John J. “Sandy” Ferguson, heavyweight boxer from
Chelsea, was born in Moncton, New Brunswick on July 24, 1879. He
began boxing as an amateur in Chelsea in 1898. Since then until a few
years before his death he was very prominent in the professional
fight game. He was a big and strong man with every asset of a champion.
HEIGHT 6’3″ WEIGHT 200-220 lbs
In his career he met Jack Johnson five times, Gus Rublin, Jack
Obrien, Kid McCoy, Joe Jeanette several times, Battling Levinsky, Tom
Carey, Tom Galvin, Joe Walcott several times, Marvin Hart, Bob
Armstrong, Morris Harris, Jim Barry several times, Ben Taylor,
Herbert Hall, Andy Morris, Dick O’Brien several times, and Sam
Langford several times.
In 1915 he climbed into the ring against Jess Willard in
Framingham, Massachusetts. He received a knockout punch in the first
round and got whaled in the next two rounds.
John fought in nearly every state and several times in Paris and
England. His last fight was in Philadelphia against Homer Smith.
Sandy Ferguson died of pneumonia in Rhode Island Hospital in
Providence on February 26, 1919. He left a wife and two children,
also three brothers, James, Robert, who was a Chelsea Police Officer
and Harry. He also left two sisters, Annie Rogers and Margaret Hay of
Boston. Both of his parents had also lived in Chelsea.
