McGrain
10-24-2009, 06:50 AM
This guy met McAuliffe twice, "Iron Man" Mike Daly, Sam Blakelock, Andy Bowen and Billy Myer in that stacked lightweight division.
Carroll was an Englishman who fought numerous battles on home shores before embarking for America, and according to former American Lightweight champ Billy Edwards, he won them all (the closest thing I can find to a source on his battles at home). Arriving in America, he ran up agianst tougher opposition immediatly, fighting a tough draw with Billy Frazier in March of 1878. Over the next twenty years, Carroll would meet some of the best a stacked era had to offer. He was a force in the the early 1890's in spite of his activity and longevity. Here is a short account of his 1890 twenty-first round KO of Andy Bowen, who holds a win over Tommy Ryan and Billy Myer. This fight came about, in part, because Carroll was in the area to second for one Bob Fitzsimmons, in his fight with Upham.
"The ring was pitched on river-sand with a 30 foot square inclosure, within which was marked of as neat a 24-foot ring as was ever seen...Captain Barrett and the police insisted on 5-ounce gloves.
Round One: Carroll feinted and Bowen backed. Bowen landed a light left on Carroll's shoulder and followed it with a right to the jaw. Bowen seemed cool and at least to be even with the Londoner and Fransiscan."
Carroll seemed to love feinting. I've seen some RBR's where a punch isn't landed all round because he has tied his man up in knots with feints. He seemed to enjoy the advantage in space, and also seemed keen to set up traps later in the fight with excessive feinting early.
Bowen won round two with stalking pressure, but Carroll took round three, after counter-punching his way out of trouble and hurting his man. It's a livlier start than most Carroll contests seemed to be, typified by round four:
"Carroll feinted and hit Bowen some hard cracks on the neck. Carroll landed an awful blow on Bowen's chin, but a moment later got the same back, Bowen smashed Carroll square on the nose. It was Carroll's round by a small margin.
Round Five: Carroll landed a terrible upercut on Bowen's neck (!) and sent him reeling across the ring...[then] Bowen had Carroll groggy with stomach punches. Both men were groggy when time was called. Carroll got the best of this round.
Round Six: Bowen knocked Carroll down with a right hand smash, and then staggered him [when Carroll] got up...both seemed very tired."
This violent pattern continued through round 14 with Carroll leading and feinting to force leads and Bowen mainly targeting the gut and ribs of his man, Carroll generally winning rounds but some declared even.
"Round Fifteen: Bowen landed on Carroll's stomach, and Carroll knocked Bowen down with a right hand. Bowen was groggy, but Carroll was weak, and could not knock out his man. Bowen knocked Carroll down with a terrible right, Bowen took terrible punishment, reeling all over the ring.
Round Sixteen: Bowen was weak and Carroll came to finish him...Bowen held and punished Carroll's body, Carroll landed on Bowen's neck.
Round Seventeen: Bowen took a stomach punch and staggered. Bowen took a stomach punch and bled. Carroll was now on top.
Round Eighteen: Carroll crowded Bowen and hit him on the forehad. Bowen hit Carroll on the eye and opened it. Carroll landed a body blow and Carroll winced. Carroll hit Bowen on the neck with his forearm, and Bowen staggered, then on the nose and Bowen fell. Only time saved him.
Round Nineteen: Carroll hit Bowen on the chin but got it terrible on the nose. Bowen recieved a terrible butt on the eye, Carroll was merciless. He hit Bowen on the cheek and staggered him; Bowen smiled and seeed sick. He was weak but game.
Round Twenty: Bowen was game and delayed the knockout. A foul was claimed and Carroll apologised and they shock hands.
Round Twenty-One: Carroll forced Bowen to lead and he missed. Carroll landed a right and left and Bowen fell. He got up but fell again, and was counted out.
Sounds like some fight. KD's on both sides, a fast pace and some skill on show by the sounds. The KO reads like a picture perfect counter-knock out, although it's obviously hard to be certain. I think this RBR, which comes fro the St.Paul Daily Globe gives a very decent impression of the breadth of Carroll's skill. He is a dirty fighter but seems to have been a very fine general. He is a stalking fighter but a counter-puncher. He is durable and can hit. Most impressive, this is the man's third decade of ring war and he has the stamina and conditioning to pull this type of win out against a an who is clear as game as they come and also had mixed it at a high level. A very impressive win so late in a busy career. The St.Paul Daily Globe's summary:
"Bowen's gameness was applauded to the echo. Bowen was terribly punished but had no complaint to make. He did the best he could. He had a horrible right eye and his mouth was swollen and bleeding....Carroll was trained for the fight by the New Zealand wonder, Bob Fitzsimmons."
I'm reading loads about this guy just now so I will kick up more later, but I'm going to post this now because i've overtyped by about 800 words and don't want to lose it all in some mad internet accident. Carroll seems a bit of a wonder to me, massive longevity in an era that didn't tend to lend itself to such things, and some seriously good wins under his belt. He tended to fail at the very highest level, as we'll see, but I don't think there is any shame in the losses he receieved, and they are certainly outweighed by the many great wins and the draws with guys like McAuliffe, who really was a man apart.
Thoughts?
Carroll was an Englishman who fought numerous battles on home shores before embarking for America, and according to former American Lightweight champ Billy Edwards, he won them all (the closest thing I can find to a source on his battles at home). Arriving in America, he ran up agianst tougher opposition immediatly, fighting a tough draw with Billy Frazier in March of 1878. Over the next twenty years, Carroll would meet some of the best a stacked era had to offer. He was a force in the the early 1890's in spite of his activity and longevity. Here is a short account of his 1890 twenty-first round KO of Andy Bowen, who holds a win over Tommy Ryan and Billy Myer. This fight came about, in part, because Carroll was in the area to second for one Bob Fitzsimmons, in his fight with Upham.
"The ring was pitched on river-sand with a 30 foot square inclosure, within which was marked of as neat a 24-foot ring as was ever seen...Captain Barrett and the police insisted on 5-ounce gloves.
Round One: Carroll feinted and Bowen backed. Bowen landed a light left on Carroll's shoulder and followed it with a right to the jaw. Bowen seemed cool and at least to be even with the Londoner and Fransiscan."
Carroll seemed to love feinting. I've seen some RBR's where a punch isn't landed all round because he has tied his man up in knots with feints. He seemed to enjoy the advantage in space, and also seemed keen to set up traps later in the fight with excessive feinting early.
Bowen won round two with stalking pressure, but Carroll took round three, after counter-punching his way out of trouble and hurting his man. It's a livlier start than most Carroll contests seemed to be, typified by round four:
"Carroll feinted and hit Bowen some hard cracks on the neck. Carroll landed an awful blow on Bowen's chin, but a moment later got the same back, Bowen smashed Carroll square on the nose. It was Carroll's round by a small margin.
Round Five: Carroll landed a terrible upercut on Bowen's neck (!) and sent him reeling across the ring...[then] Bowen had Carroll groggy with stomach punches. Both men were groggy when time was called. Carroll got the best of this round.
Round Six: Bowen knocked Carroll down with a right hand smash, and then staggered him [when Carroll] got up...both seemed very tired."
This violent pattern continued through round 14 with Carroll leading and feinting to force leads and Bowen mainly targeting the gut and ribs of his man, Carroll generally winning rounds but some declared even.
"Round Fifteen: Bowen landed on Carroll's stomach, and Carroll knocked Bowen down with a right hand. Bowen was groggy, but Carroll was weak, and could not knock out his man. Bowen knocked Carroll down with a terrible right, Bowen took terrible punishment, reeling all over the ring.
Round Sixteen: Bowen was weak and Carroll came to finish him...Bowen held and punished Carroll's body, Carroll landed on Bowen's neck.
Round Seventeen: Bowen took a stomach punch and staggered. Bowen took a stomach punch and bled. Carroll was now on top.
Round Eighteen: Carroll crowded Bowen and hit him on the forehad. Bowen hit Carroll on the eye and opened it. Carroll landed a body blow and Carroll winced. Carroll hit Bowen on the neck with his forearm, and Bowen staggered, then on the nose and Bowen fell. Only time saved him.
Round Nineteen: Carroll hit Bowen on the chin but got it terrible on the nose. Bowen recieved a terrible butt on the eye, Carroll was merciless. He hit Bowen on the cheek and staggered him; Bowen smiled and seeed sick. He was weak but game.
Round Twenty: Bowen was game and delayed the knockout. A foul was claimed and Carroll apologised and they shock hands.
Round Twenty-One: Carroll forced Bowen to lead and he missed. Carroll landed a right and left and Bowen fell. He got up but fell again, and was counted out.
Sounds like some fight. KD's on both sides, a fast pace and some skill on show by the sounds. The KO reads like a picture perfect counter-knock out, although it's obviously hard to be certain. I think this RBR, which comes fro the St.Paul Daily Globe gives a very decent impression of the breadth of Carroll's skill. He is a dirty fighter but seems to have been a very fine general. He is a stalking fighter but a counter-puncher. He is durable and can hit. Most impressive, this is the man's third decade of ring war and he has the stamina and conditioning to pull this type of win out against a an who is clear as game as they come and also had mixed it at a high level. A very impressive win so late in a busy career. The St.Paul Daily Globe's summary:
"Bowen's gameness was applauded to the echo. Bowen was terribly punished but had no complaint to make. He did the best he could. He had a horrible right eye and his mouth was swollen and bleeding....Carroll was trained for the fight by the New Zealand wonder, Bob Fitzsimmons."
I'm reading loads about this guy just now so I will kick up more later, but I'm going to post this now because i've overtyped by about 800 words and don't want to lose it all in some mad internet accident. Carroll seems a bit of a wonder to me, massive longevity in an era that didn't tend to lend itself to such things, and some seriously good wins under his belt. He tended to fail at the very highest level, as we'll see, but I don't think there is any shame in the losses he receieved, and they are certainly outweighed by the many great wins and the draws with guys like McAuliffe, who really was a man apart.
Thoughts?