Attell first fought Johnny Kilbane, future world featherweight champion from 1912-23, on March 24, 1911, drawing in ten rounds in Cleveland, Ohio. One reporter noted that Kilbane injured his right hand in the first round and could only push it into Attell's face when he half clinched, though he did damage with his strong right throughout the bout. Kilbane landed a storm of punches in the second round. Attell fought very aggressively and got in left slams to the body as well as stiff counterpunches to Kilbane's face. On December 3, 1912, losing to Kilbane in a ninth-round technical knockout in Cleveland, Ohio, Attell was down more than six times before the police ordered the bout stopped to prevent a knockout. Kilbane became the aggressor in the second round and for much of the remainder of the bout, Attell had to cover up to save himself from Kibane's fierce attack.