Boxing at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Lore & Background

The 1904 boxing tournament saw Oliver Kirk become the only boxer to win two gold medals in the same Olympics, capturing both the bantamweight and featherweight titles. George Finnegan, Harry Spanjer, and Charles Mayer each won one gold and one silver medal. A demonstration bout of women's boxing also took place, though women's boxing would not be added to the Olympic program until 2012.

Reader's Guide

The 1904 boxing competition is historically significant as the sport's Olympic debut. The rules allowed lighter-weight boxers to enter heavier classes, a practice that produced unique medal hauls. The event also featured a controversial disqualification: Jack Egan (real name Frank Joseph Floyd) was stripped of his lightweight silver and welterweight bronze medals after it was discovered he fought under an assumed name, violating AAU rules. This led to medal reallocations: Russell van Horn received silver and Peter Sturholdt bronze in lightweight, while Joseph Lydon retained bronze in welterweight. The demonstration of women's boxing foreshadowed its eventual inclusion in 2012. All 18 boxers were American, reflecting the early dominance of the host nation.

Did You Know?

• Jack Egan was disqualified in November 1905 for fighting under the assumed name Frank Joseph Floyd.
• A demonstration bout of women's boxing was held, though women's boxing was not added to the Olympic program until 2012.
• All 18 boxers at the 1904 Olympics were from the United States.