Pat O'Connor (boxer)

Pat "Irish" O'Connor is a former professional light heavyweight boxer from Minnesota.

Personal life

O'Connor is a native of Rochester, Minnesota. His brother Dan runs the Fourth Street Boxing Gym in Rochester. [ [http://www.startribune.com/sports/12190591.html?page=1&c=y Patrick Reusse: Three fighters and the lure of boxing ] ]

Amateur career

At the age of 16 O'Connor won the 1967 Golden Gloves national welterweight championship. [ [http://www.startribune.com/sports/12190591.html?page=1&c=y Patrick Reusse: Three fighters and the lure of boxing ] ]

Professional career

O'Connor's first professional fight was a second-round knockout win against Muhammed Smith on June 6 of 1968. O'Connor ran his record to 12-0 before facing his first "name" opponent, fellow Minnesotan Duane Horsman. Despite breaking his hand during the bout, O'Connor outboxed Horsman for six rounds en route to a unanimous decision win. O'Connor would continue to win through the summer of 1972, finally suffering his first loss after 31 consecutive victories when Andy Kendall defeated him by technical knockout in the seventh round of a ten round match. Despite the setback, O'Connor continued to fight regularly until March of 1978, when he finally retired after losing three in a row. O'Connor retired with a professional record of 41 wins and 6 losses, with 19 wins by knockout. [ [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=15911&cat=boxer Pat O'Connor ] ]

Post boxing

It was reported by Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse in December of 2007 that O'Connor was a chronic alcoholic, and was in lockup in his hometown of Rochester. [ [http://www.startribune.com/sports/12190591.html?page=2&c=y Patrick Reusse: Three fighters and the lure of boxing ] ]

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