Pat O’Keeffe was a British boxer born in 1883 and active professionally from 1902 to 1918. He won the British middleweight title twice and fought in the United States and Australia between 1907 and 1910. In 1914, he challenged Georges Carpentier for what was billed as the European heavyweight championship, but he was knocked out in two rounds. During World War I, he served in the British Army with the 1st Surrey Rifles, doing recruiting work and physical training. In 1918, he won the Lonsdale Belt outright during a fight at the National Sporting Club in London during a German air raid, becoming the first middleweight to hold it outright. After retiring, he became a publican and trainer and took on a role with the NSC-linked British Boxing Board of Control. Pat O’Keeffe was born in Bromley-by-Bow on 17 March 1883 and, by the 1891 and 1901 censuses, was living in West Ham with Irish-born parents; his father worked as a general labourer, and Pat later worked as a labourer at the gas works. Though he was raised in England, he saw himself as Irish, saying in a 1907 interview that despite English upbringings he and other fighters had no English blood. He began boxing as an amateur for the Canning Town Athletic Club in 1901 and turned professional in 1902, in an area where boxing was especially popular and well supported by local clubs. O'Keeffe’s first recorded pro fight was in September 1902, when he beat Fred Lewis over six rounds. He soon won more bouts, including two against Jack Palmer, and in 1903 proved himself in welterweight competition before moving up. In early 1904 he reached the second round of a 10-st tournament but was eliminated before the final. By 1906, after fighting many top middleweight contenders, O'Keeffe won the English middleweight title from Mike Crawley over fifteen rounds, starting his first reign as champion. He defended the belt against Charlie Allum with a sixth-round knockout, but then lost it to Tom Thomas on points. A year later in Paris, he knocked out Allum again, winning a bout billed as the French middleweight championship. After losing his middleweight title, Pat O’Keeffe fought in the US and Australia, where he was praised for his reach, endurance, and strong right hand. In late 1907 he drew with middleweight champion Billy Papke and then lost to welterweight champion Harry Lewis; he later returned to England suffering from malaria. In Australia he toured with world heavyweight champion Tommy Burns, had several rough matches (including a chaotic, disorderly bout in Melbourne), and fought again against Sam Keenan and Harry Williams, before admitting he felt his performances were affected by having to train Burns alongside himself. After returning to boxing in England in 1911, O’Keeffe initially struggled, but then won several fights in 1911–1913, including two wins over Frank Mantell. He later moved up to challenge for heavyweight titles, but was knocked out by Billy Wells and Georges Carpentier, before winning and defending the British middleweight championship. From 1915 to 1916, O’Keeffe continued fighting top opponents and beat Joe Beckett and Bandsman Blake, though he later lost his middleweight title and Lonsdale Belt in a tough rematch with Blake. His final bout was in January 1918 during a heavy air raid, after which he won the Lonsdale Belt outright and retired to focus on charity and family life.

Featured Article Quiz #225