Boxing News magazine 27.1.2011 Download pdf

Boxing News Magazine 2011 Memorabilia

THE 1950s was a glamorous time for the
heavyweight division and boxing in general.
In the later years of that decade, after the
retirement of Rocky Marciano, there appeared
a glut of great heavyweights. Floyd Patterson
won the vacant title in July 1957 after beating
Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson.
It has to be said that in that era a number of
fighters most definitely deserved a shot at the
heavyweight crown. The list in no particular
order reads Zora Folley, Eddie Machen, Nino
Valdez, Cleveland Williams and, of course,
the fearsome Sonny Liston, who later beat
Patterson for the title.
For some reason, which really has never
been fully explained, Patterson satisfied
himself by defending his title against mediocre
opposition. As soon as he came up against a
reasonable opponent, like European champion
Ingemar Johansson, he lost the title.
Unfortunately in later years this regrettable
stain leaves a bad mark in world heavyweight
boxing history.

PROSPECT Jimmy Cooper scored a
good win when his club Lawrence ABC
staged a show at their gym in
Lymington, Hampshire on January 15.
Jimmy dropped Chris Adaway of
Plymouth's Mayflower outfit with a
body shot in the third on the way to a
unanimous points decision. It was
made at 58 kgs and Cooper now has a
30-15 record.
Jimmy is proud of having won Clubs
for Young people championships twice
in a row, each time beating the England
number one in the final.
In 2009 at 54 kgs in Class B he beat
Ishtaq Lone (Burmantofts) and last year
at 57 kgs in Class C he beat Rob Walker
(South Bank).
Now Jimmy is training for his bout
against Welsh and GB champion Sam
Baker on the February 11 Gloucester
show. That's made at 60 kgs.

FITZROY LODGE held their annual
charity dinner at the Brewery,
Chiswell street, where they entertained
a Royal Engineer's select team.
The London club won five of the
eight with lightweight Craig Whyatt
[above] and light-middleweight Tom
Williams the standouts.
They took the opportunity to pay
their respects to Clive Howe, who
died last year, and "Big" Alan Keepax,
a well-regarded figure in the police
boxing fraternity and a member of
the Fitzroy Lodge committee.