Jimmy Reagan (boxer)
| Jimmy Reagan | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | James Reagan |
| Nickname(s) | The Battler Fighting Reagan |
| Weight(s) | Featherweight |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | July 6, 1891 |
| Died | October 1, 1975 (aged 84) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 69 |
| Wins | 24 |
| Wins by KO | 4 |
| Losses | 30 |
| Draws | 14 |
| No contests | 1 |
Jimmy Reagan was an American boxer who claimed the World Bantamweight Championship in a twelve round bout on January 29, 1909 against Jimmy Walsh at Dreamland Rink in San Francisco, California. He lost the title only a month later in an historic twenty round bout on February 22, 1909 to Monte Attell at the Mission Street Arena in San Francisco. Reagan's primary manager was Jack Davis. During his career he fought Battling Nelson, Peanuts Sinclair, future lightweight champion Willie Ritchie, World Feather and Lightweight contender "Mexican Joe" Rivers and reigning lightweight champion Benny Leonard.
Jimmy Reagan was born on July 6, 1891. He was born of both Irish and Italian descent, with his father being Irish, and his mother Italian. He began fighting professionally around late 1907 in the Oakland, California area, and won all but two of his first nine fights in the following year, primarily in short four and six round bouts.
On July 16, 1908, in a rare early career loss he met the gifted Willie Ritchie at the Reliance Athletic Club in Oakland, California, and came up on the short end of a six round points decision. Ritchie was one of the most accomplished opponents Reagan would met in his early career and would hold the World Lightweight Title from 1912 to 1914.
He met Monte Attell for the first time on November 30, 1908 in an important fifteen round draw at the Dreamland Pavillion in Oakland.
On January 29, 1909, Reagan met Jimmy Walsh at the Dreamland Rink in San Francisco for a twelve round World Bantamweight Title match. According to the Oakland Tribune, "Reagan led in every one of the fifteen rounds with Walsh and was entitled to the verdict," though admitting the "title was a very close one."
Joe Woodman, Walsh's manager, admitted that Walsh had been beaten in eight of the twelve rounds, though it was a surprise to much of the audience who believed that Reagan had been overmatched with Walsh in the days before the fight. Walsh was considered to have a more clever boxing form and finesse, particularly in the early rounds, but Reagan was the aggressor, delivering more blows, and taking the initiative in the final rounds. Reagan was only eighteen at the time of his victory over Walsh and had fought in relatively few major professional bouts. Three days after taking the World Bantamweight Championship, he was signed to appear in a local Vaudeville House at a salary of $250 a week, an impressive sum for the era.
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