on january 7, 1908, walcott lost to a noteworthy opponent jimmy gardner, in twelve rounds at the armory in boston. gardner would became a world welterweight contender against mike "twin" sullivan in april of that year. new york's "evening world", wrote that walcott's performance "did not come up to expectations", and that gardner's win "was one of the easiest victories he ever earned." on november 2, 1911, walcott fought his last reported bout against tom sawyer in lowell, massachusetts. he walked out of the ring before the bell at the end of the one-sided 12-round technical knockout, and said to the crowd "i'm 40 years old and i guess i'm done with this game."