30 Facts About Pat O'Keeffe

Pat O'Keeffe, was a professional English boxer who became the British champion in both the welterweight and middleweight weight classes.

One of Pat O'Keeffe's earliest recorded fights was against Jack Palmer.

Pat O'Keeffe defeated him on two occasions over six rounds during 1902.

In 1906, having fought many of the top contenders for the British Middleweight Title, Pat O'Keeffe was elected to contest the championship.

Pat O'Keeffe won the title beating Mike Crawley in a fight that lasted fifteen rounds.

One month later, Pat O'Keeffe defended the title against Charlie Allum and knocked him out in the sixth round.

Pat O'Keeffe lost his bout with Henry Lewis in Boston, Massachusetts by decision.

Pat O'Keeffe's next fight was against Willie Lewis scheduled for 19 December 1907, but the police placed an injunction on the venue in New York.

Lewis is said to have entered Pat O'Keeffe's dressing room just before the fight, berating his apparent belly, quipping that he might kill him if he punched him there.

Pat O'Keeffe placed a message in the Sporting Life, declaring "he is here for business", in a wide-ranging article that revealed he contracted malaria in the US.

Later that year, Pat O'Keeffe toured Australia with Tommy Burns, the World Heavyweight Champion.

Pat O'Keeffe managed to successfully defend it eleven times against all claimants until he met with Jack Johnson on Boxing Day in 1908.

Pat O'Keeffe fought a number of contests in Australia, mostly against heavier opponents, winning two, drawing one and losing three.

Pat O'Keeffe did not fight again in England until 1911, when he fought Eddie McGoorty, losing on points over fifteen rounds.

Pat O'Keeffe's next defeat was a points decision against Private Jim Harris which he reversed over twenty rounds two months later, after defeating Frank Mantell twice in seven days.

Pat O'Keeffe was a tall heavyweight who was almost three stones heavier than O'Keeffe, but it took fifteen rounds before Wells succeeded in knocking him out.

Pat O'Keeffe was knocked out in two rounds by the man who, at the time, appeared capable of beating all of Europe's boxers in quick succession.

Pat O'Keeffe's next fight was against Henry Reeve for the British Middleweight Championship on 2 February 1914.

Pat O'Keeffe successfully defended his middleweight title two months later against Nichol Simpson.

The ring and spectators sitting nearby were splashed with blood by the end of the battle and it can be seen from photographs of the event that Sullivan's white shorts were dark with blood by the end of twenty rounds when Pat O'Keeffe gained the decision.

Arthur Frederick Bettinson, one of the founding members of the Club remarked on Pat O'Keeffe's exploits, remembering his name on the belt in both 1914 and 1918 and congratulated him as a sportsman and a man.

Pat O'Keeffe replied to these tributes modestly, saying that securing the Lonsdale Belt as his own was one of his key ambitions in his career.

Pat O'Keeffe retired from professional boxing having made many lifelong friends.

At the start of 1915, Pat O'Keeffe joined the 1st Surrey Rifles.

Pat O'Keeffe was a Physical Training Instructor and Recruiting Sergeant.

Pat O'Keeffe found Army life at the Regiment's home at Camberwell suited his boxing training well.

Pat O'Keeffe participated in charity events, such as boxing an Aston Villa football player, refereed amateur tournaments and took part in charity exhibition matches, most notably with his old rival Bombardier Billy Wells.

Pat O'Keeffe had his own boxing column in the Daily Herald for a while.

Pat O'Keeffe was engaged in the licensing business, was a Publican and was involved in bookmaking.

Pat O'Keeffe died 16 August 1960 at the Mount Vernon Hospital in Middlesex, aged 77.