 Coburn first claimed the heavyweight championship in 1862 when John C. Heenan, the "Benecia Boy", failed to meet him in a fight.Heenan had first attempted the championship unsuccessfully in 1858 against John Morrissey, and had also unsuccessfully attempted the championship of England against John King in Wadhurst, England on December 10, 1863.Coburn would only have two American heavyweight championship fights in his career that were not cancelled or ended by police.