Bert McCarthy AKA Young Kelly Early In Career?

[Chuck1052]

Bert McCarthy, a featherweight champion of Australia, was active as a professional boxer from the 1910s to the early 1930s. I first learned about McCarthy when reading that he had two bouts that resulted in boxers dying shortly afterwards. In the first bout which took place on July 2, 1921 in Melbourne, Australia, Dencio Cabanela, the most highly regarded Filipino fighter of his day, was stopped by McCarthy in the 13th round, resulting in Cabanela dying the next day. It appears that Cabanela was suffering from headaches even before his bout with Engene Criqui, which took place on March 19, 1921 in Sydney, Australia. In the second bout which took place on July 4, 1931 in Melbourne, McCarthy was knocked out by Alby Roberts in the 13th round, resulting in McCarthy dying two days later.

According to an article about his career in an Australian newspaper, McCarthy fought as "Young Kelly" early in his boxing career. While looking at Australian newspapers, I did find a boxer named Young Kelly who was fighting in three-round bouts in the Melbourne area as early as 1916. I do not know if the three-round bouts were amateur or professional ones, but it appears that he was fighting on the same cards as known professional fighters at times.

McCarthy's real name was listed as Albert Edward McCarthy in a fairly detailed news item about his funeral. It was reported that about one thousand people were present when he was interred in the Catholic section of the Fawkner Cemetery in Melbourne.

According to one news item, McCarthy was 33 years old when he died, which means he would have been born during 1897 or 1898. Yet his record on BoxRec list him as being born during 1892. When I myself am making a guess when fighters were born, I keep in mind that a large majority of them were about 18 years old when their first professional bouts took place. As a result, I think it is more likely that he was born during 1897 or 1898 than during 1892.

- Chuck Johnston

[AntonS]

I gather you prefer your own topics, instead of OZ Boxers of the past - Discussion pinned at top of this forum?

[Chuck1052]

AntonS- After thinking about it, I concluded that you made a good suggestion. I will take it at heart from now on.

- Chuck Johnston

[AntonS]

Cheers! I was hoping you wouldn't be upset by my comment. Posting here would slowly and surely float into subsequent pages, where recommended will stick around forever.
Given current posts & views, I might consider Part II
Feel free to post photos, which I'll upload onto their profile.....providing they don't already exist