Middleweight · United States
Billy Papke 39-18-7 31 KO · 1906–1919
Photo: unknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Billy Papke was a middleweight boxer from United States, born Sep 17, 1886. Record 39-18-7 with 31 knockouts over 1906–1919. Billy Papke last fought Jimmy Darcy on May 14, 1919 and lost by PTS over 4 rounds.
Also: بيلى بابكى · بيلي بابكي · ビリー・パプケ +1 more William Herman Papke
Born Sep 17, 1886
Died Nov 26, 1936
Country 🇺🇸 United States
Stance Orthodox
Height 175 cm
Nickname The Illinois Thunderbolt
Debut Mar 24, 1906
Career 1906–1919
Rounds boxed 422
KO share 79%
Born in Spring Valley, Illinois, US
Titles World middleweight title claim 1912
Confirmed bouts 11 of 64
Career record Record
39-18-7, 31 KOs · 1906–1919
Last result L
Jimmy Darcy
PTS 4/4 · Dreamland Arena, San Diego, 🇺🇸
The record 64 bouts, 1906–1919, newest first. Records under each bout are both boxers going in. Wikidata: 37-11-6
L
Jimmy Darcy
PTS 4/4 · Dreamland Arena, San Diego, 🇺🇸
Papke 39-17-7 · Darcy —
L
Jakob "Soldier" Bartfield
PTS 4/4 · Coliseum, San Francisco, 🇺🇸
Papke 39-16-7 · Bartfield —
L
Jack Smith
10 · Clermont Avenue Rink, Brooklyn, 🇺🇸
Papke 39-15-7 · Smith —
L
Marty Rowan
PTS 8/8 · Future City A.C., Saint Louis, 🇺🇸
Papke 39-14-7 · Rowan —
L
For NYSAC middleweight title DQ 15/20 · Cirque de Paris, Paris, 🇫🇷
Papke 39-13-7 · Klaus 65-12-12
W
Retained world middleweight title claim RTD 6/20 · Cirque de Paris, Paris, 🇫🇷
Papke 38-13-7 · Bernard —
W
For world middlweight title claim TKO 18/20 · Grand Hall des Magasins Généraux, Dieppe, 🇫🇷
Papke 37-13-7 · Carpentier 58-9-5
L
6 · Olympia A.C., Philadelphia, 🇺🇸
Papke 37-12-7 · Hauck 63-14-17
L
Jack Denning
10 · St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, 🇺🇸
Papke 37-11-7 · Denning —
W
Marcel Moreau
Retained world middleweight title claim TKO 16/20 · Cirque de Paris, Paris, 🇫🇷
Papke 36-11-7 · Moreau —
W
Billy Leitch
TKO 2/10 · New Amsterdam Opera House, New York City, 🇺🇸
Papke 35-11-7 · Leitch —
L
Frank Mantell
Mantell claimed the world middleweight title PTS 20/20 · Sacramento, California, 🇺🇸
Papke 35-10-7 · Mantell —
L
PTS 12/12 · Arena (Armory A.A.), Boston, 🇺🇸
Papke 35-9-7 · Moha 15-2-4
L
Sailor Burke
World middleweight title claim at stake 10 · St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, 🇺🇸
Papke 35-8-7 · Burke —
W
Won British world middleweight title KO 9/20 · London Palladium, Argyle Street, 🇬🇧
Papke 34-8-7 · Sullivan —
L
KO 2 · Millfield A.C., Pontypridd, 🇬🇧
Papke 34-7-7 · Wilde 8-0-1
W
TKO 7/20 · Sydney Stadium, Sydney, 🇦🇺
Papke 33-7-7 · Smith —
L
Cyclone Johnny Thompson
Lost world middleweight title claim PTS 20/20 · Sydney Stadium, Sydney, 🇦🇺
Papke 33-6-7 · Thompson —
L
DQ 10/20 · Sydney Stadium, Sydney, 🇦🇺
Papke 33-5-7 · Smith —
W
Ed Williams
Retained world middleweight title TKO 6/20 · Sydney Stadium, Sydney, 🇦🇺
Papke 32-5-7 · Williams —
Show all 64 bouts W
Jack "Twin" Sullivan
PTS 12/12 · Armory, Boston, 🇺🇸
Papke 31-5-7 · Sullivan —
W
Al Goodale
DQ 2/10 · Hippodrome, Kansas City, 🇺🇸
Papke 30-5-7 · Goodale —
W
Joe Thomas
KO 16/20 · Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, 🇺🇸
Papke 29-5-7 · Thomas —
W
Thinking Ketchel had relinquished the world middleweight title, Papke claimed it KO 3/15 · Cirque de Paris, Paris, 🇫🇷
Papke 28-5-7 · Lewis —
L
6 · Duquesne Garden, Pittsburgh, 🇺🇸
Papke 28-4-7 · Klaus 37-8-9
W
6 · Duquesne Garden, Pittsburgh, 🇺🇸
Papke 27-4-7 · Lewis —
D
10 · Naud Junction, Los Angeles, 🇺🇸
Papke 27-4-6 · Chiariglione 47-13-19
L
For world middleweight title UD 20/20 · Mission Street Arena, Colma, 🇺🇸
Papke 27-3-6 · Ketchel 47-4-3
W
KO 1/45 · Mission Street Arena, Colma, 🇺🇸
Papke 26-3-6 · Micheli —
L
10 · McCarey's Pavilion, Los Angeles, 🇺🇸
Papke 26-2-6 · Chiariglione 46-12-19
D
PTS 25/25 · Jeffries' Arena, Vernon, 🇺🇸
Papke 26-2-5 · Micheli —
L
For world middleweight title KO 11/20 · Mission Street Arena, Colma, 🇺🇸
Papke 26-1-5 · Ketchel 42-4-3
W
Won world middleweight title TKO 12/25 · Jeffries' Arena, CoVernonlma, 🇺🇸
Papke 25-1-5 · Ketchel 42-3-3
W
Sailor Burke
6 · National A.C., New York City, 🇺🇸
Papke 24-1-5 · Burke —
W
Johnny Carroll
TKO 2/6 · Armory A.A., Boston, 🇺🇸
Papke 22-1-5 · Carroll —
W
Frank Mantell
TKO 1/6 · Armory A.A., Boston, 🇺🇸
Papke 22-1-5 · Mantell —
L
For world middleweight title claim PTS 10/10 · Hippodrome, Milwaukee, 🇺🇸
Papke 22-0-5 · Ketchel 39-3-3
W
Won American and world middleweight title claims PTS 10/10 · Hippodrome, Milwaukee, 🇺🇸
Papke 21-0-5 · Micheli —
W
Walter Stanton
TKO 4/12 · Armory A.A., Boston, 🇺🇸
Papke 20-0-5 · Stanton —
D
For American and world middleweight title claims PTS 10/10 · Schlitz Park, Milwaukee, 🇺🇸
Papke 20-0-4 · Micheli —
W
Charlie Haghey
TKO 1/10 · Winnisimmet A.C., Chelsea, 🇺🇸
Papke 18-0-4 · Haghey —
W
Bartley Connolly
TKO 4/10 · Winnisimmet A.C., Chelsea, 🇺🇸
Papke 18-0-4 · Connolly —
W
Tony Caponi
KO 2/10 · Peoria A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 17-0-4 · Caponi —
D
PTS 6/6 · National A.C., Philadelphia, 🇺🇸
Papke 17-0-3 · O'Keeffe 2-1-0
W
Cy Flynn
TKO 3/10 · Pavillion, Brazil, 🇺🇸
Papke 16-0-3 · Flynn —
W
Terry Martin
KO 3/6 · National A.C., Philadelphia, 🇺🇸
Papke 15-0-3 · Martin —
W
Tommy Sullivan
KO 1/15 · Glen Forest Park, Methuen, 🇺🇸
Papke 14-0-3 · Sullivan —
D
Tony Caponi
PTS 10/10 · Spring Valley, Illinois, 🇺🇸
Papke 14-0-2 · Caponi —
W
Foster Walker
KO 2/10 · Light Guard Armory, Detroit, 🇺🇸
Papke 13-0-2 · Walker —
W
Jack Morgan
KO 7/10 · Peoria, Illinois, 🇺🇸
Papke 12-0-2 · Morgan —
D
Tony Caponi
PTS 15/15 · Davenport A.C., Davenport, 🇺🇸
Papke 12-0-1 · Caponi —
W
Johnny Carroll
KO 4/10 · Peoria A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 11-0-1 · Carroll —
D
Billy Rhodes
PTS 15/15 · Davenport A.C., Davenport, 🇺🇸
Papke 11-0-0 · Rhodes —
W
Billy Rhodes
PTS 10/10 · Peoria A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 10-0-0 · Rhodes —
W
Carl Anderson
KO 1/10 · Spring Valley A.C., Spring Valley, 🇺🇸
Papke 9-0-0 · Anderson —
W
Dick Fitzpatrick
PTS 10/10 · Peoria A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 8-0-0 · Fitzpatrick —
W
Tommy Wallace
KO 3/10 · Riverside A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 7-0-0 · Wallace —
W
Kid Farmer
KO 6/10 · Riverside A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 6-0-0 · Farmer —
W
Milt Kinney
KO 3/10 · Peoria A.C., Peoria, 🇺🇸
Papke 5-0-0 · Kinney —
W
Carl Purdy
TKO 7/10 · La Salle, Illinois, 🇺🇸
Papke 4-0-0 · Purdy —
W
Jack Denny
KO 1/6 · Peru, Illinois, 🇺🇸
Papke 3-0-0 · Denny —
W
Buster Teegan
KO 3/6 · Turn Hall, La Salle, 🇺🇸
Papke 2-0-0 · Teegan —
W
Red Morrisey
KO 3/4 · Jones's Club, La Salle, 🇺🇸
Papke 1-0-0 · Morrisey —
W
Mexican Wonder
PTS 4/4 · La Salle, Illinois, 🇺🇸
Papke 0-0-0 · Wonder —
Ratings now Not in any current ranking.
World titles No world title reigns recorded.
Facts
What is Billy Papke's record? Billy Papke's professional record is 39-18-7 with 31 knockouts.
Who did Billy Papke fight last? Billy Papke last fought Jimmy Darcy on May 14, 1919 and lost by PTS over 4 rounds. Sources Boxerbook ID 18988 · permanent link boxerbook.com/id/18988 . Wikidata (CC0), English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), photo from Wikimedia Commons. Last fetched: 2026-10-12. Spot a mistake? Every bout page has a link to report it.
