Born Andrew Arthur Pelletier in Pain Court, Ontario, the 6′ 1½″ Pelkey fought in the heavyweight division at a weight of between 206 and 210 lbs.

[1] He was one of the "White Hopes" of the time that African American Jack Johnson was the world heavyweight champion.

[4] The ruling held that he had not been killed by a blow delivered by Pelkey but that the hemorrhage likely was the result of a previous injury.

Pelkey later claimed that his legal expenses linked to McCarty's death bankrupted him.

He lost the white heavyweight title to Gunboat Smith on New Year's Day 1914 at Coffroth's Arena in Daly City, California United States via a T.K.O.