Nipper Pat Daly


Nipper Pat Daly, real name Patrick Clifford Daley, was a British boxer who fought professionally between 1923 and 1931. He made his professional debut at the age of nine or 10, achieved widespread fame in his mid teens as British boxing's 'Wonderboy', then retired from pro boxing at age 17.
Renowned sportswriter Frank Butler heralded Daly 'the best young prospect we ever had'. He is probably the youngest boxer ever to make The Ring magazine's top-ten world ratings, and it is thought that he is also the youngest-ever professional boxer.

Early life

Born in Abercrave, Wales, he moved to Marylebone, London at the age of five, then moved again with his family to the Canadian mining town of Wayne, Alberta in 1920. Within two years the family returned to Marylebone, and shortly afterwards he started to take boxing lessons at the Marylebone Road gym of 'Professor' Andrew Newton, one of Britain's leading trainers of the day, who coached and managed Daly for most of his career.

Professional career

Early pro debut

Daly's natural aptitude for the sport, combined with Professor Newton's coaching, saw his boxing skill develop at an astonishing rate; so much so that he was entered into his first professional fight at the age of just nine or 10. During the next few years he amassed a long string of victories, fighting at small venues in and around London, often conceding age, height and weight to opponents.
In June 1927, though aged only 14, Daly served as a sparring partner to the reigning world middleweight champion Mickey Walker, who was in London preparing for a world-title defence against Scotland's Tommy Milligan. Walker and his manager, Jack 'Doc' Kearns, were said to be astounded by the young boxer's talent.
Daly fought his first 15-round contest in October 1927, and boxed often over that distance throughout the remainder of his career. By the end of 1927, Britain's boxing trade paper Boxing was tipping him as a likely future world champion.

Top flyweight contender at age 15

During 1928 he fought 25 times, defeating many of Britain's leading flyweights, plus the reigning flyweight champion of Italy, Giovanni Sili. A points win over top British flyweight title contender Bert Kirby, put Daly in line for a shot at the title, then held by Leith's Johnny Hill. But by late 1928 Daly had outgrown the flyweight class and did not get a title shot. By early 1929 he had moved up to bantamweight.

World ranked at age 16

1929 proved to be Daly's busiest year as a boxer: he had 33 contests, of which he won 29, lost 3 and drew 1. Among his fights were victories over some of Europe's best bantamweight and featherweight boxers, including the reigning Belgian bantamweight champion Petit Biquet, recently dethroned British bantamweight champion Alf "Kid" Pattenden, future British bantamweight champion Dick Corbett, former Olympian and ABA bantamweight champion Jack Garland, and German flyweight and bantamweight champion Karl Schulze. There were widespread calls within the press for Daly to be allowed to fight for the British bantamweight title, then held by Teddy Baldock, but a recently introduced BBB of C regulation prevented boxers aged under 21 from contesting British titles.
In its September 1929 issue, The Ring magazine ranked Nipper Pat Daly at number 10 in the world at bantamweight – he was then aged just 16. Shortly afterwards, the veteran boxing impresario Tom O'Rourke offered to bring him to the USA for a series of fights, with the aim of entering him in a world title fight against the newly crowned world featherweight champion Battling Battalino. But Daly's manager, who had signed him under a strict contract, refused to let him go to the States.
On 9 October 1929, he fought the reigning British featherweight champion, Johnny Cuthbert, over 12 three-minute rounds, but suffered weight-making trouble in the run-up to the fight. According to newspaper reports, Daly outboxed the champion and was leading on points when knocked out in the eighth round.

Retirement from boxing at age 17

By early 1930, Daly had moved into the lightweight division, and in March that year, in an article headed 'England's future champions', the Daily Express picked him as the country's most likely future world boxing champion.
On 20 April 1930, he fought future British featherweight champion and world-title challenger Seaman Tommy Watson, but again had weight-making difficulty in the run-up to the fight. Despite outboxing Watson for much of the contest, Daly was stopped in the 11th round, after being knocked down several times. He suffered concussion as a result of the fight and was unable to walk properly for several weeks. On 5 June 1930, he was hastily entered into a contest with Trealaw's Nobby Baker while still suffering from concussion and was stopped in the 13th round.
After a four-month break from boxing, Daly tried to make a comeback. He had nine further contests: winning seven, losing one and drawing one. But the caliber of these opponents was far beneath the class of the men he had met previously, and press reports were unanimous in the assertion that his form had deteriorated markedly. It was widely held that, under his manager's direction, he had paid the price for having too many contests at too high a level, at too young an age. Realising, as he put it, that he would 'never be a world champion now' he decided to retire from boxing. He had his last fight on 27 January 1931 – exactly three weeks before his 18th birthday.

Boxing style

Daly was renowned for his hard, fast, accurate straight left, his quick, clever footwork, punching variety, ring intelligence and all-round boxing skill, coupled with a mastery of in-fighting as well as long-range boxing. He had an attacking style that entertained the crowds, but he tempered this with exceptional defensive skills. As a growing teenager predominantly fighting full-grown men he was not noted as a knockout puncher.

Later years

After retiring, Daly stayed involved with boxing and for much of his life served as a trainer during his spare time. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he ran a gym at New North Road in Shoreditch, from where he trained amateur boxers and also managed and trained a few professionals.
In the 1980s, he retired to Hastings, East Sussex, where he died on 25 September 1988.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateAgeLocationNotes
119Win99–11–8 Harry JenkinsRTD4 Jan 27, 1931Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
118Win98–11–8 Tom HandleyPTS12Jan 6, 1931Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
117Win97–11–8 Andre BeghinTKO4 Dec 28, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
116Win96–11–8 Albert RyallTKO4 Dec 23, 1930Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
115Win95–11–8 Johnny AllenTKO4 Dec 7, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
114Win94–11–8 Dave DanaharTKO9 Dec 2, 1930Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
113Win93–11–8 Jimmy LawsKO3 Nov 23, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
112Draw92–11–8 Fred GreenPTS12Nov 18, 1930Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
111Loss92–11–7 Tom BanksPTS6Oct 28, 1930Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
110Loss92–10–7 Nobby BakerTKO13 Jun 5, 1930Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
109Loss92–9–7 Tommy WatsonTKO11 Apr 20, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
108Win92–8–7 Albert BaudaertPTS8Apr 3, 1930Holborn Stadium Club, Holborn, London, England
107Win91–8–7 Len GeorgePTS8Apr 1, 1930Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
106Win90–8–7 Auguste GydePTS15Mar 26, 1930Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
105Win89–8–7 Jack SheppardTKO12 Mar 21, 1930Civic Hall, Exeter, Devon, England
104Win88–8–7 Jim BrileyTKO6 Mar 9, 1930Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
103Win87–8–7 Charlie MackPTS15Mar 2, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
102Win86–8–7 Jack SheppardPTS15Feb 21, 1930Civic Hall, Exeter, Devon, England
101Draw85–8–7 Charlie MackPTS15Jan 27, 1930Victoria Baths, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
100Win85–8–6 Jack WrightDQ6 Jan 19, 1930Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
99Win84–8–6 Jim BrileyPTS15Nov 24, 1929Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
98Win83–8–6 Johnny EdmundsKO2 Nov 17, 1929Collins's Music Hall, Islington, London, England
97Win82–8–6 Ted CullenDQ4 Nov 11, 1929Victoria Baths, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
96Win81–8–6 Harry Kid BerryPTS15Nov 6, 1929National Sporting Club, Holborn, London, England
95Loss80–8–6 Jim AshleyTKO3 Oct 31, 1929Ilford Skating Rink, Ilford, Essex, England
94Win80–7–6 Jack MillardTKO8 Oct 23, 1929Paddington Baths, Paddington, London, England
93Loss79–7–6 Johnny CuthbertKO8 Oct 9, 1929Holborn Stadium Club, Holborn, London, England
92Win79–6–6 Arques TrevesKO2 Oct 3, 1929Ilford Skating Rink, Ilford, Essex, England
91Win78–6–6 Billy CainRTD7 Sep 15, 1929West Bromwich Rink Athletic Club, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England
90Win77–6–6 Lew PinkusPTS15Sep 8, 1929Collins Music Hall, Islington, London, England
89Win76–6–6 Con LewisRTD7 Sep 1, 1929Vale Hall, Kilburn, London, England
88Win75–6–6 Karl SchulzeKO5 Aug 23, 1929Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Berlin, Weimar Republic
87Win74–6–6 Jack GarlandPTS12Aug 11, 1929Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
86Win73–6–6 Tommy RoseKO3 Aug 5, 1929Blackpool Football Ground, Blackpool, Lancashire, England
85Win72–6–6 Alf PattendenPTS15Jul 7, 1929Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
84Win71–6–6 Jack GarlandPTS8Jun 21, 1929Clapton Stadium, Clapton, London, England
83Draw70–6–6 Jim CrawfordPTS15Jun 13, 1929Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
82Loss70–6–5 Douglas ParkerKO1 Jun 8, 1929Holmeside Stadium, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
81Win70–5–5 Jim CrawfordPTS15May 23, 1929Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
80Win69–5–5 Joe GreenwoodTKO8 May 18, 1929Holmeside Stadium, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
79Win68–5–5 Kid SocksPTS15May 12, 1929Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
78Win67–5–5 Dick CorbettPTS10May 2, 1929Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, England
77Win66–5–5 Packey McFarlandPTS15Apr 12, 1929Connaught Drill Hall, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
76Win65–5–5 Arthur Young AdkinsPTS15Apr 8, 1929Victoria Baths, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
75Win64–5–5 Nicolas Petit BiquetPTS10Mar 21, 1929Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, England
74Win63–5–5 Tommy BrownTKO12 Mar 9, 1929Holmeside Stadium, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
73Win62–5–5 Archie WoodbineTKO5 Mar 1, 1929Connaught Drill Hall, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
72Win61–5–5 Billy BoulgerPTS15Feb 24, 1929Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
71Win60–5–5 Jimmy RowbothamPTS12Feb 17, 1929Palais de Dance Athletic Club, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England
70Win59–5–5 Billy SmithPTS15Jan 26, 1929Holmeside Stadium, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
69Win58–5–5 Jimmy RowbothamPTS15Jan 14, 1929Alcazar, Edmonton, London, England
68Win57–5–5 Arthur BoddingtonPTS10Jan 9, 1929National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England
67Win56–5–5 Willi MetznerDQ2 Jan 7, 1929Rheinlandhalle, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Weimar Republic
66Win55–5–5 Tiny SmithPTS15Dec 22, 1928Holmeside Stadium, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
65Win54–5–5 Bert KirbyPTS12Dec 17, 1928Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, West Midlands, England
64Win53–5–5 Young Dick McManusPTS15Dec 11, 1928Promenade Pier, Plymouth, Devon, England
63Win52–5–5 George GarrardPTS8Dec 6, 1928Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, England
62Win51–5–5 Johnny Young MurtonDQ5 Nov 26, 1928Alcazar, Edmonton, London, EnglandLow blow disqualification
61Win50–5–5 Frank KestrellTKO12 Nov 8, 1928The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London, England
60Win49–5–5 Jack ConnellTKO9 Nov 4, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
59Win48–5–5 Billy YatesTKO7 Oct 21, 1928Manor Hall, Hackney, London, England
58Win47–5–5 Ludwig MinowPTS6Sep 30, 1928Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Weimar Republic
57Loss46–5–5 Dod OldfieldPTS15Jun 21, 1928Ilford Skating Rink, Ilford, Essex, England
56Win46–4–5 Kid RichPTS15Jun 7, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
55Win45–4–5 Giovanni SiliPTS10May 18, 1928National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England
54Loss44–4–5 Young SikiRTD4 Apr 29, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
53Draw44–3–5 Lud AbellaPTS15Apr 1, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
52Win44–3–4 Jimmy LindsayPTS15Mar 28, 1928Fulham Baths, Fulham, London, England
51Win43–3–4 Tommy BrownPTS12Mar 19, 1928King Street Drill Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
50Win42–3–4 Lud AbellaPTS15Mar 15, 1928Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
4941–3–4 Mark LesnickNC11 Mar 11, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
48Win41–3–4Johnny SummersPTS15Mar 5, 1928Armoury, Stockport, Cheshire, England
47Win40–3–4Harry YatesPTS10Feb 19, 1928National Sporting Club, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
46Win39–3–4Kid RichPTS12Feb 5, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
45Win38–3–4Fred BromleyPTS12Jan 29, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
44Win37–3–4Kid RichPTS12Jan 16, 1928Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
43Win36–3–4Johnny SummersPTS12Jan 6, 1928Marathon Stadium, Preston, Lancashire, England
42Win35–3–4Walter SharpeTKO6 Jan 2, 1928Victoria Baths, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
41Win34–3–4Jimmy ThorntonDQ6 Dec 29, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, EnglandThornton disqualified for repeated holding
40Win33–3–4Ginger JohnsonPTS10Dec 19, 1927Corn Exchange, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England
39Win32–3–4Alf Young ThornhillPTS15Nov 28, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
38Win31–3–4Tom FitzsimmonsPTS10Nov 21, 1927Victoria Baths, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
37Win30–3–4Dickie InklesPTS15Nov 10, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
36Win29–3–4Jack EllisPTS15Oct 31, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
35Win28–3–4Jack GloverPTS15Oct 17, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
34Draw27–3–4Jack EllisPTS15Oct 3, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
33Win27–3–3Alf GudgePTS10Jul 21, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
32Win26–3–3Tom Tank FowlerPTS10Jul 10, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
31Win25–3–3Charlie RowbothamTKO5 Jul 3, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
30Win24–3–3Johnny SilverPTS10Jun 16, 1927Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
29Win23–3–3Taff SharpeKO4 May 2, 1927The Alcazar, Edmonton, London, England
28Win22–3–3Taff SharpeRTD3 Feb 2, 1927Pembroke Garage Club, Hyde Park Corner, London, England
27Win21–3–3George BrownPTS8Dec 2, 1926Pembroke Garage Club, Hyde Park Corner, London, England
26Win20–3–3Johnny SummersPTS6Nov 8, 1926National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England
25Loss19–3–3Moe MizlerTKO5 Apr 15, 1926Premierland, Whitechapel, London, EnglandHead-on collision during the fifth round, Nipper
sustained a very nasty cut over the eyes
24Loss19–2–3Boyce DearyDQ8 Feb 15, 1926Premierland, Whitechapel, London, EnglandDaly disqualified for a 'low punch', which was obviously accidental
23Win19–1–3George BrownPTS6Feb 14, 1926Winter Gardens, Peckham, London, England
22Draw18–1–3Teddy TompkinsPTS10Jan 25, 1926British Legion, Pimlico, London, England
21Win18–1–2Johnny QuillPTS10Jan 10, 1926Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
20Win17–1–2Sid RaiteriPTS6Jan 1, 1926Winter Gardens, Peckham, London, EnglandDay and month unknown
19Win16–1–2Teddy TompkinsPTS6Dec 17, 1925British Legion, Pimlico, London, England
18Win15–1–2Charlie MackPTS6Nov 18, 1925National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England
17Draw14–1–2Jim HockingPTS6Nov 4, 1925National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London, England
16Win14–1–1Charlie MackPTS6Nov 2, 1925Ilford Skating Rink, Ilford, Essex, England
15Win13–1–1Charlie MackPTS10Nov 1, 1925Winter Gardens, Peckham, London, England
14Win12–1–1Johnny SummersPTS8Oct 4, 1925Manor Hall, Hackney, London, England
13Win11–1–1Jim HockingPTS6Sep 3, 1925Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
12Win10–1–1Charlie MackPTS6Aug 3, 1925Prestwood, Buckinghamshire, England
11Loss9–1–1Billy BoulgerPTS6Jul 30, 1925Premierland, Whitechapel, London, England
10Win9–0–1Young KingKO1 Jul 11, 1925N/ABecontree, London, EnglandDate uncertain
9Win8–0–1Young DearyPTS6Mar 1, 1925N/ACentral Hall, Canning Town, London, EnglandExact date unknown
8Win7–0–1Young BrooksPTS6Nov 30, 1924Manor Hall, Hackney, London, England
7Win6–0–1Johnny SummersPTS6Oct 6, 1924Town Hall, Sidcup, Kent, England
6Win5–0–1Johnny SummersPTS6Oct 5, 1924Manor Hall, Hackney, London, England
5Win4–0–1Johnny SummersPTS6Oct 5, 1924Winter Gardens, Peckham, London, England
4Win3–0–1Young SmockPTS6Sep 1, 1924N/AWinter Gardens, Peckham, London, EnglandExact date unknown
3Draw2–0–1Ernest MorrisPTS3Aug 4, 1924Prestwood, Buckinghamshire, England
2Win2–0John BrentPTS6Jan 1, 1924N/AEuston, London, EnglandDay and month unknown
1Win1–0George BrownPTS4Jan 1, 1923N/AMarylebone, London, EnglandDay and month unknown