Charley Mitchell.
John L. Sullivan.

Charles Watson Mitchell (24 November 1861-3 April 1918) was an English world heavyweight boxing title contender and lightweight champion.

Professional career

Mitchell was born on 24 November, 1861 in the city of Birmingham, England. Mitchell had exceptional ability at using London Prize Ring Rules to his advantage. During his career, he engaged in over 100 fights with both gloves and bare-knuckles, using the London Prize Ring Rules as well as the Queensberry Rules. He often fought men who outweighed him by 30 to 40 pounds. Mitchell took on all comers in London, often fighting as many as four bouts in one night.

In 1880 he became the boxing instructor for the International Athletic Club at the "White Rose" in London, and opened a boxing school at the "Palais Rubens" in Antwerp, Belgium.

In 1882 Billy Madden, the former tutor and backer of John L. Sullivan, put on an openweight boxing tournament in England, in order to find a challenger for John L. Sullivan. This was a professional tournament, held under amateur rules, consisting of 3 3 minute rounds, with an extra 2 minute round being fought in the case of draws, A number of prominent boxers including Jem Goode and Jack Knifton entered. Despite being both the youngest and lightest of the 21 competitors, Mitchell won the tournament. [1][2]

Mitchell toured the United States and Canada with Jake Kilrain, and later Frank "Paddy" Slavin, putting on exhibitions, sometimes daily and sometimes on the same day as one of his fights. Mitchell was in Kilrain's corner on 8 July 1889 when he fought John L. Sullivan for the world heavyweight boxing championship.

Mitchell fought John L. Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round before the police halted the contest in the third round. Their second[3] meeting took place in 1888 on the grounds of a chateau at Chantilly, France in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw.

The local gendarmerie arrived at this point and managed to arrest Mitchell, who spent the next few days in a cell and was later fined by the local magistrate, boxing being illegal in France at that time. Sullivan managed to evade the law, swathed in bandages, and was taken back across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool. Mitchell acted as Sullivan's corner man for many years after.

In 1894 Mitchell fought in his most noteworthy bout, against James J Corbett for the world heavyweight championship. Corbett won by KO in the 3rd round, winning $20,000.

Death

Mitchell died on 3 April 1918 in Hove at age 56.

Honors

Mitchell was inducted into the Ring Magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame in 1957, and inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (2002).


Professional boxing record

49 fights 26 wins 3 losses
By knockout 9 2
By decision 17 1
Draws 10
No contests 10
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
49 ND 26–3–10 (10) Steve O'Donnell ND 3 May 25, 1896 Putney, London, England, UK
48 Loss 26–3–10 (9) James J. Corbett KO 3 (?) Jan 25, 1894 Duvall Athletic Club, Jacksonville, Florida, US For world heavyweight title
47 ND 26–2–10 (9) Jim Hall ND 3 Oct 4, 1893 People"s Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, US
46 ND 26–2–10 (8) Jim Hall ND 3 Sep 29, 1893 Clermont Avenue Rink, New York City, New York, US
45 ND 26–2–10 (7) Frank Slavin ND 3 Mar 7, 1892 Buffalo A.C., Buffalo, New York, US
44 Win 26–2–10 (6) Arthur Upham PTS 4 Mar 2, 1892 Olympic Club, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Second fight in one day
43 ND 25–2–10 (6) Frank Slavin ND 4 Mar 2, 1892 Olympic Club, New Orleans, Louisiana, US
42 ND 25–2–10 (5) Frank Slavin ND 3 Apr 30, 1891 New York City, New York, US
41 ND 25–2–10 (4) Frank Slavin ND 3 Apr 9, 1891 Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK
40 Win 25–2–10 (3) Jem Mace PTS 4 Feb 7, 1890 Gaiety Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
39 Win 24–2–10 (3) Reddy Gallagher PTS 6 Aug 28, 1887 Frankfort St. Gym, Cleveland, Ohio, US
38 Draw 23–2–10 (3) Patsy Cardiff PTS 5 Jun 11, 1887 Washington Roller Rink, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US There were two referees, Masterson for Mitchell, and Hank Seeley for Cardiff,
each pronounced his man the victor at the end
37 Draw 23–2–9 (3) Jack Burke PTS 10 (8) May 10, 1886 Battery D Armory, Chicago, Illinois, US Two extra rounds ordered by the referee
36 Draw 23–2–8 (3) Jack Burke PTS 6 Jun 29, 1885 Battery D Armory, Chicago, Illinois, US
35 Draw 23–2–7 (3) Mike Cleary PTS 4 May 22, 1885 Pavilion, San Francisco, California, US
34 Win 23–2–6 (3) John Scholes PTS 4 Feb 23, 1885 Mutual Street Rink, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
33 Win 22–2–6 (3) Jim Brady KO 3 (?) Dec, 1884 Buffalo, New York, US Exact date unknown
32 ND 21–2–6 (3) Jack Burke NC 3 (8) Nov 24, 1884 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
31 Draw 21–2–6 (2) Jack Burke PTS 4 Oct 21, 1884 Germania Assembly Rooms, New York City, New York, US
30 Loss 21–2–5 (2) Dominick McCaffrey PTS 4 Oct 13, 1884 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
29 Win 21–1–5 (2) Billy Edwards KO 3 (?) May 12, 1884 New York City, New York, US Police stopped the fight
28 Draw 20–1–5 (2) Jake Kilrain PTS 4 Mar 26, 1884 Institute Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, US
27 Win 20–1–4 (2) Joe Denning PTS 4 Mar 20, 1884 New York City, New York, US
26 Win 19–1–4 (2) Tug Wilson KO 3 (?) Nov 15, 1883 Manchester, Lancashire, UK
25 Draw 18–1–4 (2) William Sherriff PTS 7 (6) Oct 2, 1883 Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, US Referee first declared Mitchell the winner,
another round was fought and the fight was called a draw
24 Draw 18–1–3 (2) Herbert Maori Slade PTS 3 Oct, 1883 Harry Hills, Long Island, New York, US
23 Win 18–1–2 (2) Herbert Maori Slade KO ? Sep 18, 1883 New York City, New York, US
22 ND 17–1–2 (2) Billy Lynn ND 4 Jul 8, 1883 Leadville, Colorado, US
21 ND 17–1–2 (1) Denis Ike Hayes ND 4 Jul 6, 1883 Leadville, Colorado, US
20 Win 17–1–2 Davis KO 1 (?) Jul, 1883 Leadville, Colorado, US
19 Win 16–1–2 Garrett KO 1 (?) Jun, 1883 Syracuse, New York, US
18 Loss 15–1–2 John L. Sullivan TKO 3 (?) May 14, 1883 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
17 Win 15–0–2 Mike Cleary TKO 3 (?) Apr 9, 1883 American Institute Rink, New York City, New York, US Police stopped the fight
16 Win 14–0–2 Jack Clarke TKO 1 (?) Feb 17, 1883 Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
15 Win 13–0–2 Joe Stubbins PTS 3 Dec 23, 1882 St. George's Hall, London, England, UK Third fight in one day
14 Win 12–0–2 W. Heal PTS 3 Dec 23, 1882 St. George's Hall, London, England, UK Second fight in one day
13 Win 11–0–2 Dick Roberts PTS 3 Dec 23, 1882 St. George's Hall, London, England, UK
12 Win 10–0–2 Bill Springhall PTS 3 Dec 22, 1882 King's Road Baths, London, England, UK
11 Win 9–0–2 Bill England PTS 3 Dec 21, 1882 King's Road Baths, London, England, UK Second fight in one day
10 Win 8–0–2 George Cox PTS 3 Dec 21, 1882 King's Road Baths, London, England, UK
9 Win 7–0–2 Roger Wallis PTS ? May, 1882 Exact location unknown, UK
8 Win 6–0–2 Bill Harnetty PTS 4 Apr 3, 1882 King's Road Baths, London, England, UK
7 Win 5–0–2 Pat Condon PTS 3 Mar 29, 1882 King's Road Baths, London, England, UK
6 Draw 4–0–2 Tom Tully PTS 6 May 16, 1881 Exact location unknown, UK
5 Win 4–0–1 W. Caradoff PTS 4 Feb 1, 1881 Antwerpen, Belgium
4 Draw 3–0–1 Young Bill Kennedy PTS ? Jan, 1879 Exact location unknown, UK Exact date unknown
3 Win 3–0 Chelsea Pride KO 2 (?) Mar, 1877 Exact location unknown, UK Exact date unknown
2 Win 2–0 Hutchinson PTS ? Feb, 1877 Exact location unknown, UK Exact date unknown
1 Win 1–0 Andy Gray PTS ? Jan, 1877 Exact location unknown, UK Exact date unknown

References

  1. ↑ "Mr. Madden's Championship of England Boxing Competition" Sporting Life, 23 December 1882, page 3
  2. ↑ "Mr. Madden's Championship of England Boxing Competition" Sporting Life, 26 December 1882
  3. ↑ [Sullivan and Mitchell had a scheduled rematch 30 June 1884 in New York City but Sullivan declined to fight because it was reported he was "too sick" Wichita Daily Eagle 1 July 1884.]
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