In November last year, Judge Watford, Bob Williams, was an official in Wembley Arena on the authority of Conor Benn. Bob coped with two of the five competitions and eight Run-i acted as a referee of the other three. One of the most proud moments in an outstanding career, when the third man came when he assessed the fight between Liam Davies and Sean Cairns for the empty English title of Bantamweight. Bob has been a star for several years and he has sown and evaluated many leading fighters of Great Britain, but the reason why this fight was so unique is that his great -grandfather, Jim Williams from Marylebone, fought for the same title at the end of the 19th century.

I remember Bob well as high quality super airy at the turn of the eighties and 1990s. He defeated as BF Williams, won 20 of his 33 competitions and regularly assessed about 20 places on what was at that time a highly competitive division in Great Britain, crowned by Pat Barrett, Andy Holligan, Tony Ekubia and Ross Hale.

Bob began to box as a youthful boy, and when his father saw that he was seriously approaching the game, he told Bob about his excellent ancestor, and then went upstairs to find a long -lasting belt, which for many years was put on the side. A belt that is still kept in the family is an English championship by 116 pounds, and ancient Jim fought for him four times in 1899–1902. Just seeing this belt and hearing about his great -grandfather was needed Bob, and he became fanatical participation in his local gym in Bushey ABC and learning everything he could.

While energetic professional Bob has become a fireman and although he is currently one of the most talented judges in Great Britain, he can still be found with younger colleagues regularly participating in sedate incidents in Hertfordshire and the surrounding area.

Jim Williams boxed in many championship competitions in Bantamweight or around in 1895–1902. At that time, the classic eight championships have not yet been established, and the fights were arranged with many different scales. Jim fought for the English title at 114 pounds, 115 pounds and 116 pounds, and achieved a noteworthy victory in one of these competitions.

Mounted with a great Palmer pedlar at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, in January 1902, few would give Williams a great chance. Palmer recently undertook the title of world champion twice, losing to Terry McGovern and Harry Harris. In the previous duel he defeated George Dixon, another world warrior. The Williams camp was sure of their man and from the very beginning supported them, incapacitating the Canning Town fighter. Palmer was on canvas in the blister four times in the first round, and then was sent by a body shot at the beginning of the second. It was Jim’s biggest victory, and he retired in 1909, he had almost 50 competitions in 16 years.

Bob’s last fight took place in 1994 at the town hall in Watford. It is understandable that being a local boy, Bob founded a lot of fans among regular participants of this renowned boxing place. Tailored to the free SUPER-LIGHT title in the southern area against Jon Thaxton, it was to be the most prestigious Bob competition.

He won his three previous duels at a distance, all in Watford, and was in good shape. Thaxton, however, walked in places, earlier I beat Dean Hollington in three rounds, and the Norwich man was a favorite before the fight. Bob’s plan consisted in testing an early storm for four rounds before he accelerated the pace. As he told me on the phone, looking back at the fight, Bob did not reach so far, he was stopped at the fourth.

Bob can be proud of his achievements, both as a boxer and a judge, and he can certainly be proud of his great -grandfather.

Ghana has a long and proud tradition of the production of top -class boxers. In recent years, Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and David Kotey stand out among the best, while the current stars are Isaac Dogboe and Richard Commey.

In the 1950s, when fighters from the whole community of the depending began to appear regularly in British rings, Ghana fighters were very in the foreground. “The Black Flash” Roy Ankrah achieved great things and was very much admired by crowds of boxing throughout Great Britain for his swarm, versatile style. Others are Al Alotey, Atto Clottey and Jack Johnson. At the beginning of the sixties, Floyd Robertson imitated Ankrah, winning the so -called British empire. London’s strength day were full of youthful boys from Ghana, Nigeria and Western India, everyone tried to achieve as much as possible in a professional game, or at least to end.

In April 1967, Ray Opoku left his family Ghana to develop trade in British rings. At that time, he was a leading claimant for the Ghana featherweight title with a record of seven wins and a draw of his 11 competitions. London’s manager Eddie Giddings approached him to join his stable with Sammy Abbey’s compatriot. Sammy came to Great Britain a few years earlier and won here 12 out of his 15 duels and became a contractor of the highest level. Giddings was a good manager who looked after his fighters. He defeated himself in the 1940s, debuting at Royal Albert Hall on Freddie Mills.

The abbey as a mentor and Giddings as an extremely genial and caring manager, Ray set off on his own way to glory. He did not recognize it straightforward. First of all, the British climate was a shock for him when he had to get up to do his road works early in the morning.

His first competition took place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington. Tailored to Steve Elliston from Bermondsey in the eight round, he began a perfect start. Elliston won the title of ABA Junior in 1963 during boxing with Fisher BC, and as a professional he won all except one of his duels, losing only to Gerry McBride in his previous competition through disqualification. His fight from the base was to restore him to the right track. Ray attacked him from the offset, decorating Elliston in the third. After Elliston withdrew, trying to move Ghana, but in the last round the cut eye laid the end of Steve’s hope, and Ray was fleeting.

Then it was fitted Jimmy RevieFuture champion of British lightweight, in an eight round in Brighton. Revie was a really heated perspective at the time and was too good for Ray, stopping him in two rounds. It seems to me that Opoku could get an easier introduction, but it was so in those days, especially for an unknown black warrior. The best way to earn good money was to take perspectives in the hope of causing nervousness or two to be noticed.

Ray soon found himself in the top ten of Great Britain in a featherweight and continued to fight the best men, including George O’Neill, Brian Cartwright and Brian Packer – All Area Champions. Further losses appeared at the hands of John O’Brien, Johnny Cheshire and the upcoming John H. Stacey. Ray did not avoid fighting nobody and always gave excellent value.

After withdrawing from the game in 1970, he worked for British Rail for many years, raising three children, two of whom he mentioned in honor of Eddie Giddings and his wife Eddie, Suzanna. He is still plentiful today and lives in London.

Just over a decade ago, David Haye found himself all over the world when he released Russian Nikolay Value from his ponderous Crown WBA. The fight attracted great attention, not because of its quality, but to the size of the sinus between 6 3-inch feet Ex-Cruiser weight Haye and 7 feet, 316 pounds Russian. Even in the era of enormous ponderous weight, most Valuev was really stunning. One can imagine how the surprise excited by arriving in Great Britain, in 1955, from a boxer both higher and heavier than Valuev.

South Africa Potgieter had 7 feet 2 inches with an amazing 94 -inch range, and his heaviest fighting scale scaled 351 pounds. This is not a typical reward, “Pottie”, as he was known, came from a wealthy agricultural environment. He was convinced to take boxing in the early 1920s by Hotelier Norman Weiner, who noticed a nice and articulated colossus towering over everyone in his hometown of Vryheid, Kwazulu-Natal. Under the leadership of Weiner Pottie had seven duels in South Africa between July 1954 and April 1955, winning them all in two rounds. Reports of his feats reached the best promoter of Great Britain, Jacek Solomons, who noticed the huge potential for making money in promoting the world’s largest boxer. Jack decided to present him at his London concerts.

Pottie arrived in London at the beginning of August 1955, and his arrival was about national news. He was reserved for the September show at White City Stadium with many leading weight – Nino Valdes, Don Cockell, Dick Richardson, Joe Erskine, Henry Cooper and George’s twin brother – all of them comparative dwarfs next to South African. As you might expect, Pottie had no problems with his opponent, 5 feet Jamaican journeyman, Simon Templar, who was “pushed as if he were a fly”, as BN put it before he retired at the end of the sixth in a unilateral duel. Pottie left again a month later to stop another Jamaica, Noel “Bull” Reed, in the second round at Harringay Arena. Apparently, a step in the classroom was needed, and on the next trip in Harringay after the break of the next month, Solomons gave.

Unlike any previous opponent Potgester, Canadian James J. Parker (26-5-3) had a decent record against high quality opposition, after the beating of Fresh York Jimmy Slade, drawn with other Canadian Walls and remained in a distance with the excellent Nino Valdes (who made a decision over Ezezard Charles). This time Pottie looked completely from the depths. The BN reporter told Parker to win each of 10 rounds. The decision for the Canadian seemed the only possible one, but the fight was considered a draw.

“I would like Potgieter to return to his farm before he takes a really wild beating,” warned Peter Wilson from Daily Mirror. “I rarely met a man in boxing, which I liked more or the one that in my opinion is less suitable for this most testing all sports careers.”

Within a month, Pottie seemed to take advantage of this advice, citing the press criticism of her show in the fight of Parker as a reason for abandoning boxing. “Some of them [the reporters] He said I was not good, which I think is unfair. It was only my 10th fight and I was still a novice, an experienced opponent. I have never been hurt and I don’t like the woundedness of others. I return to South Africa. “

The 22-year-old left Great Britain at the beginning of December 1955, but he returned for four more fights in America a little over a year later, winning two and losing in the States, then withdrew for good after defeat with the leading contender John Holman. Although far from the best colossus fighting heavyweight in history, Potgieter was certainly not the worst. The fact that he never lost time suggests, in any case, he had a decent chin.