Willis, Billy vs. Loxley, John  I
  Hoffman (National) Athletic Club (Philadelphia)
  “Regular Monthly Meeting – Decoration (Memorial) Day”

  As he faced off against Boston's light heavyweight George Byers in his native namesake, the current middleweight king of the world, Philadelphia Jack O’Brien was unbeaten in the United States and Great Britain in more than 45 fights since falling to Young Peter Jackson, the Baltimore Demon, in the 13^th of a 20-frame match in San Francisco on the 14^th of February, 1900.  With the date pushed up a week and the venue moved to the National Athletic Club, rather than Hoffman’s, in his hometown, O’Brien took on the venerable Prince Edward Island native Byers, winning the 6-round contest, in the opinion of the Philadelphia Item’s reporter.  The paper also noted that veteran Philly lightweight puncher Billy Willis easily handled the rookie John Loxley in their 6-round bout, perhaps not harshly enough to dissuade Loxley from taking a rematch the next month, where the lad suffered a knockout in the 3rd.