Thomas William McNeeley Jr. (February 27, 1937 – October 25, 2011) was a heavyweight boxer in the 1950s and 1960s. He came from Arlington, Massachusetts, and played football for Michigan State University. His son, Peter McNeeley, and father, Tom McNeeley Sr., were also boxers.

Career edit

Tom McNeeley had his first professional bout at the Norwood Stockcar Arena July 17, 1958. On December 4, 1961, McNeeley challenged Floyd Patterson for the world heavyweight championship, McNeeley's most famous bout. McNeeley was on the November 13, 1961, cover of Sports Illustrated. He later served eight years as the boxing commissioner of the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission.[citation needed]

Death edit

McNeeley died on October 25, 2011, at the age of 74 of complications from a seizure.[1][2][3]

Professional boxing record edit

37 Wins (28 knockouts, 8 decisions, 1 DQ), 14 Losses (5 knockouts, 8 decisions, 1 DQ)[1]
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 20–19–1   Curtis Bruce MD 10 14/06/1966   Four Seasons Arena, Walpole, Massachusetts
Loss 2–2   Boston Jacobs PTS 10 24/03/1966   Portland Exposition Building, Portland, Maine
Win 3–1   Jean-Claude Roy SD 10 08/03/1966   Lewiston City Hall, Lewiston, Maine
Win 7–2   Dick Greatorex TKO 7 12/02/1966   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:00 of the seventh round.
Win 18–3–1   Marion Connor TKO 9 13/12/1965   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:10 of the ninth round.
Loss 17–3–1   Marion Connor UD 12 15/10/1965   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts New England Heavyweight Title.
Loss 35–1–1   José Torres UD 10 31/07/1965   Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Loss 13–2   James J Beattie KO 5 27/03/1965   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts McNeeley knocked out at 2:50 of the fifth round.
Win 18–1   Arnie Brower TKO 10 13/02/1965   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:20 of the tenth round.
Loss 21–2   Thad Spencer KO 5 09/11/1964   Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California McNeeley knocked out at 1:39 of the fifth round.
Win 27–9–2   Hal Carter KO 5 13/10/1964   Woodhouse Arenatorium, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Loss 5–0   Oscar Bonavena TKO 5 21/08/1964   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Win 13–5–1   Leslie Borden KO 4 16/07/1964   Burlington, Vermont
Win 23–8   Don Quinn TKO 4 25/04/1964   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Loss 22–4–1   Doug Jones TKO 5 03/02/1964   New York Coliseum, New York City, New York
Win 17–14–2   Duke Sabedong UD 10 09/12/1963   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 16–13–1   Duke Sabedong DQ 2 14/10/1963   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts Sabedong disqualified at 1:55 of the second round for a low blow.
Win 8–18–2   Earl Atley TKO 2 16/09/1963   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts Referee stopped the bout at 2:01 of the second round.
Win 19–2–1   Bill Nielsen TKO 8 17/06/1963   Omaha Civic Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska
Loss 27–9   Brian London PTS 10 29/01/1963   London Olympia, London
Loss 34–4–1   Bob Cleroux SD 10 14/12/1962   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 9–9   Billy Tisdale TKO 7 15/11/1962   Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts Referee stopped the bout at 2:43 of the seventh round.
Win 8–15–2   Earl Atley TKO 8 01/11/1962   Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts Referee stopped the bout at 1:55 of the eighth round.
Loss 16–5–1   Don McAteer DQ 6 08/06/1962   Celtic Hall, Totowa, New Jersey
Loss 53–10–6   Willie Pastrano UD 10 01/05/1962   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 19–3   Don Prout UD 10 16/03/1962   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Loss 17–3   Don Prout SD 10 22/01/1962   Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island
Loss 37–2   Floyd Patterson KO 4 04/12/1961   Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario World Heavyweight Title. McNeeley knocked out at 2:51 of the fourth round. Jersey Joe Walcott refereed the bout.
Win 49–17–2   Kitione Lave TKO 3 21/03/1961   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 15–3–1   George Logan UD 10 20/12/1960   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Rocky Marciano refereed the bout.
Win 15–2–1   George Logan MD 10 15/11/1960   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 6–12–3   Jim Wyley TKO 3 17/10/1960   Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island
Win 20–3–4   Ulli Ritter TKO 8 16/05/1960   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts Referee stopped the bout at 2:52 of the eighth round.
Win 15–8–1   Tunney Hunsaker TKO 9 12/04/1960   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts Referee stopped the bout at 1:30 of the ninth round.
Win 42–19–7   Willi Besmanoff PTS 10 14/03/1960   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 12–1–1   George Logan TKO 4 01/01/1960   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Referee stopped the bout at 3:00 of the fourth round.
Win 3–10   Louis Jones TKO 4 27/11/1959   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Referee stopped the bout at 0:19 of the fourth round.
Win 3–8   Louis Jones UD 6 31/07/1959   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Win 10–3–1   Cardell Farmos KO 3 27/06/1959   Hill Arena, West Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Win 0–1   Jeff Holmes KO 2 25/05/1959   Arcadia Ballroom, Providence, Rhode Island
Win 3–2   Charlie Lopes KO 1 02/05/1959   Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Win --   Leo Pinto KO 2 21/04/1959   Woodrow Wilson Hall, New Bedford, Massachusetts
Win 2–18–1   Joe Louis Brown KO 2 17/03/1959   Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Brown knocked out at 1:38 of the second round.
Win 12–5   Art Mayorga KO 3 30/01/1959   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Win 7–0   Bobby Halpern PTS 4 19/12/1958   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Win 6–0   Mossie Walker KO 1 28/11/1958   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Walker knocked out at 0:55 of the first round.
Win 5-0   Eddie Allen KO 3 17/10/1958   Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Allen knocked out at 1:17 of the third round.
Win 4-0 Eddie Walker KO 1 06/10/1958   Mechanics Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 3-0 Temple Jones KO 3 14/08/1958   Mark's Stadium, Fall River, Massachusetts
Win 2–0   Bob Harris KO 5 04/08/1958   Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
Win 1–0   Richie Norden KO 2 17/07/1958   Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts Norden knocked out at 2:00 of the second round.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Weber, Bruce (October 31, 2011). "Tom McNeeley, Contender For Heavyweight Title, Dies at 74". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Tom McNeeley Jr. Dies At 74 – ESPN Video – ESPN". Espn.go.com. October 27, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  3. ^ "CANOE – SLAM! Sports – Fighting – Boxing: Boxer McNeeley dead at 74". Slam.canoe.ca. October 27, 2011. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

External links edit