Andrew Chiariglione

Andrew Chiariglione (24 December 1879 – 12 April 1935), usually known as Fireman Jim Flynn, was an American boxer of the early twentieth century who twice attempted to take the World Heavyweight Title without success. He is often remembered as the only boxer ever to knock out the formidable Jack Dempsey.

Professional career A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, Flynn's first recorded fight was in 1899. He started his career in 1900, he was working as a railroad fireman in Pueblo, Colorado at the time.

Flynn was short for a light heavyweight, but sturdy, tough, and clever. He faced many notable boxers of his era. According to the Los Angeles Times, Burns was "given one of the hardest battles of his career", and "up to the fourteenth round Flynn was a strong as Burns". Flynn took terrible punishment in the fourteenth and final fifteenth round, however.

Flynn met Jack "Twin" Sullivan three times in 1906–07, drawing twice, and beating him once on points.

He continued to fight rated contenders including Battling Levinsky, Jack Dillon and Gunboat Smith.

Knockout victory over Jack Dempsey, February 1917 Flynn knocked out Jack Dempsey in a first round win in Murray, Utah, on 13 February 1917. Charging Dempsey from the opening bell, Flynn pushed Dempsey into position with his right, and knocked him out with a left to the chin, twenty-five seconds into the first round. Both boxers may have been distracted by a late start to the fight which began at midnight. Dempsey later denied having thrown the fight and said he lost because he was unable to warm up properly before the match and that he had injured his hand earlier setting pins in a bowling alley. Flynn became the only fighter ever to knock out Dempsey. Although boxing historian Monte Cox and others have questioned the legitimacy of the result claiming a pre-arranged fix, most contemporary historians concede the knockout to Flynn. A year later Flynn met Dempsey again, and this time Dempsey knocked out Flynn in the first round.

Flynn continued to fight into his 40s. He fought three bouts against Sam Langford, losing all three, and beat Tiger Flowers, the future middleweight champion, in 1923. He finally retired in 1925 after a 26-year ring career, with a final record of 76–46–22, including 33 wins by knockout.

He died of a heart attack on 12 April 1935 at the City Hospital in Los Angeles.

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official Record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions to the win/loss/draw column.