Uncle George Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Neither or I`m afraid. This chap was world champion when war broke out, and it would be fair to say that the war put an end to his very promising career. Bill Ladbury, British, European, World Flyweight Champ, KIA 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Bill Ladbury, British, European, World Flyweight Champ, KIA 1917. That`s very, very close, but not him either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 That`s very, very close, but not him either. How about Percy Jones? He lived until 1922, but the war killed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 How about Percy Jones? He lived until 1922, but the war killed him. Percy Jones it is. Well played. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Jones_(boxer) Very sad tale. Born on Boxing day (funnily enough), and died on Christmas day. What a cracking division that flyweight division was at the time. I would have loved to have been able to see the likes of Jones, Ladbury, Symonds, Tancy Lee, and of course, the great Jimmy Wilde all battling it out for the honours. Wilde incidentally, was arguably the best flyweight ever, but also met a sad end after being mugged in his older years and dying of his injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 I can`t resist going off on a little run of WW1 linked boxers, so here`s another. Certainly took one on the chin in the G.W. It took some precious metal and the leg of a goat to fix him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 That the Frenchman Eugene Criqui,featherweight champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 That the Frenchman Eugene Criqui,featherweight champ. Criqui it is , of course. You evidently know your boxers too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Criqui I won`t throw the towel in just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 From riches to rags, he was interred in an unmarked pauper`s grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 The Canadian heavyweight Tommy Burns? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 The Canadian heavyweight Tommy Burns? John To be fair; that was a pretty easy one for anyone who knows their boxing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Burns_(boxer) This is obviously an area of your expertise John. Do you share my passion for boxing? Since I first started here on WIT, I have for some reason, up until now resisted the urge to be self-indulgent and post fighters. It would seem that after all this time, I chose the wrong time to do so now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Many moons ago as a teenager I used to be into the amateur scene and had a few bouts, but the usual vices caught up and it became a spectator sport, which has also diminished as I get older. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Too slow on Percy Jones. This one's easy. Gassed at Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Too slow on Percy Jones. This one's easy. Gassed at Ypres. That has to be one of two that I can think of. I`ll go for Peerless Jim first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Neverforget I think the Welsh connection would definitely make it Jim Driscoll "I served four years during the Great War; during that time I did some 12,000 three-minute rounds of boxing, taking on all comers, all weights, amateur and professional." John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 There were a number of notable Welsh fighters at the time, but I`m sticking with Driscoll for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Peerless Jim it is. When he was buried in 1925, his funeral was the largest ever seen in Wales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 I`ve not come across a happy end for many of these boxers yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Wilde, Basham and Welsh would all be too easy now, so I`ll post one more, and then throw in the towel on boxers for a while. Who is this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 6 April , 2016 Share Posted 6 April , 2016 Eugene Bullard khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 Eugene Bullard khaki Good effort Khaki, but not him. My man was awarded a couple of gallantry medals, but didn`t have quite such a distinguished military career as Bullard. In fact; not many people could equal Bullard`s WW1 credentials, which as we know were exceptional. He did outshine him in the ring though, taking the world title from a very famous fighter in a controversial and rather chaotic fight. Another sad end too, after being gunned down on his way home one night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 Battling Siki aka Louis Mbarick Fall, the George Carpentier light heavyweight championship win controversy, final shot in the back, a story in itself. I waited before I had my turn - honest John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 Battling Siki is correct of course John. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battling_Siki Siki claimed that he had agreed to take a dive, but when Carpentier dropped Siki, the outraged African decided to get up and fight. Although he had agreed to throw the fight, he did not intend to get beat up doing so. In the sixth round Siki hit Carpentier with a powerful right uppercut that appeared to put Carpentier down and out for the count. The referee, however, claimed Siki had tripped Carpentier, and awarded the bout to the unconscious champion on a foul. Fearing a riot from the aroused crowd, the three ringside judges overruled the referee, and Siki was eventually declared the champion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 NF Is that Erika Roe? Can't think of a Great War connection, though. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scorer Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 In the Army Physical Training Corps Museum at Aldershot, there's a photograph of the Army Gymnastic Staff Instruction Team in 1914. The heading is “Six Lonsdale Belt Holders” and they are: “Bombardier” Billy Wells (Heavyweight, 1911 – 1919); Pat O’Keefe (Middleweight, 1914 – 1916 & 1918 – 1919), Johnny Basham (Welterweight, 1914 – 1920 & 1921); Dick Smith (Light Heavyweight, 1914 – 1916 & 1918 – 1919); Jimmy Wilde (Flyweight, 1916 – 1923); and Jim Driscoll (Featherweight, 1907 – 1913). By the way, I've always thought that Johnny Basham who, incidentally, is buried in my local cemetery in Newport, had one of the most appropriate names for a boxer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 7 April , 2016 Share Posted 7 April , 2016 By the way, I've always thought that Johnny Basham who, incidentally, is buried in my local cemetery in Newport, had one of the most appropriate names for a boxer! Interesting. I once knew a Johnny Basham, who insisted his surname was not "Bash-em", but "Bass-'am". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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