Attell lost to accomplished British boxer Owen Moran on May 15, 1905 in a twenty-round points decision at the Pallisades in New York before a private, affluent crowd of around 150, who paid as much as $10 to see the fight, a princely sum in that era. Moran held the BBBC Flyweight Championship of Great Britain in 1903 and would compete several times for the bantamweight championship of his native land. Moran fought with more telling blows which won him the decision. By the sixth, both fighters were fatigued, and in the seventh, Moran hooked a strong left to the jaw of Attell staggering him, and causing him to fall against the ropes as the round ended. Moran tried to finish Attell through the final ten rounds, but was unable, as his opponent would retreat or clinch to save himself. The bout caused a serious eye injury to Attell which became permanent and eventually led to blindness.