Connect with us

Boxing History

Yesterday’s heroes: fantastic Mr. Hartley

Published

on

Yesterday's heroes: fantastic Mr. Hartley

In the 1980s, there was a very popular advertisement on British television for yellow BT pages, in which the elderly gentleman finally follows his beloved book “Fly Fishing by Jr Hartley”. Well, boxing has its own bibliophile named Hartley and was a special man.

I communicated sporadically with Ra Hartley many years ago, because he bought and sold books and magazines, but he is best known for his work, The Life’s Work, The the History and bibliography of boxing books. Bob tried to write a full compendium of every boxing book ever published, both in Great Britain and abroad, and he managed to find and detail, over 2,100 of them. For anyone who is seriously interested in building a collection of boxing books, and there are many of you, Bob’s book is an indispensable source of reference.

Bob has always turned out to be quite a scholar and scientific gentleman, and many were a complete surprise to say that he had a broad career as a professional boxer in the 1930s. I did it something like a personal mission to follow as many Bob duels as possible, and with it in boxing in one of the boxing backwaters at that time, Lincolnshire and East England, it did not turn out to be an straightforward task. A glance at his record shows how extensive professional it was at the moment, with many diminutive towns and villages that had not had a PRO program for over 80 years.

Bob was born in Billingborough in the southern Lincolnshire and was the best of a diminutive group of about eight other boxers who came from the village, and even today his population is only about 1000. He defeated as an average weight and could hit. His plate is decorated with pure knockout against a lot of men who, like him, boxed above all to put food on the family table.

With attendance in some rooms, in which he regularly entertained, carrying only two or three hundred, no one will ever get luxurious in boxing. The first competition, which I can trace for Bob, took place in Forester’s Hall in his own village, six -handed against a boy from nearby Bourne, on the bill promoted by the Boston boxing syndicat, and Bob threw his man in two rounds. Then a week later with a boy from Kirton from one round in Grantham.

Most of Bob’s early duels took place in Boston, Grantham, Spalding and Billingborough, where he was a naturally great favorite, and won his first 14 in a row. His first defeat occurred in March 1934, when he was knocked out from the ring in Grantham in the fight against Arthur “Knocker” Freestone. Despite the brave test, Bob could not return to the ring on time. After this Bob continued to connect mainly eight and 10-rounds throughout Lincs and East England, boxing in Holbeach, Bourne, Skegness, Lincoln, Melton Mowbray and Woodhall SPA.

In 1936 he conducted a campaign in Suffolk and Essex, and then, in October 1937, he showed in the Empress cinema, Chatteris in the act crowned by the local hero Eric Boon, whose meteor’s career was just beginning to achieve. This brought Bob the first and only competition in London. He pulled over eight rounds with George Thurcel in Canning Town Marina, and the BN report for the fight tells us about the style of Bob’s fight “Real Sizzler and Slam finger to the fingers with Hartley fighting.”

In his last competition, Bob kept the great Dick Turpin at the next draw of eight rounds in rugby. After a 56 career, with only 11 losses, Bob left the ring for the convenience of his research to create a final boxing bibliography. What a man.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing History

That day: Larry Holmes was born in 1949

Published

on

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes had one of the best stabs in history, superhuman regenerative powers and intelligence, which shone through his extreme talent. First of all, he was the right guy in the wrong time.

Larry was the fourth of 12 children and this was the poverty of the family, he abandoned the school in the seventh grade and worked in a car wash to provide support. Larry began to box at the age of 19 and quickly found a martial art for his pleasure. He took part in Olympic rehearsals in 1972 in 22 yearsND Bout, but after disqualification, Dane Bobick decided on a professional.

In 1973, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Norton drew attention to the heavyweight at the top with such as Jerry Quarry, Joe Bugner and Ron Lyle, just below. The arrival of Holmes to the landscape became practically unnoticed.

But Ali and Frazier were soon aware of Larry, because he perfected his skills as their sparring partner, also working with Jimmy Newborn and Earnie Shavers, winning the fight after the fight. In 1978, Ali’s legs felt a long career burden, and the phrase and Foreman left over the years. The time has come for the invincible Holmes to hit, and after defeating Shavers in the eliminator, he was adapted to the leader of WBC Ken Norton.

Epic is an abused word, but it sums up this amazing clash; Power and pain collided when supremacy was thrown between two gladiators on the 15 largest rounds of heavyweight history. Holmes, who ignored the torn muscle in his left shoulder, was recognized as the winner of the cards and the legend should be born.

But the society was too busy with a claim for Ali, who after years of sluggish form created a performance that he reminded everyone, as he once was unique when he canceled Leon Spinks to apply for the WBA belt. But Ali did not want to fight Holmes, or at least not yet and he retired.

Larry reversed the challenges of Mike Weavera, Shavers and Scott Ledoux, before 38-year-old Ali left his pension in October 1980 to face Larry. The world wanted another miracle of Muhammad. Of course, it never came when Holmes stuck his friend in 10th Round pension. Holmes attacked Ali as nicely as the boundaries of the prize ring allow, but his public attack on the national hero did not do much his popularity.

Broken condition of the heavyweight title, because the fans were forced to recognize at least one other master for the entire seven -year Holmes spell at the top. He dominated Trevor Berbick over the age of 15, he definitely detained Leon Spinks in three, and the hero’s rock White America, Gerry Cooney, over 13 rounds. This fight, from the racially charged accumulation (mainly to the promoter of Don King) to The Ring Walks (Holmes, Master, came first) was an ugly spectacle and it is not a surprise that Holmes was tired of the audience’s satisfaction.

Larry gave up the WBC belt so that he could throw Marvis Frazier in the round before modeling the newly formed version of the IBF title. Wins on James “Bonecrusher” Smith, David Bey and Carl Williams, and then, with his record at 48-0 (one of the flawless sum of Rocky Marciano), lost points with the ponderous champion Master Michael Spinks in 1985.

Many thought that Holmes deserved a verdict in the rematch, but after losing the divided decision he retired in the cloud of bitterness to convince himself of challenging the peak of Mike Tyson in January 1988. Holmes did not disgrace himself, his stab and movement frustrated the teenage lion, but Larry could not remain out of reach long enough to avoid the defeat of the fourth year.

It seemed that it was such, but with Tyson dropped from perch and the return of George Foreman, who ran a great business, Holmes returned in 1991, at the age of 41. The division almost as good as when it originally entered immediately 20 years earlier, Holmes proved its value, remaining in most decades, many ten -year -old, Olverfel, in 1992 and WBC, Olower. McCall, in 1995. He passed for good for good in 2002-probably more popular at the age of 52 than he was before-Erica Esch overtaken and moved his return record to 21-3.

Read this function when Larry Holmes flew here

Continue Reading

Boxing History

That day – George Foreman regains the world heavyweight title 20 years after he lost him with Muhammad Ali

Published

on

George Foreman

George Foreman in this 10 Michael Moorer
November 5, 1994; MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV

Boxers who are 45 years ancient should not gain a heavyweight title. Twenty years after losing to Muhammad Ali, seven years after firing the latest return, three years after losing to Evander Holyfield, two years after Alex Stewart hit his face and a year after he was connected by Tommy Morrison, after Tommy Morrison, after 10 years of total processing round).

Do you know? It was reported that Foreman wore the same trunks compared to Moorer, which he had on the day he lost to Ali. Foreman said Bn A few years ago it was not necessarily true: Foreman had several pairs of identical shorts made to fight Ali. The couple he wore against Moorene was one of them. Another: announcer Michael Buffer later said that he gave George Foreman the best possible introduction because he thought it was Foreman’s last fight.

Watch out for: The way Foreman invents the finish. He practices a blow in battle, at the same time playing with Moorer, several times before he actually lands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0-WR3QCWP4

Continue Reading

Boxing History

That day – Larry Holmes overcomes the fight against Bonecrusher Smith to win the first fight for the title IBF

Published

on

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes in RSF 12 James “Bonecrusher” Smith
November 9, 1983; Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Holmes, weighty weight number one in the world, gave the crawling IBF shot in the shoulder, parade as their master after he abandoned the title of WBC. Holmes was to face John Tate first, and then it was impossible to finalize the proposed fight with the head of WBA Gerrie Coetzee. So James “Bonecrusher” Smith, freshly after the last victory of Breath with Frank Bruno, was initiated. Holmes survived very terrifying moments before the end of cases in 12 ..

Do you know? Holmes would infirmly destroy the memory of the rocky Marciano after a defeat with Michael Spinks in 1985, ended the hopes for equalizing the Marciano 49-0 record. Before Smith’s fight, the seeds were sewn for this explosion when he raised Marciano’s certificates.

Watch out for: You will be able to watch Mike Weavera’s fight with Tony Anthony from Undercard. After the bell, to finish the first round, Anthony Cracks Weaver with his right hand, chasing him (although Weaver means his own business while returning to the stool), leaves him again, drops him strenuous and is disqualified.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfvvujiijsu&t=4859s

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending