Via Ken Hisner: To Boxrec, it shows Packey McFarland 106-1-6 in Chicago, IL. Then comes his record, it shows 70-0-5 with 50 knockdowns.
McFarland was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 7, 1992, in the Old Timer Category. He is considered one of the greatest fighters to have never won, or even fought for, a world title.
Boxing historian Tracy Callis wrote: “Packey McFarland was an agile and intelligent boxer with exceptional skills. He possesses an educated left stab, tough punches, nimble feet and a boxing savvy that always keeps him one step ahead of his opponents. Packey is one of the greatest boxers to come out of Chicago.”
Callis and Herbert Goldman, former editors of the Ring Record Book and Encyclopedia, both rate McFarland as the seventh best lightweight athlete of all time.
In his book The 100 Greatest Boxers of All Time, Bert Sugar listed McFarland as the 32nd greatest boxer of all time.
McFarland lost only one game in his career. On July 13, 1904, 16-year-old McFarland lost 8-0 to a boxer named Dusty Miller, 11-3-2, in eight decisive rounds. Some reported the result as a fifth-half knockout, while others suggested it was a newspaper decision and even a disqualification.
The list of great boxers that McFarland beat includes Benny Yanger, 52-8-20, Freddie Welsh, 34-7-6, Phil Brock, 24-7-4, Leach Cross, 25-10-5, Cyclone Johnny Thompson, 70-23-22, Jack Britton, 73-15-20, Tommy Kilbane, 17-7-16, Young Ahearn, 20-7-4, Tommy Devlin, 36-9-13, Young Erne, 156- 45-43, Mat Wells, 20-1-2, Ray Bronson, 54-10-23, Harlem Tommy Murphy, 75-22-20, Owen Moran, 71-9-7, Lockport Jimmy Duffy, 31-1-17 , and in his last against Mike Gibbons, 68-5-8.
After losing to Miller McFarland won 43 in a row before drawing Freddie Welsh, 35-8-6. He then had five wins before a draw with Dave Deshler, 23-15-16. He then has another win and a draw with Ray Bronson, 31-4-15. He then had two wins and another draw with Freddie Welsh, 50-8-8, for the British version of the World Lightweight title. Then five more wins and one draw with Jack Britton, 48-13-16. He then had 12 wins and a draw against Tommy Ginty, 12-11-6. Then he won his last 30 fights.
McFarland’s last game came when he was 26 years old. On September 11, 1915, he was awarded the ten-round decider against Mike Gibbons in Brooklyn, New York. Both were inducted into IBHOF at the same time.
Despite never having fought for a world title, McFarland made a lot of money. In April 1912, it was reported that he had earned $200,000 since becoming a professional boxer eight years earlier. He has made $110,000 from boxing matches and $90,000 from stage appearances.
After retiring from boxing, McFarland became a very wealthy man in the contract business and brewing, and served as a director of Joliet National Bank for a time.
McFarland is still attached to boxing. He tutored a young Barney Ross and was appointed to the Illinois Athletic Commission by Governor Henry Horner on January 27, 1933.
On September 22, 1936, McFarland died at his home in Joliet, Illinois from a streptococcal infection that had attacked his heart. He was ill for two months.
Patrick “Packey” McFarland is survived by a widow, three daughters, and a son.
