were dimmed as a result of the crowd's reaction, and order prevailed as the crowd filed out under the watch of the police present. The Baltimore Sun wrote that the blow that caused the knockout was a strong right to Farragher's jaw. On December 21, 1897, Matthews won a twenty-round points decision against Mike Leonard at the Rienzi Athletic Club in Rochester, New York. Leonard faced most of the better welterweights of his day. Matthews had drawn with Leonard the previous year. Less than a week later, on December 27, 1897, he defeated Owen Ziegler by newspaper decision in a six-round bout at the arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He defeated him again on May 9, 1898, in a twenty-round points decision at the Opera House in Paterson, New Jersey. Ziegler, a Philadelphia-based boxer, met many of the better light and welterweights of his day including Young Griffo. On December 10, 1898, Ziegler fought a tame twenty-round draw with Matthews at the Queen's City Athletic Club in Toronto, Canada. On March 31, 1898, he defeated noteworthy lightweight Austin Gibbons at the Opera House in Paterson, New Jersey in a ten-round points decision. In his early career, Gibbons had contended unsuccessfully for the World Lightweight Title against undefeated champion Jack McAuliffe. On April 20, 1898, he met Tom Broderick at the Waverly Athletic Club in Yonkers, New York. Matthews won the close decision after twenty rounds of fierce, cleanly fought boxing. On May 26, 1898, he defeated Broderick again in a more impressive fourth-round technical knockout at the same location. Broderick was a serious competitor who met many of the top light and welterweight contenders of his day, and Matthew's commanding win convinced many that at twenty-four he was a serious contender for the world welterweight championship. First attempt at the World Welterweight Championship On August 25, 1898, he made his first unsuccessful attempt at the World Welterweight Championship against Mysterious Billy Smith at New York's Lenox Athletic Club, losing in a twenty-five round points decision. Important bouts before taking the World Welterweight Championship On January 19, 1899, he defeated Paddy Fenton at the Waverly Athletic Club in Yonkers, New York on a twenty-round points decision. Fenton was a Connecticut-based light and welterweight who faced many quality welterweights in his career including Stanton Abbott and Tom Broderick. Around the fall of 1911 Fenton faced Abe Hollandersky, at the New London County Fair