This fight is considered a Fake

Source Matt Donnellson The Irish Champion Peter Maher

1:48    ref: Charlie White

O'Donnell down 3 times
Referee White stopped the fight. Source NY Tribune.

"In the fifth O'Donnell went down twice, and the later was so clearly out of it that Choynski said to him 'stay down, stay down.' O'Donnell was unable to rise anyhow, and took his advice, and allowed himself to be counted out without attempting to rise. One more punch would have finished him if he had regained his feet. O'Donnell was badly beaten, both eyes being closed and lips cut." (Evening Star - Washington DC) UPDATE: The scene described here occurred in the 6th round, per Chicago Tribune but a wire report circulated across the continent stated it was the 5th round.

ref: George Mantz

Kilrain was knocked down by a series of rights and left and then a final right on the jaw, and Al Herford, who was Kilrain's second, threw up the sponge. Kilrain was said to weigh in the neighbourhood of 205lbs.

O'Donnell was bruised and bleeding when McCoy got through with him in the fifth round, but he was game and went on for the sixth. After two minutes and forty eight seconds of the round, McCoy, with several left and right hand swings to the jaw knocked him out. New York Times

ref: Jimmy Dime

O'Donnell had been down twice in the 4th round. Punched groggy, he fouled Conroy and was disqualified.

ref: Walter H Schlichter

Source: Philadelphia Record. O'Donnell scored the first knockdown only to have Maher put him down three times in the first round. O'Donnell finished the round by staggering Maher with a solid right on the head. In round three Maher brushed aside O'Donnell's straight left and knocked him down three more times before the referee decided Steve had had enough.

O'Donnell towered over Farrell, the former sparring partner of Bob Fitzsimmons.

O'Donnell was saved from a knockout by the final bell.

Source: The Philadelphia Record. Maher dropped O'Donnell twice in the first round but O'Donnell came on in the second and carried the middle rounds including the fourth when he dropped Maher hard. Maher came back to take the final round and had O'Donnell nearly out on the ropes when the bell sounded.

ref: Aleck Brown

O'Donnell was down for four seconds, and on getting up was quickly put out by a left to the chin. Official time 1:30, but John J. Quinn, who was keeping time for Maher, claimed it ended in only 27 seconds.

1:35    ref: Tim Hurst

The Sportsman

ref: Bernard John Angle

Sporting Life - Tuesday 21 April 1896 p 4. One report said Sullivan miscounted when he was knocked down in the tenth round.

1:03    ref: Tim Hurst

Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser (Dublin, Ireland), Thursday, November 21, 1895

ref: Martin Costello

The ring was pitched on a hardwood platform and the men wore five ounce gloves. O'Donnell was cautioned for hitting low in the fifth round. Woods went down from fatigue in the fourteenth round. In the final round O'Donnell inflicted heavy punishment and knocked Woods down but he was saved by the bell. The referee awarded the fight to O'Donnell.

1:18    ref: Tim Hurst

Acting on advice of local police, Referee Hurst ordered a halt after Kilrain staggered back to his feet.

ref: WA Brady

ref: Jess Brown

About this time sportswriters begin referring to 40-yr old Godfrey as Old George Godfrey.

Finish bout for a $2,500 purse.

ref: James Kennedy

ref: Harry Cansdell

Police intervened

O'Donnell undertook to stop Smithers in 8 rounds

ref: Jim Shannon

O'Donnell undertook to stop Barker in 8 rounds
Northern Miner, Charters Towers Wednesday 25 May 1892 p 3

ref: Jack Thompson

Referee, Sydney Thursday 19 April 1888 P 2. Part of a benefit for local boxer Charlie Dunn.

A finish fight
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate Wednesday 1 February 1888 p 5

"....Jackson gave a good scientific display with Steve O'Donnell."

This was an exhibition.

ref: Jack Thompson

Referee, Sydney Thursday 21 July 1887 P 4. "These two (Jackson & O'Donnell) with a few scientific sparring rounds, in which, it is needless to say, the champion had all the best, brought the show to a close."

ref: Jack Thompson

Dooley undertook to stop O'Donnell in 6 rds-failed and bout awared to O'Donnell
Referee, Sydney Thursday 9 June 1887 P 7

ref: Jack Thompson

Referee, Sydney Thursday 2 June 1887 P 7

The Sportsman

ref: Jack Thompson

Referee, Sydney Thursday 28 April 1887 P 7 This was an exhibition between Taylor a professional and an amateur. No purse was involved.

On March 30, Sydney time, Steve O'Donnell took part in a benefit for the widows and orphans of the victims of the Bulli Colliery Explosion at Foley's Athletic Hall. These were exhibitions.[The Referee]

The Sportsman

This was part of a benefit given to Peter Jackson for his winning the Australian championship and was an exhibition.

ref: Jack Thompson

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Mon 6 Sep 1886 Page 6

ref: Captain McDonald

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Thu 2 Sep 1886 Page 3

ref: Jack Thompson

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Mon 23 Aug 1886 Page 6

ref: Jack Thompson

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Mon 16 Aug 1886 Page 3

ref: Jack Thompson

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Mon 9 Aug 1886 Page 3

No evidence that this bout was fought. Not mentioned to local newspapers

ref: Jack Thompson

Evening News, Sydney Mon 12 Apr 1886 Page 3