He fought John Shanssey in a bout refereed by a young 21-year-old Wyatt Earp[1] on July 4, 1868 or 1869 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

He taught United States President Teddy Roosevelt and his sons how to box.

Donovan died from complications from a bout with pneumonia he developed while teaching a boxing class at one of the armories located near where he had resided in the Bronx, New York area on March 24, 1918, at St. Francis Hospital there, where he had been hospitalized for a week after coming down with pneumonia, at the age of 70.

His silver championship belt was bequeathed to his son, Arthur Donovan (who himself would later become a legend in the boxing sport as a referee), who was serving in the U.S. Army, in the 105th Field Artillery at Spartanburg, South Carolina at the time, during World War I.

[4] His grandson, Art Donovan Jr., is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.