daily			Columb.		KO 6

1916
Jan 10	1916	Johnny Griffiths		Columb.		ND 12
May 11	1916	Jack    Perry			Columb.		KO 11
May 29	1916	Willie Beecher			Columb.		ND 12
Jul 3	1916	Jimmy   Duffy			Columb.		ND 12
Oct 16	1916	Johnny Griffiths		Columb.		ND 12
Nov 14	1916	Spike   Kelly			Wiscon.		ND 10
Nov 29	1916	Frankey Murphy			Toledo		ND 12
Dec 11	1916	Johnny Harvey			Columb.		ND 12

1917
Jan 1	1917	Jack    Perry			Columb.		KO 9
Jan 10	1917	J.    McCarty			Ontario		NC 6
Jan 18	1917	Frankey Murphy			Toledo		ND 12
Jan 29	1917	Johnny Tillman			Columb.		ND 12
Mar 5	1917	Jack  Britton			Columb.		ND 12
Mar 16	1917	Jimmy   Duffy			Buffalo		ND 10
Apr 2	1917	Willie Beecher			Columb.		ND 12
July 4	1917	Eddie    Moha			Wiscon.		ND 10
July 9	1917	Johnny  Riley			NewYork		ND 10
July 23	1917	Fred     Dyer			NewYork		ND 10
Aug 27	1917	Matt    Wells			NewYork		ND 10
Sep 3	1917	Vic     Moran			Columb.		KO 5
Sep 17	1917	Matt    Wells			Columb.		ND 12
Sep 26	1917	Goats    Doig			Illinoi		D 10
Oct 8	1917	Young   Denny			Columb.		ND 12
Oct 20	1917	Johnny Griffiths		Columb.		ND 12
Nov 12	1917	Young   Denny			Columb.		ND 12
Dec 17	1917	Ted Kid Lewis			Columb.		ND 12

1918
Jan 1	1918	Johnny Griffiths		Akron		D 12
Jan 7	1918	Joe     Eagan			Wiscon.		ND 10
Apr 4	1918	Jock   Malone			Ft.Sher		W 10
Apr 10	1918	Tommy  Robson			Boston		W 10
Jun 11	1918	Jack  Britton			Boston		L 12
Jun 22	1918	Marty   cross			Dayton		D 15
July 3	1918	Soldier Bartfield		Ohio		ND 12
Sep 12	1918	Jock   malone			St.paul		ND 10
Dec 16	1918	Johnny Tillman			Columb.		ND 12

1919
Jan 1	1919	Ted Kid Lewis			Columb.		ND 12
Jan 29	1919	K.O. Loughlin			Tulsa		D 15
Feb 17	1919	K.O. Loughlin			Tulsa		D 15
Mar 20	1919	Jock   Malone			Columb.		L 15
Apr 8	1919	Jack  Britton			Ohio		ND 12
May 26	1919	K.O. Loughlin			Ohio		ND 12
June 19	1919	Jock   Malone			Ohio		ND 12
July 2	1919	K.O. Loughlin			Ohio		W 15
Aug 4	1919	Jock   Malone			Ohio		D 15
Sep 26	1919	K.O. Loughlin			Ohio		D 15
Nov 17	1919	Goats    Doig			Illino.		D 10
Dec 17	1919	Navy   Rostan			Columb.		W 15

1920
Jan 12	1920	Nip    Howell			Ohio		KO 9
Jan 19	1920	Joe      Chip			Canton		ND 10
Jan 26	1920	Steve   latzo			Ohio		W 12
Jan 31	1920	Len  Rowlands			Virgin.		ND 10
Feb 6	1920	Navy   Rostan			Wiscon.		ND 10
Mar 10	1920	Hope   Mullen			Cincin.		KO 4
Mar 26	1920	Jack  britton			Ohio		ND 10
Mar 28	1920	Billy   Weeks			Ohio		ND 10
Apr 12	1920	Tommy  Robson			Ohio		W 10
May 5	1920	frankie brennan			Cincin.		KO 6
May 24	1920	Joe      Chip			Ohio		W 12
May 31	1920	Marty   Cross			Cincin.		ND 10
July 14	1920	Soldier bartfield		Detroit		ND 10
Oct 25	1920	Ralph Chappert			Ohio		D 12
Nov 15	1920	Augie  Ratner			Philad.		ND 8

1921
Jan 1	1921	Augie  ratner			Ohio		W 12
Jan 7	1921	George   Chip			Ohio		ND 10
Jan 17	1921	Augie  Ratner			NewYork		W 15
Feb 14	1921	Augie  Ratner			NewYork		W 15
Mar 11	1921	Young  Fisher			Syracu.		D 5
May 11	1921	Johnny Klesch			Ohio		W 12
May 23	1921	Johnny  Paske			Buffalo		W 15
May 28	1921	Young  Fisher			Ohio		W 12
Jun 16	1921	Frank carbone			Columb.		W 12
July 4	1921	Johnny Klesch			Canton		W 12
July 27	1921	Johnny Wilson			Clevel.		LF 7
Sep 5	1921	Johnny Wilson			Jer.Ci.		ND 12
Dec 12	1921	Happy Littleton			NewOrl.		KO 5

1922
Feb 10	1922	Young  Fisher			Syracu.		D 15
Feb 22	1922	Frank Carbone			Canton		W 12
Feb 28	1922	Tommy Loughran			Phila.		ND 8
Mar 13	1922	Frank carbone			Indiana		ND 10
May 15	1922	Mike   O'Dowd			Ohio		W 12
May 31	1922	Harry   Krohn			Akron		ND 12
Jun 13	1922	Jock   Malone			Ill.		ND 10
Sep 18	1922	Jock   Malone			Ohio		L 12
Oct 16	1922	Nate   Siegel			Boston		W 10
Nov 13	1922	Frankie schoell			Omaha		ND 10
Nov 20	1922	Lou    Bogash			Boston		L 10
Dec 5	1922	Jock   Malone			Kentuc.		ND 12
Dec 15	1922	Happy littleton			NewOrl.		D 15

1923
Jan 8	1923	Bob      Sage			Detroit		ND 10
Mar 15	1923	Phil     Krug			NewJer.		ND 12
Apr 2	1923	Lou    Bogash			NewYork		D 12
Apr 26	1923	George  shade			Ohio		KO 2
May 25	1923	Lou    Bogash			NewYork		L 12
Jul 24	1923	Jock   Malone			Ohio		L 12
Dec 3	1923	Harry    Greb			Pitts.		L 10

1924
Jul 7	1924	Ted     Moore			Columb.		L 10
May 5	1924	Jack  Delaney			Columb.		ND 12

1926
June 8	1926	Augie  Ratner			Cleve.a		ND 10
June 8	1926	Joe  Anderson			Columb.		L 10
Sep 6	1926	Ted     Moore			Canton		ND 10



	
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