Bill Doherty
Name: Bill Doherty
Alias: Coolgardie Cyclone
Birth Name: William John Doherty
Hometown: Footscray, Victoria, Australia
Birthplace: Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died: 1952-07-22 (Age:84)
Height: 177cm
Reach: 183cm
Referee: Record
Pro Boxer: Record
Bill Doherty was born in Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on February 3rd 1868. He started his pugilistic career in 1885. His early record is sketchy, but he did win a Middleweight tournament in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray in the 1880’s. His first major victory was when he defeated Bill Jennings in Melbourne, for the Australian Middleweight title in 1895.
In 1896 he travelled to South Africa for a series of four bouts. While there he defeated George Cooper (WKO 1), Bill Hefferenan (WKO 18) and Tom Duggan (WKO 5). In the fourth fight he lost to the American Kid McCoy by 9th round knockout.
After one abortive attempt to win the Australian Heavyweight title (LKO 7 to Mick Dooley) in 1898, he finally won it by 6th round knockout over Dooley in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on 5th February 1899. Over the next four years Doherty, Dooley, Tut Ryan and Peter Felix swapped the heavyweight title between them. He fought Dooley 7 times for 5 wins (5 KO) and 2 losses, Ryan 4 times for 3 wins (2 KO) and 1 loss and Felix 6 times for 3 wins (1 KO), 2 draws and 1 loss. Other big names he fought were Dan Creedon (LKO 5), Jim Scanlon (L15) and Billy McColl (LKO 4). Doherty retired after losing twice to the English and South African Heavyweight Champion Mike Williams (KO by 3 and KO by 4) in 1904 when he was 36 years old.
After he retired, Doherty wrote the book ”In The Days Of The Giants” which was about the fight game in his era and also about his own career. Bill Doherty passed away in Fremantle, Western Australia July 22nd 1952 aged 84 years old.
? Incomplete record: 53 fights, 35 wins (28 KO), 14 Losses (8 KO by), 4 Draws.
Reference sources
- Bill Doherty, champion, Feb 5, 1899 / Charles Millington Nixon - held and digitised as part of the Arnold Thomas boxing collection by the National Library of Australia