Wikipedia article of the day for August 20, 2026
Pat O'Keeffe (1883–1960) was a British professional boxer who twice held the British middleweight title. Born in Bromley-by-Bow to Irish parents, he turned professional in 1902 and won the middleweight championship of England in 1906. Between 1907 and 1910, he fought across the United States and Australia, drawing with Billy Papke in Philadelphia and touring with the world heavyweight champion Tommy Burns, whom he seconded against Jack Johnson. In 1914, O'Keeffe challenged Georges Carpentier in a bout billed as the European heavyweight championship and was knocked out in two rounds. During World War I, O'Keeffe served with the 1st Surrey Rifles, combining recruiting with physical training. In January 1918, in his last fight, he beat Bandsman Blake at the National Sporting Club during a German air raid on London to win the Lonsdale Belt outright. O'Keeffe later worked as a publican and helped found the British Boxing Board of Control.
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