Ordinary People. Extraordinary Lives. The Untold Story.

Neil Clisby

 

“One of the highly avoided black contenders of the day.  Clisby was a scrappy fighter who gave Tony Galento the worst beating of his career.”

Quote on Boxing website

 

 The Clisby family lived in a two-story house on the northwest corner or 10th & Eucalyptus.

 

Cornelius Neil Clisby

Around Riverside, Neil Clisby (Cornelius Neil Clisby) was known to be friendly, warm and extremely playful.  However in the boxing ring, it was a quite different matter.

 

During his career, he defeated such men as Joe Bonds, Vic Alexander, “Chief” John Metaquah, Tony Fuente, Mack House, “long” Tom Hawkins, John Lester Johnson, Dynamite Jackson, “Young” Bob Fitzsimmons, and Tony Galento.

 

1923

Sep 6 Red Briggs San Bernardino, Ca D 4
Sep 20 Ray Kronich San Bernardino, Ca D 4
Oct 4 Herman Jones San Bernardino, Ca D 4
Oct 18 Bennie Ford San Bernardino, Ca D 4
Nov 1 Billy Van San Bernardino, Ca W 4
Nov 22 Tom Kelly San Bernardino, Ca L  4

1924

Jan 23 Leo Matlock San Francisco, Ca D 4
Feb 7 Leo Matlock San Bernardino, Ca L 4
Feb 14 Jack Moore San Bernardino, Ca TK 4
Feb 14 Tommy White San Bernardino, Ca NC 1
Feb 28 Kid Hippo San Bernardino, Ca KO 2
Aug 29 Harry Lee Huntington Beach, Ca D 4

1925

Feb 18 “Long” Tom Hawkins San Bernardino, Ca D 10
Jul 16 Vic Alexander San Bernardino, Ca L 10
Jul 30 Vic Alexander San Bernardino, Ca D 10
Aug 12 Sam Eizman Los Angeles, Ca W 10
Aug 28 Jimmy Williams San Francisco, Ca L 6
Oct 1 Vic Alexander San Bernardino, Ca TK 9
Oct 29 Jack Thompson San Bernardino, Ca W 10
Dec 23 “Chief” John Metoquah Los Angeles, Ca KO 1

1926

Jan 29 Vic Alexander Bakersfiedl, Ca L 10
Mar 4 Young Ford San Bernardino, Ca KO 8
Mar 25 Harry Lee San Bernardino, Ca KO 6
Apr 2 “Long” Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca W 6
Apr 15 Frank “Kid Williams San Bernardino, Ca KO 1
May 8 Ted Moore San Diego, Ca L10
May 13 Marvin Shector San Bernardino, Ca W 10
Jul 15 Frank “Kid” Williams San Bernardino, Ca W 10
Jul 24 Johnny Byrne Los Angeles, Ca L 10
Aug 27 Frank “Kid” Williams San Francisco, Ca L 6
Oct 1 Tony Fuente San Diego, Ca KO 1
Dec 2 Steve Ramos San Bernardiino, Ca TK 2

1927

Jan 21 Jimmy Byrne San Bernardino, Ca D 10
Feb 18 “Long” Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca D 10
Mar 22 Chuck Wiggins Denver, Co L 4
May 4 Ed “Bearcat” Wright Lincoln, Ne LT 5
Jul 5 George Godfrey Los Angeles, Ca LK 7
Jul 28 Mack House Pasadena, Ca KO 1
Aug 11 “Wild” Bill Cusick Pasadena, Ca KO 8
Sep 8 Johnny “Wildcat” O’Brien Pasadena, Ca KO 2
Sep 22 Jake Kilrain Pasadena, Ca NC 6
Dec 29 Jake Kilrain Kansas City, Mo W 10

1928

Jan 6 “Fighting” Bob Lawson Kansas City, Mo ND 10
Mar 5 “Fighting” Bob Lawson Galveston, Tx WF 5
Mar 19 “Big” Bill Hartwell Galveston, Tx L 12
Apr 11 Louie Alvarado San Bernardino, Ca KO 2
May 15 Mack House Los Angeles, Ca KO 1
May 22 John Lester Johnson Los Angeles, Ca W 10
Jun 15 “Long” Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca W10
Aug 16 Mike Arnold San Bernardino, Ca KO 6
Aug 23 Sam Baker Pasadena, Ca KO 1
Oct 4 “Long” Tom Hawkins San Bernardino, Ca LK 4
Oct 9 John Lester Johnson Los Angeles, Ca W 10
Nov 16 Willie Henry Galveston, Tx KO 2
Dec 3 Ed “Bearcat” Wright Galveston, Tx D 12

1929

Apr 9 Ed “Bearcat” Wright Pasadena, Ca L 10
May 7 Cecil “Seal” Harris Los Angeles, Ca L 10
Sep 6 Dynamite Jackson San Diego, Ca L 10
Oct 12 “Young” Bob Fitzsimmons New York, NY W10
Dec 20 Tony Galento Boston, Ma TK 7

1930

Apr 8 Primo Carnera Los Angeles, Ca LK 2
Jun 19 Mack House Pasadena, Ca LK 3

 

Reference: Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization

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