BANTAMWEIGHT division
JOE BOWKER
RetiredBorn 1881-06-12, SALFORD, LANCASHIRE (died aged 74)· Died 1955-10-22, LONDON· GBR
Residence: SALFORD, LANCASHIRE· Height: 157 cm (5'2")
Debut: 1899-10-31· Career: 1899–1919 (21 years)
Wins
43
Losses
10
Draws
1
NC
3
Rated Fights
54
We have 3 records for this boxer that are unconfirmed — excluded from the record and rating while we research them.
DEATH
Bowker died in London on 22 October 1955 and lies buried in the Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries.
LEGACY
Bowker was one of 80 boxers included in the popular Priddy Boxing Set of "Famous Boxers," published by W.R. Priddy Antiques in 1992.
Bowker's bout against Jim Driscoll for the British featherweight championship is the subject of a famous painting by W. Howard Robinson, the noted representative artist and portrait painter of the early twentieth century. The painting, "An Evening at the National Sporting Club," completed in 1918, contains details of 329 sporting celebrities and took Robinson four years to complete.
Speculation about Bowker's date of birth, date of death, and even his real name began as early as 1908 when an Ogden's cigarette card inaccurately listed his birth date as 20 July 1882. With the discovery by family members in 2006 of Bowker's official birth, marriage and death certificates, these questions were put to rest.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Compare JOE BOWKER's career against any other fighter on record — records, ratings, common opponents, and any direct bouts.
Title Reigns — 9
1905-10-23 → 1905-11-13 · 21d · 0 defences
Lost to COCKNEY COHEN · KO
1905-10-23 → 1906-02-01 · 3m 9d · 0 defences
Lost to MARK VERRALL · DQ
1905-03-20 → 1906-02-19 · 10m 30d · 0 defences
Lost to SEAMAN ARTHUR HAYES · W
1904-05-30 → 1905-02-27 · 8m 28d · 0 defences
Lost to JIM KENRICK · W
1903-05-25 → 1903-12-14 · 6m 19d · 1 defence
Lost to DIGGER STANLEY · W
1903-03-25 → 1903-08-31 · 5m 6d · 1 defence
Lost to HARRY WARE · DQ
1902-12-15 → 1903-02-16 · 2m 1d · 0 defences
Lost to PEDLAR PALMER · W
1902-12-15 → 1903-05-25 · 5m 10d · 1 defence
Lost to OWEN MORAN · W
Lonsdale Belt — won outright
- BANTAMWEIGHT — 1903· 3 British title wins
- BANTAMWEIGHT — 1905· 3 British title wins
Complete Record — 57 Bouts
| Date | Result | Opponent | Rds | Div. | Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🔒 09 OCT 1919 | KO | CHARLIE WARD | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 17 JUL 1916 | DEC | HAROLD WALKER | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 11 MAY 1914 | DEC | ROBERT DASTILLON | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 16 FEB 1914 | KO | BIZ MACKEY | 5 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 24 NOV 1913 | DEC | FRANCOIS CHARLES | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 03 FEB 1913 | DEC | YOUNG JOHNNY COHEN | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 29 JAN 1912 | LOSS | CHARLES LEDOUX | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 18 DEC 1911 | KO | GEORGE ALLEN | 2 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 29 MAY 1911 | DQ | PAUL TIL | 14 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 27 MAR 1911 | TKO | CON HOUGHTON | 8 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 12 DEC 1910 | KO | ALEC LAMBERT | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 17 OCT 1910 | LOSS | DIGGER STANLEY | 8 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 07 MAR 1910 | TKO | JEAN AUDOUY | 8 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 19 APR 1909 | NC | JOHNNY SUMMERS | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 20 MAR 1909 | LOSS | TOMMY O'TOOLE | 2 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 16 MAR 1909 | LOSS | AL DELMONT | 12 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 27 APR 1908 | LOSS | CHARLIE GRIFFIN | 8 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 16 DEC 1907 | DEC | COCKNEY COHEN | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 03 JUN 1907 | LOSS | JIM DRISCOLL | 17 | FEATHERWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 02 MAR 1907 | DEC | HARRY SMITH | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 02 FEB 1907 | DEC | HARRY SMITH | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 21 JAN 1907 | NC | YOUNG BILL SMITH | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 28 MAY 1906 | LOSS | JIM DRISCOLL | 15 | FEATHERWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 14 MAR 1906 | DRAW | BILL FIELDER | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 23 OCT 1905 | DEC | SPIKE ROBSON | 20 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 02 JUL 1905 | DEC | WALLY PICKARD | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 29 MAY 1905 | DEC | PINKY EVANS | 20 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 01 APR 1905 | NC | JOHNNY BOYLE | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 20 MAR 1905 | TKO | PEDLAR PALMER | 12 | FEATHERWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 17 OCT 1904 | DEC | FRANKIE NEIL | 20 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 30 MAY 1904 | DEC | OWEN MORAN | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 09 NOV 1903 | TKO | AL FELLOWS | 9 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 05 OCT 1903 | DEC | BILL KING | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 25 MAY 1903 | DEC | ANDREW DICK TOKELL | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 25 MAR 1903 | DEC | ANDREW DICK TOKELL | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 15 DEC 1902 | DEC | HARRY WARE | 15 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | TITLE |
| 🔒 16 SEP 1902 | KO | CHARLIE HICKMAN | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 02 JUN 1902 | DEC | BILL FIELDER | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 10 MAY 1902 | DEC | JACK GUYON | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 21 APR 1902 | DEC | BILL LAMPSHIRE | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 10 MAR 1902 | DEC | YOUNG HARRY PAUL | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 02 FEB 1902 | TKO | ALBERT WHEELER | 5 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 DEC 1901 | DEC | JACK GUYON | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 21 JAN 1901 | LOSS | JACK GUYON | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 JAN 1901 | DEC | JOHN ANSELL | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 JAN 1901 | KO | WILIAM PARRY | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 JAN 1901 | KO | BILL NICHOLSON | 1 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 JAN 1901 | DEC | BUCK SHINE | 3 | FLYWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 12 JAN 1901 | DEC | ERNIE WATERMAN | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 10 JAN 1901 | TKO | DICK TARR | 2 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 03 JAN 1901 | LOSS | JIM PENNINGTON | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 03 JAN 1901 | DEC | CHARLIE TURNER | 3 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 10 JUL 1900 | DEC | BILL DOYLEUNCONFIRMED | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 14 MAY 1900 | DEC | TOM OWENS | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 10 MAY 1900 | DEC | PAT DALYUNCONFIRMED | 10 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 01 JAN 1900 | DEC | TOM PERKINSUNCONFIRMED | 6 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — | |
| 🔒 31 OCT 1899 | LOSS | BILLY PENNINGTON | 4 | BANTAMWEIGHT | — |
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Final Resting Place
Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries
113 BROCKLEY GROVE, LADYWELL, LONDON, SE4 1DZ
