JACKIE KEOUGH

When I attended my first meeting of the Ohio State Former Boxers And Associates organization in the early 1990’s I was first greeted by a neatly dressed gray haired man. He was not a big man but he had a rugged look to him. He was very friendly though. We shook hands and told me his name was Jackie. I never saw Jackie again but I later found out he was Jackie Keough a tough middleweight fringe contender in the early 1950’s. Jackie was born in 1926 and started his professional career in 1947. He won his first seven bouts before suffering his first loss in 1948. Through 1949 his record was spotty. He did make his Madison Square Garden debut that year. He appeared at the Garden again n 1950. Also that year Jackie met contender Gene Hairston and lost a decision. In 1951 Keough traveled to England to meet Randy Turpin. The strong and powerful Turpin stopped Jackie in round seven. In his next fight Randy would upset the great Sugar Ray Robinson to capture the world’s middleweight title. Later in 1951 Jackie met Hairston in a rematch and was stopped in nine rounds. In 1953 Keough would lose tough decisions to Joe Rindone and Bobby Dykes. Later that year Jackie was stopped by highly rated Rocky Castellani. Keough would lose his last bout in 1954 and then retire. In all Keough had 41 fights and posted a respectable record of 24-15-2. Amazingly he scored only one career knockout. He himself was halted four times. Later in retirement Jackie became a referee. One bout I remember Jackie acting as the third man in the ring was the 1981 bout in Cleveland featuring Roberto Duran versus Nino Gonzalez. It was Roberto’s first bout after the ” No Mas ” debacle. Gonzalez was a former sparring partner for Roberto. Nino must have forgotten that as he came in and fought a spirited battle in this nationally broadcast bout. Roberto stirred himself in the later rounds to win a close but well-earned ten round verdicts. Mr. Keogh passed away in 1992. At least I can say I had the honor to meet him.