The Legend of Jack Nonpareil Dempsey

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Boxing is awash with the names of great Irish boxers. Some go down in history for their amazing feats in the ring, others for what they do outside. Yet some boxers encapsulate a moment, a period in world history. One of those men was the legend that is Jack Nonpareil Dempsey. 

Early Life 

The word nonpareil means to be unmatched or without equal. From an early age, it was quite apparent that John Edward Kelly was just that. Born in 1862 in Curragh, County Kildare, competitive sports were around him from his early days as he grew up in what would later become the centre of Irish horse racing. Not a sports betting site on earth would be able to survive without the legacy this patch of Ireland has produced, not just for its illustrious horse racing history, but for birthing the first holder of the World Middleweight Champion.  

Little is known about his early days, except that he started as a collar and elbow wrestler, most likely working carnivals and fayres. He was part of a group of top-class fighters at the time known as the Three Jacks, including Jack McAuliffe and Jack Skelley. Most of his fights at this time were off-record bare-knuckle bouts with London Prize rules. As a result, his record of wins around this time is hazy at best, with many published not counting towards official records. 

Fight Record 

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Eventually, Jack emigrated to the USA where he would become one of the greatest boxers of the 1880s. His first 65 contests yielded only three losses. George La Blanche was his first loss, though he later beat him in a rematch. The other two were both to Billy Baker, though, in true Victorian-era fashion, they were rumoured to be fixed.  

On July 30th, 1884, he became the Middleweight Champion by defeating George Fulljames at Staten Island. He quickly became an icon to those in his adopted homeland. A slight man for a boxer, he showed that the speed, dexterity and athleticism of the sport were just as important as a strong swing. Fighting today, in the punditry and boxing betting he would have been compared to boxers like Chris Eubank Jnr and Liam Smith, spritely and quick. He would retain the title for six years.  

His title loss was to the also legendary Bob Fitzsimmons. Newspapers described the event as Dempsey being pummelled, with Fitzsimmons begging him to concede so he would not have to be hurt any longer. Dempsey refused and was eventually knocked out in the thirteenth round.  

Later Life and Record 

Dempsey recovered from a bout of tuberculosis, but it returned and was something that would kill him in 1895. His last bout was a loss to Tommy Ryan, where he was reported to be visibly weakened and ill from the affliction. Dempsey was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in the fifties and the International Hall of Fame in the nineties.  

As he was fighting in a bygone era, no footage exists of Dempsey in action, with only written accounts surviving. However, he will go down in Irish legend for taking the country’s pride abroad and pioneering a style that would influence the sport forever more.