Ferguson won his first three fights with ease, defeating Sid West on points twice and Paul Watson via first-round knockout.

On December 17, 1900, Ferguson suffered his first major setback when he was outpointed in a bout with veteran Dick O'Brien.

After a lightning knockout of John MacDonald at Gloucester, Massachusetts in April, Ferguson left the USA and headed to England, where he strung together a record of 6-1-2 before returning to America in January 1903.

After this match, however, Ferguson gained popularity by avenging his previous losses to fellow ex-pat Canadian Dick O'Brien by scoring a sixth-round knockout on March 25, 1903.

These two significant victories earned Ferguson a date with the legendary Jack Johnson on April 16, 1903.

In 1904, however, Walcott avenged his loss the previous year by winning a ten-round decision of his own over Ferguson.