He lost the title on 21 March 1914 to South London born Jewish boxer Mat Wells in twenty rounds, again in Sydney, Australia.

Wells had been a British Lightweight champion and an Olympic Boxing contender who made it to the semi-finals in London in the summer of 1916.

[citation needed] On 24 January 1914 he took the World Welterweight title from Waldemar Holberg at Baker's Pavilion in Melbourne, Australia.

[citation needed] On 10 May 1915 McCormick made another attempt at the British Welterweight title at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden in London, but lost to title holder Johnny Basham in a hard fought thirteenth round TKO.

[1] McCormick was killed in action on 6 July 1916 while serving in the 12th battalion of the Manchester Regiment in France during World War I.