Tommy Ryan was an American-Canadian World Welterweight and World Middleweight boxing champion who fought from 1887 to 1907. His simultaneously holding records in both weight classes was a rare and impressive feat for a boxer. His record is a topic that has been up for debate for decades. As of May 2021, Boxrec.com lists his official record as 82–2–13 (68KO). The International Boxing Hall of Fame lists his record as 86–3–6 (22KO). Others list his record anywhere from 86–3–6 (68KO), to 90–6–11 (70KO), to 84–2–11 (70KO). Some historians have even speculated that he held closer to 90 knockouts. Ryan was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the class of 1991.

William Amos Smith (Aka "Mysterious Billy" Smith) was a Canadian born two-time world welterweight boxing champion of the world: first at age 21 in 1892, then again in 1898 at the age of 27. He became famous world-wide for his boxing success and also became infamous for his associations and involvement with criminal activities in Portland, Oregon, in the early 1900s. He was later described as the "Dirtiest fighter of all Time". Smith died at the age of 66 on October 15, 1937, and was buried at Multnomah Park Cemetery in Portland Oregon.