MY thanks to the Welsh EBA Vice-President and Treasurer, Wynford Jones, for his extensive report on this year’s British Former Boxers Hall of Fame, held at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff. An audience of almost 400 people enjoyed a “special and truly unforgettable” afternoon, organized by chairman Kevin Hayde, Wynford, secretary Cyril Thomas and committee member Dave Furnish – each of the inductees and/or their families and friends.

Mickey Carter was honored with the Amateur Boxer Award by John H. Stracey, MBE, his teammate at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, while Clinton McKenzie received the Contemporary Era Award from Colin Jones, MBE, one of his teammates at During the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Clinton also enjoyed a special performance of “Elated Birthday” (he turned 69 on Sunday, September 15).

Hall of Fame chairman John Conteh MBE presented James Cook MBE with the Contemporary Era award, while Anthony Crolla and Derek Williams received huge support in the same category.

The families of David Pearce (posthumously), Dai Dower MBE (Contemporary Era), Dave Coldwell (manager) and Alan Smith (professional trainer) were on hand – and, Wynford says, “it was great to see Harold Alderman, MBE and Miles Templeton (all services to boxing) honored for their enormous contribution to the sport.” Promoter Mark Neilson received the award from Nicky Piper MBE.

EBA Essex chairman Tommy Burling and Leeds stalwart Vince Campbell (both lifetime service providers to the EBA) were considered “popular recipients”. Lewis van Poetsch, who has now started a up-to-date career as a professional referee, has been introduced to the 100 Plus category.

“Other inductees,” Wynford said, “included the delayed, great Tommy Farr [Pioneer]Carl Frampton, MBE [Modern Era] AND [Central (Midlands) EBA Secretary] Paweł Nutting [Lifetime Services to EBAs]who unfortunately were unable to join us while the amateur team was larger with the introduction of Roy Williams [Boxer] and Freddie Barr [Trainer].

“Introduction by the delayed Karen Knight [Lifetime Services to EBAs]who will never be replaced, appeared extremely moved and received a standing ovation, which her husband Terry found extremely moving.

“The final award, the Courage Award, went to Mark Goult. Once again, it proved to be an incredibly moving moment and he was greeted with another standing ovation as he accepted his award from the Hall of Fame [and Hastings EBA] Chairman, Dave Harris.”

I’m delighted it went so well. When Dave Harris first mooted the idea of ​​a British Hall of Fame, some doubted it would work – but it certainly did.

Depressed news from Wales. Sorry to hear of the death of former Mountain Ash player Phil Williams. He was 86 years senior.

Phil had 10 professional fights between 1958 and 1960, winning the first four (three inside the schedule) but losing the rest. In February 1959 he fought the full eight rounds against the delayed Wally Swift, who won the Midlands Area welterweight title seven months later and went on to become both British welterweight and middleweight champion.

Phil’s last fight was his only one for Wales – a seventh round defeat to Neville Axford at Carmarthen in March 1960.

My condolences to Phil’s family and friends.

No one lasts forever and in the latest Leeds EBA newsletter, secretary/treasurer Paul Abrahams writes: “After 15 years I am stepping down from my role with the Leeds Former Boxers Association. I still hope to attend some meets and events in the future and would like to thank everyone in the boxing family for their support and encouragement over the last decade and a half.

Paul invites anyone interested in taking on the role of bulletin compiler to notify the committee. I hope someone comes forward – Paul has done a great job over the years and it would be a real shame if the newsletter was discontinued (as has been the case with some other EBAs).

From 1947 to 1954, heavyweight history featured a timeless series of sagas. I have seen many accounts (despite my own) of the rivalries of the Five Kings (Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Durán, Benítez), but few describing the specific four-man rivalry masterclass that headlined and closed the “Age of Black and White”.

Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis; are four legends of the sport who at one point fought each other in search of glory and greatness. It will probably come as a shock to any novel fighting fans that there was a time when the best fighters *actually fought each other*. Imagine if Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury fought each other in a series of fights that defined an era (at least before Oleksandr Usyk came along). That’s what we have in store today.

In 1947, Joe Louis accepted a challenge from Jersey Joe Walcott, which caused some would-be sadness over the years at Madison Square Garden. The following year there was a rematch and a magical ending that transported fight fans back to the glory days. Fortunately, the duology between Louis and Walcott was just the beginning of the bigger picture.

In 1949, when Louis retired, the two top contenders met in a match organized by Louis to determine a novel champion. Neither Jersey Joe nor novel heavyweight Ezzard Charles received much recognition, at least in the shadow of hero Joe Louis. They fought and a novel champion was crowned.

In 1950, Joe Louis returned to the ring and fought the reigning Shadow Champion. This was very telling in terms of where both men were in the division’s current landscape. The following year, the champion fought two fights with his rival and both shared victories. The second of their fights featured probably the nastiest and coldest left hook in boxing history. That same year, Joe Louis became involved with another rival, ending his career in devastating fashion, although it did little to change his legacy.

In 1952, the championship saw its fourth entry in a certain rivalry that equalized the chances of both fighters. Later in the year, arguably the best fight in the entire Four Man saga took place, culminating in a fight resembling an ancient Western drawing of a gun. Whoever draws and shoots first wins, and that’s exactly what happened.

Then came 1953 and we only had one round of final truth left. There was no doubt who was the champion. The year 1954 came and the Rivalry Saga ended the same way it began: with a duology worth seeing. The master was dealing with an unwashed man who, with all his remaining urgency, wanted to throw himself into the driver’s seat. The story remains after one duel in which the competition was very fierce, and another in which one of the competitors almost lost his nose! You read that right.

You will notice that I have not revealed some of the names involved in the fights mentioned, in case you have never watched any of these fights or are not aware of this rivalry. You have to experience it for the first time and absorb it. Or maybe you are someone who already knows this story. Then you will still be delighted with this shortened trip back in time! Of course, I recommend watching these fights in their entirety if you haven’t. You can even employ my video as a guide to ordering your watch.

Okay, enough joking. It’s time for you to experience one of the most significant sagas in heavyweight history. These four men closed the “black and white age” in the best way possible. Fans couldn’t have asked for a better series of all-time classic fights. I think there’s only one question that can be asked: what if ARCHIE MOORE had been in the mix earlier and joined this competition? Moore fought Ezzard Charles at featherlight heavyweight and would still give Rocky Marciano his last fight…

This is the story of “The Rivalry of the Four Heavyweight Kings” by TheCharlesJackson, author of the Encyclopedia of Boxing; from my heart to yours. A preview of “A Timeline of the Heavyweight Boxing Division from the 1950s”, in which you can expect my next article in about 3 weeks. Rejoice and God bless you.

Sometimes that’s what happens in boxing when you get out and forget all the great things that happened before you fell. You know what I mean: the great Muhammad Ali, almost untouchable in his prime (or in his prime), but busted after two desperate defeats, including one to a guy he barely broke a sweat against when he was the real Ali.

Sugar Ray Leonard, almost flawless in his perfect (or perfect) form, left after two painful defeats, one of which was a stoppage loss to a guy who was never considered a hitter.

And the original Sugar Ray, the greatest to ever do it, yet fighting for far too long and leaving in defeat after a dozen games.

And then we look at some great fighters who managed to rise to the top without having to test their luck for too long and can forever boast an undefeated record – Rocky Marciano, Joe Calzaghe, Ricardo Lopez, Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward… and one or two other guys.

Which brings us to Roy Jones Jr., also known as “Superman.”

Jones was able to emerge from this almost flawlessly, almost intact. However, younger fans today don’t fully realize how truly great and special Jones was in his prime (or prime years). Some of us know how Jones did it all – as a middleweight, super middleweight, lightweight heavyweight, and even made his mark in the heavyweight division. But Jones fought on and on until he lost a total of ten times, nine of which occurred at a time when RJ no longer resembled Superman. When fans today look at Jones’ record, they see him being beaten ten times and being knocked out five times, and as a result, they tend to disregard him as a true champion. Never allow yourself to be told that the power of an unbroken record cannot influence the mind.

Jones could have done things differently, however, and in a modern interview with the Mail Online, the living legend says he regrets continuing to fight after his first fight with Antonio Tarver. Jones, meanwhile, moved up to heavyweight to confuse and dethrone WBA heavyweight belt holder John Ruiz; for some experts, it was Jones’ best and most unique performance. But then Jones put so much through his body that he went back down to 175 pounds and took the Tarver fight. Jones, already a shell of his former glory, was defeated in a 12-round majority decision and his lightweight heavyweight titles and supremacy were retained. Almost.

Looking back, it was the perfect time for Jones to step away and retire. To accept his flowers. Instead, Jones boxed for almost a decade. He was defeated by the likes of Tarver (in a rematch), Glen Johnson and Joe Calzaghe. Jones could perhaps live with it, but the losses, the KO defeats of Danny Green, Denis Lebedev and Enzo Maccarinelli certainly haunt Jones today, just as they haunt Jones’ fans.

Jones told the Mail it could have been a different end to his career.

“I probably should have won the first fight with Tarver and stopped,” Jones said. “I would still be without a doubt the greatest fighter of all time, which I still am, but people wouldn’t even think about it because they already know it. No one has ever done what I did – until today.”

Again, these adolescent fans do think and question Jones’ true greatness, and it’s because of his best losses in the past. If Jones had left after that close call with Tarver at a time when the Pensacola resident had absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone (except perhaps himself) – where would he rank among “experts” and senior fans and youth today?

As the greatest warrior of all time? Very possible. Jones from 1993 to 2003 was truly great. Jones could fly and it looked like no one would be able to bring him down.

Imagine today, Jones at 49-1, beautifully and brutally repairing his DQ loss to Montell Griffin. Where would you place it in the pantheon of immortal rings?