Attell defeated Patsy Brannigan on December 14, 1911, in a close six-round newspaper decision at Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburgh. Typical of Attell's style, he had the best of the infighting. He was reviewed by the "Pittsburgh Daily Post" as having cleaner, more telling blows, and though he allowed Brannigan to do most of the leading in the bout, he countered effectively and the blows he landed were harder than his opponents. The "Post" also noted that, as was typical of his style of fighting, he "worked best in the clinches", and excelled in the infighting, and since it was the local paper, was used for the decision. Other newspapers noted that Brannigan's aggressive display in the fifth and sixth rounds should have turned the decision in his favor.