 A contender for the American heavyweight championship in 1849, he was an enforcer for the Irish Tammany Hall politicians, and a member of Isaiah Rynders non-partisan Empire Club, that opposed the policies of New York Mayor James Harper.A well known fighter in his youth, his 1841 title bout with Tom Hyer at Caldwell's Landing reportedly lasted nearly 3 hours and went to 101 rounds  before the "Pride of Chatham Square" seconds threw up the sponge.Hyer began the bout with an eight pound weight advantage as well as an advantage in height of several inches.