Boxing History
Yesterday’s heroes: long story Belsize BC
Published
3 months agoon

Kevin Batchelor has recently produced a huge book that tells the story of the Belsize boxing club from the very beginning in 1882 until his death 99 years later. For everyone interested in the history and development of amateur boxing in general, the progress of an amateur game in London, and more specifically the history of this lovely aged club, Kevin’s book is a necessity. The research that has been found in it is impressive. Kevin tells a story on a course of 482 pages and is on the basic source material, wherever he can. The pages are interspersed with original press seedlings collected from countless sports magazines to provide first -hand many great stories, characters and competitions that the club is renowned for.
For those who do not know the history of Belsize BC, the title of the book is a hint, The Belsize Boxing Club – Toffs institution that has transformed boxing. The club was renowned for connections with opulent and renowned, wealthy and litany of fascinating people who moved in a high society. For example, in his preface, Kevin talks about the day when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was a finalist of the club’s annual championships in medium weight. Arthur “Peggy” Bettinson from the National Sporting Club (NSC) practically conducted a professional boxing in Great Britain in the last years of the 19th century and was the captain of the Belsize club in 1883. The most renowned judge at NSC in NSC was JH ‘Jack’ Douglas, and became the president of Belsize in 1907. His son, JWHT Douglas, not only won the Olympic Medal in the middle part. 1908, but he was also the captain of England in the victorious series of cricket against Australia in 1911-12. Do you see what I mean about a club moving in high circles?
Nine club members won ABA titles, and Kevin examined them all, and their amateur records were included in significant details. Finding this material is not an uncomplicated task, because I know too well, and I am not aware of any amateur records from the period before the First World War examined so thoroughly, so well done Kevin!
From the top of the head I can come up with four fascinating men who all the boxes in the club and Kevin tell their stories much better than I could. A fighter from the 1930s named Desmond Jeans had a handful of competitions in heavyweight and caused quite a stir, because he regularly wore monocles. He had many duels in Paris and in the main halls in London, and his largest competition was a loss in space for Jacek Pettifer at Royal Albert Hall. Charles McKenzie-Hill, better known as “Butch”, won Ne Divisionals in 1960 in the delicate of ponderous and represented London against Moscow in an international amateur. There were the 10 best amateurs in Great Britain in heavyweight and he really became a very opulent man. Older readers will remember Srikumar Sen, boxing correspondent Times Gazeta and a very good journalist and writer to this day. Srikumar took a box for Belsize in 1947, when he first came to Great Britain as a 15-year-old from India. Then he went to Oxford University, won the boxing blue and after joining TimesHe saw and reported on every great ponderous weight from Ali to Tyson. Finally, my friend John Handelaar, once both the vice -chairman and the president of BBBOc, where he still sits as an administrative flight, is another who took care of the club. John is happening a bit because he won’t mind, but during the day he had many competitions for Belsize and he could look after himself.
Kevin is grateful BN for the support offered during the production of the book and you can contact him directly for anyone who wants to buy a copy: kevinabatchelor@gmail.com
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Boxing History
The most historic struggle places in Great Britain
Published
2 hours agoon
May 25, 2025
Recently, I was thinking a lot about the hall in Great Britain, which has been taking place in boxing tournaments for the longest time. There are many immense rooms organizing professional boxing for almost 100 years – Royal Albert Hall is an obvious example. The first tournament, which I can trace in this iconic place, took place on December 11, 1918, when a competition between services between services took place. Among the many competitors from the top shelf from the Aliant Services who took part, were Harry Greb, Eddie McGorta, Auggie Ratner, Mike O’don, Pal Moore, Johnny Basham, Joe Beckett, Bombardier Billy Wells, Ted Kid Lewis and Jimmy Wilde. Star composition, if he has ever been. In the latest event, September 27, 2019, they chose Daniel Dubois and Nicola Adams.
SSE Arena in Wembley, guests of the last month of the Anthony Joshua-Kubrata Puleva competition, for the first time a professional boxing performed in 1934, when Len Harvey drew with the German heavyweight Walter Neusel. There are many similar examples of this type of immense -scale rooms. Miniature rooms are more interested for me. If you asked most of the contemporary fans, I am sure that York Hall would be high on their letters. However, the first professional show in the most famed current place in London took place in 1967. There are multiple rooms with a much longer pedigree throughout the country.
For example, The Borough Hall in Hartlepool has been organizing events since 1929 and is regularly used in the 1930s. Boxing was revived there in 1980, when the local George and John Feeney and Stuart Lithgo waved. Neil Fannan had many of his early duels on the spot and since then he took some of his current stars to this wonderful elderly room as one of the leading north-eastern trainers.
Two places that in my opinion have the longest pedigree is Walsall Town Hall [Eric Skidmore, pictured above, was a Walsall Town Hall stalwart] and Ulster Hall in Belfast. The first tournament that I can trace in Walsall took place on February 5, 1920, and in the 1920s there were many regular events in which Jack Kirby, drummer Hall and Len Tiger Smith. At the end of this decade, this place was not favorable when two places, the Hatherton Street and Navigation Road Arena ice rink became the location of weekly shows in the city.
In 1942, boxing returned to the town hall and since then it has been taking place regularly. Among the many high -class performers who bothering there were Joe Erskine and Wally Swift. In 1962, like many other similar types, the hall was closed for almost 30 years. In 1991, he opened again, covering Richie Woodhall in his fourth competition, and since then this place was regularly used for boxing, the latest program in September 2019.
Ulster Hall reaches even more. Jack Harrison from Staford fitted a local man Billy Maguire in 15 rounds on November 20, 1912, and this place became a robust boxing Miniature Hall in the city since the tardy 1930s, and especially in the 1950s. Some great fighters, including, in a particularly opulent period of their history in the 1980s, Barry McGuigan, Hugh Russell, Dave Mcauley and Eamonn Loughran. The last program took place in February 2020, almost 108 years after the first.
There are many other places throughout the country that have a long and opulent tradition and are still used, even if sometimes, including a tower circus in Blackpool, Hall of King Jerzy in Blackburn and Leeds Town Hall. However, I am not aware of the longer heritage than both presented in Walsall and Belfast, and because I did not examine this matter deeply, some readers can take care of me about others I missed. This is the most captivating topic.

When in 2011 he turned to the deceased Philadelphia warrior in 2011, Fortuna Joe Frazier had long disappeared, and his health disappeared for several years, but his reputation as one of the best revolver workers that the heavyweight division saw was definitely tactful.
A man who grew up as a child in Beaufort in North Carolina – in the rural community of the bay Laurel – but went by bus north to Up-to-date York for settling in the city of brotherly love.
He became an amateur warrior, inspired by memories of his family watching boxing on their ancient black and white TV, and his unpaid career ended with a gold medal in Tokyo from 1964 and became a professional with the support of a group of local businessmen who created the CLOVERLAY partnership.
His trainer, Yank Durham, helped connect the consortium and invested in him so that the phrase could train full -time and began from his right foot, stopping Woody Goss in the first round in his debut.
Frazer, a wonderful left Haker, did a brief work of many men, and in 1966 Eddie Futch stayed on board as an assistant to the coach.
And Joe’s “Smokin” fee began.
In 1966 he defeated Oscar Bonven and Eddie Machen, the best pretenders, and a year later Douga Jones stopped for six. Then he stopped the stationary Canadian George Chuvalo, and defeated his ancient amateur rival Buster Mathis SNR in 11th round.
Before Muhammad Ali refused Vietnam and took his license, the phrase was clearly the best massive in the world, even if he had to go through the WBA tournament to prove it.
He defeated Jerry Quarry in cuts in seven crazy rounds, united titles against Jimmy Ellis-Stary Stablema Ali-in the final of the tournament, and then crushed excellent weight to delicate, Bob Foster, in five.
He was on March 8, 1981, when the Frazier and Ali finally closed the corners in a duel, definitely settled as the fight of the century.
And more than the noise fulfilled when two legendary massive weight from the first bill to the pleasure of a sold -out crowd in Up-to-date York Garden Madison Square Garden.
“You know, you are in the ring with God,” Ali said, trying to throw the phrase at the last minute.
“If you are God,” the phrase joked, “You are in the wrong place today.” Their amazing 15 rounds are extensive as the biggest struggle of the heavyweight of the lively, between two undefeated heavyweight kings in their prime and flashbulb flashbulb flashbulb, spectacular enough to drop Ali, but it is not enough to keep a great man down, the exclusion was imposed on the historical victory of Joe.
This turned out to be a tough action for Philadelphia, and the defense against Terry Daniels and Ron Stander did not issue the best of the master, but it was thought that a hazardous threat to George Foreman.
The great Hitter from Houston was at his intimidation against the phrase and expanded his undefeated gear at 38 with the bullous two -time destruction of the phrase in Jamaica. Joe was three times in each session.
He bounced in London with a more tough victory than the expected victory over Plucky Joe Bugner, and then in 1974 Ali Avengów lost 71 in points over 12 years.
Two repetitive wins, over the quarry and Ellis, approached the phrase for the third fight with Ali, another creator of history, as a thrfla in Manila.
Ali, like his habit, irritated the phraseer’s Dudist at every stage. Joe was frustrated because he helped Ali when he fell on difficult times after he lost his license to fight.
Ali attacked Joe, marking him and his uncle Tom and offending his appearance, infamously calling him a gorilla. “It will be a thrill, chill and kill when I get a gorilla in Manila.”
It was not much more than school intimidation, but the phrase took him deeply personally, which added fuel to their intensive professional competition.
They both hit everything they had on a sizzling evening in the Philippines in one of the most exhausting fights that sport saw.
“Joe, they told me that you are all washed,” Ali crouched in a filled sweat. “They lied”, the phrase snapped in response.
From both destroyed, bruised and swollen hell with reckless abandonment, nor does it shudder, giving neither. The pressure remained, but then just before the bell was broken to start 15th And the final round, the furrier withdrew.
“It’s over,” he said, “but no one will forget what you have done here today.”
But no warrior who had no longer a little before traveling east was the same again.
Joe survived five rounds with Foreman in the next fight, and then, after five years of retirement, tried his luck in returning to attract with narrow Jumbo Cummings.
The phrase was no longer “smoking”, but the fur was right, no one would ever forget what he did.

The departure of the former British and European Bantam titles on December 28 Johnny Clark brought gloomy news for anyone who is associated with the movement of former boxers, and more broadly with British struggle fans, whose memories date back to the 1960s and 70s. For them, the name Johnny Clark will remember one of the most invigorating fighters of this period. He could box, could hit and could be planned to entertain from the first Bell to the last. It has been 46 years since the last Walworth ring, so we will come back four of his most memorable fights.
Alan Rudkin, April 1970
Boxing news A fan who, who is warm, undefeated perspectives, Clark (26-0-1), can put an end to the five-year reign of Liverpool Mageestro Rudkin as a British master, the first slope of Johnny to the National Honors. It was the biggest challenge for a 22-year-old Walworth fighter. Rudkin fought three times for the world crown, losing to Harada, Lionel Rose and Ruben Olivares. The competition was a classic fighting at speed. In the early rounds, Clark disturbed Rudkin with burning attacks, and Liverpudlian had to call his whole experience to avoid seizures. But as the fight progressed, Johnny began to bother, and the eighth Alan looked like a winner. Boldly Clark fought until judge James Brimmell intervened in 12th place to save him from further punishment. “Clark lost the fight, but won a up-to-date army of admirers. One day he will become a champion,” BN predicted.
Alan Rudkin, January 1972
This eagerly expected rematch of the championship was complex to call earlier. Clark said he learned from the mistakes of their first duel and this time he stopped better. Alan, at the age of 30, was considered a shadow in his first place, but he is still a force that should be reckoned with. The fight was a British boxing classic, described by the BN as a “criminal, qualified battle that will never be forgotten by those who saw it.” He was close from beginning to end. According to his word, Johnny’s tempo was at that time when the battle played temptingly. Rudkin was often more busy, but Clarke’s arrows were softer and swayed many times the master. An amazing rally on the 15th round from Alan brought him the sentence of Judge Harry Gibbs by only half a point. Both men were brilliant.
Paddy Maguire, February 1973
Maguire Clark and Belfast met on the title released by Rudkin with the opinion of the press, widely divided into who triumphes – a qualified and broadly experienced Londonian or an extremely difficult, but less seasoned North Irishman. He produced another Barnburner in a duel, when two 25-year-olds fought with life. Maguire, as expected, threw everything he had in Clark, but was in the face of a man at the peak. It was an exhausting meeting, but Johnny survived an early storm to withdraw Paddy in the last third fight. The man from Belfast showed a huge heart to stay in full 15 rounds and see how Clark announced a up-to-date master. Two years later, Maguire would be a champion after pensioning Johnny.
Franco Zhttps: //boxingnewsonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/charleyburley.jpgo, April 1973
Clark faced an Italian Zurlo veteran, a insidious switch, for a free European crown. Johnny performed most of the forces and boxed with skills and intelligence to win the verdict of three judges and reduce very successful three months, proveing to the best Bantam in Europe. Although age 33, Zurlo was far from the end. After retiring, Johnny was crowned the master himself and made five successful defense in the behind schedule seventies, which makes Johnny’s victory more impressive. After gathering the European belt, Clark won all his five other fights, including European defense against the future Salvatore Fabrizio champion.

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The most historic struggle places in Great Britain
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