By Miles Templeton

America produced a enduring world -class stream in the 70s.

Men such as Marvin Hagler, Vito Antoufermo, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, Tony Licata, Mike Rossman, Mike Baker, Bennie Briscoe, Eddie Gregory and Willie Monroe together. One of the first who called here was the volume of “The Bomb” by Bethea, a hardly striking warrior from Harlem in Modern York. Bethea, born in 1944, has already undergone 10 rounds with Carlos Monzon, losing only because of the divided decision, and stopped Nino Benvenuti in the seventh, before he made his debut in Great Britain in 1970.

He was brought to fight Marek Rowe in December this year, and the program notes a competition that “Bethea is fighting only one style, falls into his opponents and shoots with low blows from all sides.” Rowe won and lost the British title at the beginning of this year and was at a crossroads. It was his 30th Royal Albert Hall competition that turned out to be unlucky.

In a very tight romance, Judge Harry Gibbs gave him Bethei by only one round. Bn They thought at least participation in the distinction. The rematch was natural, and when they both met again, 10 months later in the same place, Bethea repeated his victory, this time more final. Rowe was far behind when the scalp wounded, caused by the clash in the fifth round, and the badly cut eye turned out to be too enormous for its corner and was pulled out in ninth place.

Rowe coach, Bill Chevalley, was dissatisfied with the amount of illegal work, which Bethea used, but Bn Hit your nails in the head, stating that “Bethea had a very good ninth round and looked in a much better shape than the duty. Despite the admirable Marek, there was no sense to let him go to the last round. “

Lightweight Lithe, Johnny Franham, overtook Ba Souvenal tonight, and a match was performed between Franham and Bethea, in Royal Albert Hall, in January 1972. Senior place and was very joyful to boost the division of weight to deal with the reading fighter. Johnny spent most of the early rounds showing up. Bn He did not pull any blows: “Frankham was his ordinary, annoyed, irritating, frustrating himself, smiling and his hands held at his side. In the first half of the fight, Johnny did Peddling and Bethea persecution. “The delayed Franham rally was not enough, and Bethea won his third competition in Great Britain, and judge Harry Gibbs shot him the winners for two rounds. Earlier in the evening, in great nervousness, Mark Rowe was destroyed by Howard Sharpe in just 50 seconds.

The stage was prepared for the US import to fight the British champion, Bunny Sterling, in the next 10-Rund Albert Hall. Saint fighter Pancrras was considered tests, despite the British form of Bethei, but once again the American organized and built the lead at the beginning of the ninth. Harry Gibbs did not have an alternative how to stop the competition when after the clash of Bethea’s head, he staggered seriously with his left eyelid. After the fight, Tom said that “Sterling is a good applicant, not a bad puncher. I don’t know how far I am in the front, I just fight. “

Bethea’s fifth and last fight took place at the World Sporting Club, Mayfair and this time it was really put in place. Phil Matthews was a great impact of the average weight with Rossendale in Lancashire and was then a real perspective. He flattened Bethea in three rounds in a television competition. After lighting the British rings for two years, Tom returned to the States and gave up the game in 1978.

By Miles Templeton

There are some British fights for the title, which really stand out in memory, both in terms of the quality of the duel and the emotions caused by the action. When the British title meant much more than it seems, some clear examples were the lightweight Eric Boon-Arthur Danahar competition in 1938, the Great Alan Minter-Kevin Finnegan trilogy in the mid-1970s and three competitions between Jackie Brown and Bert Kirby in the years 1929–1931. Another one, which I was always very interested in, is between Stan Hawthorn and Billy Thompson in a lithe level in 1947.

Thompson came from Hickleton Main, the village of Pit near Thurnscoe, in West Yorkshire. This area had a tradition of producing demanding men, and Hickleton Main ABC was the best amateur club that turned out to be masters, including Thompson, who won the lithe ABA championship in 1945, and Ronnie Latham, who won the same title five years later.

Meanwhile, Hawthorne was a great fighter from North Shields, a fishing port of 10 miles north of Tyne from Newcastle. North Shields also produced his candid participation in tough warriors, and Spike Robson and Paul Charters stand out. Hawthorne’s father, who also fought in the great war, was saved from the beaches in Dunkierka, his brother Ronnie took part in D-Day landings, and the state he was born in 1923 spent 17 months in the army.

Hawthorne fought Thompson seven times as an amateur, all duels take place in 1944 and 1945, they lost six of them, but winning the last knockout in Hickleton Main. After releasing from the army, he did not waste time transforming professionals, quickly gaining a gigantic reputation in the rings around Liverpool and Blackpool, where the state was based.

Thompson also changed the professional in 1945, but with manager Benny Huntman signing him after the victory Abba Billy leaned in London. The following year, he won 20 at the trot and was adapted with Hawthorne with the lithe title Northern Area.

At that time, the northern area was covered by Lancashire and Yorkshire, as well as the northeast, but it is still amazing to notice that 18,000 people appeared to see the fight for the title on Anfield, the Liverpool FC house. The fight also received official recognition as an eliminator of the British title in which he organized Ronnie James. Hawthorne disrupted the chances that night, telling Yorkshireman in battle Bn Described as “one continuous thrill”.

James retired after losing in 1946 with Ike Williams for the title of world champion, so Thompson and Hawthorne were again broadcast to the free British title in October 1947, again to Anfield. From the competition in 1946, each of them got involved in many competitions with only two losses; Thompson lost Andre Famechon and Hawthorne to Josef Preys. With many subsequent victories was waiting for a return.

Bn He sat on the fence, stating that “there is no doubt that these two adolescent people will provide another spectacular and exhilarating battle that, which, If the distance goesHe will be questioned very carefully again. “

Two men could both hit and in the distance of victory in one way or another. This time 20,000 appeared, and Thompson was not in the mood to give Hawthorne time to settle. He took out in the North Shields Man from the very beginning and both exchanged demanding blows in the sensational first round, and the awards go to Thompson. In the second Billy he blew up Hawthorne three times on canvas, and the bell saved him from a knockout at eight. The third turned out to be the last of Groggy Hawthorne, completely out -calaved and poorly damaged, saved by a judge. Hawthorne fought, with various successes, until 1951, while Thompson retired in 1953 after adding a European title to his British crown.

By Miles Templeton

Liverpool Stadium hosted many great fights in its 53-year history and opened and closed the title with British eliminators.

At the top of the account last night in 1985, Horace knocked out the local hero Noel Quarless in seven rounds in the fight in massive weight. The notification was won by the British title the following year after the arrest of Hughroy Currie on the island of Man. When the room opened in 1932, he replaced the elderly stadium, which was located in the nearby Pudsey Street. The novel place could accommodate 4000, and each place was taken at night to see how Stoker Reynolds from Portsmouth will stop another local hero, Alf Howard, in the eliminator of the British semi -edible title.

There was a very committed crowd of fighting in the city, which regularly appeared every Thursday evening to watch who was on the account, local or not. Sometimes two men from the city reached the peak at the same time, and the resulting competition really lives a place. One of these fights took place in 1956, when Pat Mcaateer fought Billy Ellaway.

Mcaateer was the prevailing master of the British medium weight and came from Birkenhead, on the other side of Mersey from the city center. He was always known as patmac and had huge supporters. The Mcaateer family produced many good boxers, including Gordon, Les and Neill, all lively in the 1960s. Pat was also the uncle of Jason Mcaateer, Liverpool player from the 90s. He won his British title in the previous year and retired as an undefeated British champion in 1958 after winning the Lonsdale belt.

Billy Ellaway came from Bootle, north of the city, and every boy is approaching from opposite sides of the river, the competition between them became even more intense. Ellaway boxed from 1950, two years longer than Mcaateer, and they were both born in 1932. Ellaway was a sensation at the stadium, he never seemed in a lifeless fight. When they both met in August 1956, Billy was rated number two in Great Britain.

He was recently beaten by Lew Lazar in the last eliminator of the Mcaateer title at the stadium. Mcaateer watched from the ring how Lazar “served a shiny show of speedy, skillful and effective defensive boxing” to state a warrior from Liverpool. The whole Liverpool wanted to see how Mcaateer fights for the title, so Billy’s defeat was a great disappointment not only for himself, but for the whole city. Nevertheless, two men were tailored to the 10-Rund, which served as a warm-up to defend Mcaateer against Lazar, which took place two months later.

Two men met in 11 pounds, two pounds above the championships. Mcaateer, who soon left these banks on the American concert tour, did not have a mood to do it with another defeat under the belt. Recently, he was overtaken in 10-Rund by Tiberio Mitri in Rome and now it has only done this victory. That is why he received a shock of his life when Ellaway, after a quick start, caught patter with a large shot. Bn He informed that “Billy broke into the middle with a neat left hook, and then in the flash he hit the right cross of Sianmaker. He caught Pat partly on his nose and left cheek. Down he went to one knee for eight, seriously shocked and with blood flowing down his nose. ” It was just a kind of blow for which fans loved Ellaway, and the stadium was involved when they returned to the bends.

For the next nine rounds, Mcaateer did not risk, processing his rival with the master’s performance. At the end of the judge of the competition, Fred Blakeborough accidentally raised Ellaway’s hand. After realizing his mistake, he repaired everything and raised his hand to Mcaateer. We informed that “the biggest battle of Mersby Derby for many years”.