Pat Killen (December 24, 1861 – October 21, 1891) was an American boxer. He died at 29, in Chicago while hiding from Minnesota authorities.

Early life Killen was born in Haddington, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Minnesota, where he made his home for the majority of his life and career (notwithstanding the final five months of his life).

Boxing career Standing and weighing around , he was large for a heavyweight of his era. This benefited him tremendously, as he was nearly taller than most of his opponents. He was a patient fighter who usually waited for his opponent to make the first move, while setting up his punch. He was known as the best counter-punching heavyweight of his era, but known even more for his devastating one-punch power, winning most often by knockout. Some at the time felt he may have had greater one-punch power than even boxers John L. Sullivan or Peter Maher, but he was less tough or durable, and not as aggressive or tenacious as Sullivan, the reigning champion at that time.

Killen's first fight was against John Howard, whom he managed to knock out in the second round. Twenty-one more wins followed (all by knockout) before he lost on a foul against Mervine Thompson. Killen had knocked down the highly regarded Thompson four times, but the referee allegedly kept giving Thompson all the time he needed to recover each time, prompting the crowd to grow angry and storm the ring, as well as Killen taking off his gloves in disgust. All of this caused him to lose by disqualification.

Death Contrary to historical reports, Killen was not murdered; he died of erysipelas in Chicago, while on the run from the authorities from his home state of Minnesota, where he had been arrested for assault and battery of two different people, both within two days, and both during drunken stupors. He made bail and fled the state to Winnipeg and then later Chicago. He was 29 when he died.

Legacy He was rated as the seventh all-time greatest Minnesota heavyweight by boxing historian George Blair. His current (incomplete) record is 55 wins (52 by knockout), two losses, three draws and one no-contest.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes60Win54–2–3 Bob FergusonKO6 (?)Oct 11, 189159Win53–2–3 Joe SheehyDQ2 (15)Dec 19, 189058Loss52–2–3 Joe McAuliffeKO7 (?)Sep 11, 188957Win52–1–3 Jack WelchKO3 (?)Aug 14, 188956Win51–1–3 Jack FraserKO3 (?)Jul 22, 188955Win50–1–3 Jack SmithKO2 (?)Jul 16, 188954Win49–1–3 Corporal ToomeyKO1 (?)Jul 11, 188953Win48–1–3 Patsy CardiffKO4 (15)Jun 26, 188852Win47–1–3 Jack CooperKO1 (?)Jan 1, 188851Win46–1–3 Lem McGregorPTS6Dec 16, 188750Win45–1–3 Frank CookKO2 (?)Nov 25, 188749Win44–1–3 O.H. SmithKO2 (?)Nov 17, 188748Win43–1–3 Frank LewisKO1 (?)Oct 12, 188747Win42–1–3 Henry DowsKO1 (?)Sep 7, 188746Win41–1–3 James SmithKO1 (?)Sep 5, 188745Draw40–1–3 Patsy CardiffPTS10Aug 5, 188744Win40–1–2 O.H. SmithKO1 (?)May 2, 188743Win39–1–2 Jack CookKO1 (?)Apr 1, 188742Win38–1–2 Duncan McDonaldKO1 (10), Mar 4, 188741Win37–1–2 Paddy McDonaldKO7 (10)Jan 17, 188740Win36–1–2 O.H. SmithKO2 (5)Jan 4, 188739Win35–1–2 Ed McKeownKO5 (?)Dec 28, 188638Draw34–1–2 Bill BradburnPTS5Dec 23, 188637Win34–1–1 John CusickPTS6Nov 12, 188636Win33–1–1 Tug WilsonKO4 (?)Oct 24, 188635Win32–1–1 Luke DempseyKO1 (4)Oct 16, 188634Win31–1–1 Mike HaleyKO4 (?)Sep 15, 188633Win30–1–1 Dan StalkerKO2 (?)Aug 15, 188632Draw29–1–1 Paddy McDonaldPTS4Aug 7, 188631Win29–1 Jim BradyKO1 (?)Aug 2, 188630Win28–1 Tom DonnellyKO2 (?)Jul 2, 188629Win27–1 Captain Jim DalyKO3 (6)Jul 2, 188628Win26–1 Dan StalkerKO2 (5)Jun 19, 188627Win25–1 John MorrisKO2 (?)Jun 7, 188626Win24–1 Captain James DaltonKO3 (?)Jun 1, 188625Win23–1 Patsy MellenKO2 (?)May 2, 188624Loss22–1 Mervine ThompsonDQ4 (?)Apr 20, 188623Win22–0 Bill JordanKO3 (?)Apr 8, 188622Win21–0 Mike SmithKO1 (?)Apr 7, 188621Win20–0 John HughesKO3 (?)Apr 6, 188620Win19–0 Mike HaleyKO2 (?)Apr 5, 188619Win18–0 Dan StalkerKO1 (?), Apr 2, 188618Win17–0 Jim BradyKO1 (5), Mar 28, 188617Win16–0 John HughesTKO1 (4)Mar 18, 18861615–0 Pat McHughNC6 (?)Mar 6, 188615Win15–0 George GrayKO2 (?)Feb 26, 188614Win14–0 Martin McComiskeyKO4 (?)Feb 15, 188613Win13–0 Dick BurkeKO1 (?)Feb 5, 188612Win12–0 Pat McHughKO4 (?)Jan 6, 188611Win11–0 George GrayKO3 (5)Dec 21, 188510Win10–0 Joe LannonKO9Nov 8, 18859Win9–0 Jack MorrisKO2 (?)Sep 3, 18858Win8–0 John LynchKO3 (?)Aug 2, 18857Win7–0 Dan RingKO1 (?)Aug 1, 18856Win6–0 Denny KelliherKO4 (?)May 3, 18855Win5–0 Mike DevineKO1 (?)Nov 2, 18844Win4–0 Tom BoylanKO5 (?)Apr 2, 18843Win3–0 Lew CreamerKO2 (?)Nov 1, 18832Win2–0 Hial StoddardKO1 (?)Sep 8, 18831Win1–0 John HowardKO2 (?)Jul 6, 1883

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