Tom McNeeley

Thomas William McNeeley Jr. (February 27, 1937 – October 25, 2011) was a heavyweight boxer in the 1950s and 1960s. He came from Arlington, Massachusetts, and played football for Michigan State University. His son, Peter McNeeley, and father, Tom McNeeley Sr., were also boxers.

Career
Tom McNeeley had his first professional bout at the Norwood Stockcar Arena July 17, 1958. On December 4, 1961, McNeeley challenged Floyd Patterson for the world heavyweight championship, McNeeley's most famous bout. McNeeley was on the November 13, 1961, cover of Sports Illustrated. He later served eight years as the boxing commissioner of the Massachusetts State Boxing Commission.

Death
McNeeley died on October 25, 2011, at the age of 74 of complications from a seizure.

Professional boxing record

 * align="center" colspan=8|37 Wins (28 knockouts, 8 decisions, 1 DQ), 14 Losses (5 knockouts, 8 decisions, 1 DQ)
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
 * -align=center
 * Loss
 * 20–19–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Curtis Bruce
 * MD
 * 10
 * 14/06/1966
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Four Seasons Arena, Walpole, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 2–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Jacobs
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 24/03/1966
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Portland Exposition Building, Portland, Maine
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 3–1
 * align=left|🇨🇦 Jean-Claude Roy
 * SD
 * 10
 * 08/03/1966
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Lewiston City Hall, Lewiston, Maine
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Dick Greatorex
 * TKO
 * 7
 * 12/02/1966
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:00 of the seventh round.
 * Win
 * 18–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Marion Connor
 * TKO
 * 9
 * 13/12/1965
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:10 of the ninth round.
 * Loss
 * 17–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Marion Connor
 * UD
 * 12
 * 15/10/1965
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|New England Heavyweight Title.
 * Loss
 * 35–1–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 José Torres
 * UD
 * 10
 * 31/07/1965
 * align=left| Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 13–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 James J Beattie
 * KO
 * 5
 * 27/03/1965
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|McNeeley knocked out at 2:50 of the fifth round.
 * Win
 * 18–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arnie Brower
 * TKO
 * 10
 * 13/02/1965
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|New England Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:20 of the tenth round.
 * Loss
 * 21–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Thad Spencer
 * KO
 * 5
 * 09/11/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California
 * align=left|McNeeley knocked out at 1:39 of the fifth round.
 * Win
 * 27–9–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Hal Carter
 * KO
 * 5
 * 13/10/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Woodhouse Arenatorium, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 5–0
 * align=left|🇦🇷 Oscar Bonavena
 * TKO
 * 5
 * 21/08/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 13–5–1
 * align=left|🇨🇦 Leslie Borden
 * KO
 * 4
 * 16/07/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Burlington, Vermont
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 23–8
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Don Quinn
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 25/04/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 22–4–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Doug Jones
 * TKO
 * 5
 * 03/02/1964
 * align=left|🇺🇸 New York Coliseum, New York City, New York
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 17–14–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Duke Sabedong
 * UD
 * 10
 * 09/12/1963
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 16–13–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Duke Sabedong
 * DQ
 * 2
 * 14/10/1963
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Sabedong disqualified at 1:55 of the second round for a low blow.
 * Win
 * 8–18–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Earl Atley
 * TKO
 * 2
 * 16/09/1963
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 2:01 of the second round.
 * Win
 * 19–2–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Bill Nielsen
 * TKO
 * 8
 * 17/06/1963
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Omaha Civic Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 27–9
 * align=left| Brian London
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 29/01/1963
 * align=left| London Olympia, London
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 34–4–1
 * align=left|🇨🇦 Bob Cleroux
 * SD
 * 10
 * 14/12/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 9–9
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Billy Tisdale
 * TKO
 * 7
 * 15/11/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 2:43 of the seventh round.
 * Win
 * 8–15–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Earl Atley
 * TKO
 * 8
 * 01/11/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 1:55 of the eighth round.
 * Loss
 * 16–5–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Don McAteer
 * DQ
 * 6
 * 08/06/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Celtic Hall, Totowa, New Jersey
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 53–10–6
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Willie Pastrano
 * UD
 * 10
 * 01/05/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 19–3
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Don Prout
 * UD
 * 10
 * 16/03/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 17–3
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Don Prout
 * SD
 * 10
 * 22/01/1962
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 37–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Floyd Patterson
 * KO
 * 4
 * 04/12/1961
 * align=left|🇨🇦 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
 * align=left|World Heavyweight Title. McNeeley knocked out at 2:51 of the fourth round. Jersey Joe Walcott refereed the bout.
 * Win
 * 49–17–2
 * align=left|🇹🇴 Kitione Lave
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 21/03/1961
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 15–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 George Logan
 * UD
 * 10
 * 20/12/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Rocky Marciano refereed the bout.
 * Win
 * 15–2–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 George Logan
 * MD
 * 10
 * 15/11/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 6–12–3
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Jim Wyley
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 17/10/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 20–3–4
 * align=left|🇩🇪 Ulli Ritter
 * TKO
 * 8
 * 16/05/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 2:52 of the eighth round.
 * Win
 * 15–8–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Tunney Hunsaker
 * TKO
 * 9
 * 12/04/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 1:30 of the ninth round.
 * Win
 * 42–19–7
 * align=left|🇩🇪 Willi Besmanoff
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 14/03/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 12–1–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 George Logan
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 01/01/1960
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 3:00 of the fourth round.
 * Win
 * 3–10
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Louis Jones
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 27/11/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 0:19 of the fourth round.
 * Win
 * 3–8
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Louis Jones
 * UD
 * 6
 * 31/07/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 10–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Cardell Farmos
 * KO
 * 3
 * 27/06/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Hill Arena, West Yarmouth, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 0–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Jeff Holmes
 * KO
 * 2
 * 25/05/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arcadia Ballroom, Providence, Rhode Island
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 3–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Charlie Lopes
 * KO
 * 1
 * 02/05/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Leo Pinto
 * KO
 * 2
 * 21/04/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Woodrow Wilson Hall, New Bedford, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–18–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Joe Louis Brown
 * KO
 * 2
 * 17/03/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Brown knocked out at 1:38 of the second round.
 * Win
 * 12–5
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Art Mayorga
 * KO
 * 3
 * 30/01/1959
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Bobby Halpern
 * PTS
 * 4
 * 19/12/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 6–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mossie Walker
 * KO
 * 1
 * 28/11/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Walker knocked out at 0:55 of the first round.
 * Win
 * 5-0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Eddie Allen
 * KO
 * 3
 * 17/10/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Allen knocked out at 1:17 of the third round.
 * Win
 * 4-0
 * align=left|Eddie Walker
 * KO
 * 1
 * 06/10/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mechanics Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 3-0
 * align=left|Temple Jones
 * KO
 * 3
 * 14/08/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mark's Stadium, Fall River, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Bob Harris
 * KO
 * 5
 * 04/08/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 1–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Richie Norden
 * KO
 * 2
 * 17/07/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Norden knocked out at 2:00 of the second round.
 * }
 * 6–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mossie Walker
 * KO
 * 1
 * 28/11/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Walker knocked out at 0:55 of the first round.
 * Win
 * 5-0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Eddie Allen
 * KO
 * 3
 * 17/10/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
 * align=left|Allen knocked out at 1:17 of the third round.
 * Win
 * 4-0
 * align=left|Eddie Walker
 * KO
 * 1
 * 06/10/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mechanics Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 3-0
 * align=left|Temple Jones
 * KO
 * 3
 * 14/08/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Mark's Stadium, Fall River, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Bob Harris
 * KO
 * 5
 * 04/08/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 1–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Richie Norden
 * KO
 * 2
 * 17/07/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Norden knocked out at 2:00 of the second round.
 * }
 * 2
 * 17/07/1958
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Arena, Norwood, Massachusetts
 * align=left|Norden knocked out at 2:00 of the second round.
 * }