BRITISH FIGHTERS OF THE PAST

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 17 Jan 2008, 08:42

From say the last 25-30 years, which fighters would you most like to hear about that haven't already been well documented?

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 17 Jan 2008, 09:54

jamesmcdonnell wrote:From say the last 25-30 years, which fighters would you most like to hear about that haven't already been well documented?

What do you mena by well documented, James?

I'd like to hear about Pat Cowdell (even considered approaching him about writing a biography). I'm from the area orginally and think he was unlcuky to meet 2 great featherweights in their pomp in his 2 title challenges.

IMO he could have fought Nelson 100 times and not usffer another 1st round KO. Nelson was a class above but Pat was a hell of a fighter.

The enigma that is Kirklain Laing would be a good one too as would his nemesis Colin Jones who some feel was a tad unlcuky to get the draw with McCrory.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 17 Jan 2008, 10:00

For awhile I thought Mark Kaylor was headed places. Good fighter, just didn't seem to be able to crack the top tier.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 17 Jan 2008, 10:57

Seamus wrote:For awhile I thought Mark Kaylor was headed places. Good fighter, just didn't seem to be able to crack the top tier.

I remember how Kaylor suffered from a big psychological come down after a fight. After he beat Christie in a proper hum-dinger the next day in the studio they had to make apologies for him sounding so depressed.

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » 17 Jan 2008, 13:37

I would be interested to know what the following are up to.

Andy Straughn
Derek Angol
W.O. Wilson

banjo · Post by **banjo** » 17 Jan 2008, 14:03

whats paul hodkinson up to these days

dagosd2000 · Post by **dagosd2000** » 18 Jan 2008, 00:07

My favorite Brit was Henry Cooper. Is it true that he was a "green grocer?"

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 18 Jan 2008, 08:20

dagosd2000 wrote:My favorite Brit was Henry Cooper. Is it true that he was a "green grocer?"

Seem to remember that perhaps he worked in a grengrocers as a younger man/boy

Flump · Post by **Flump** » 18 Jan 2008, 09:00

dagosd2000 wrote:My favorite Brit was Henry Cooper. Is it true that he was a "green grocer?"

He had a green grocers stall in Wembley some years ago that he ran with his brother apparently, this was while he was still fighting, my parents used to get stuff from there all the time apparently.

dagosd2000 · Post by **dagosd2000** » 18 Jan 2008, 18:38

Flump wrote:
dagosd2000 wrote:My favorite Brit was Henry Cooper. Is it true that he was a "green grocer?"
He had a green grocers stall in Wembley some years ago that he ran with his brother apparently, this was while he was still fighting, my parents used to get stuff from there all the time apparently.

Thanks,I used to have a picture of Cooper selling produce to an English lady. Thanks again for confirming

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 19 Jan 2008, 19:02

I`d guess if its a book your looking towards then I can`t honestly think of any that would have the potential to really sell.

If its a little BN spread then I`d say former British Champion Pat Thomas would make an ideal piece ... the guy is an absolute gem

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 20 Jan 2008, 00:25

Didnt Cooper open up a Fruit and Veg shop towards the end of his career.

The Brits have produced some hard nosed fighters who sadly make some colorful contenders most often especially in the HW world.

I like Bugner, whether you can call him British, being Hungarian born and Australian adopted.

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 23 Jan 2008, 06:42

Bugner is a British fighter as the afore post points out - he grew up and learned his trade in Britain and all of his Boxing achievements were as a British fighter...

now How we/Britain can lay claim to Fitzsimmons is a desperate stretch and Canada is due a respectable claim to Lennox Lewis.

but Bugner is British.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 23 Jan 2008, 08:22

Floyd wrote:I would be interested to know what the following are up to.

Andy Straughn
Derek Angol
W.O. Wilson

Why are you interested in Straughn and Wilson? Odd choices; they were decent pros but not anybody I imagine would have caught the eye abroad.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 23 Jan 2008, 08:23

jimglen wrote:Bugner is a British fighter as the afore post points out - he grew up and learned his trade in Britain and all of his Boxing achievements were as a British fighter...

now How we/Britain can lay claim to Fitzsimmons is a desperate stretch and Canada is due a respectable claim to Lennox Lewis.

but Bugner is British.

He won the world title for Australia, though!

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » 23 Jan 2008, 14:09

oliverfennell wrote:
Floyd wrote:I would be interested to know what the following are up to.

Andy Straughn
Derek Angol
W.O. Wilson
Why are you interested in Straughn and Wilson? Odd choices; they were decent pros but not anybody I imagine would have caught the eye abroad.

Yeah a bit obscure if your not from the UK. Actually I have some tapes of Wilson and Straughn. I thought Wilson might go farther then he did.

harrygreb · Post by **harrygreb** » 23 Jan 2008, 17:37

johnny clark
dave needham
terry waller

SticknMove · Post by **SticknMove** » 24 Jan 2008, 00:17

Off the top of my head Kevin and Chris Finnegan and Dennis Andries. They must have stories to tell about fighting guys across a range of levels.

As an aside I trained with Andy Straughn at the tail end of his pro career. An absolute gentleman. I saw him win his third ABA title at Wembley Arena (I think it was against Devon Bailey) when I was a kid and remembered him because one of my old trainers said he had fought him in the junior ABA finals one year.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 24 Jan 2008, 05:52

SticknMove wrote:Off the top of my head Kevin and Chris Finnegan and Dennis Andries. They must have stories to tell about fighting guys across a range of levels.

As an aside I trained with Andy Straughn at the tail end of his pro career. An absolute gentleman. I saw him win his third ABA title at Wembley Arena (I think it was against Devon Bailey) when I was a kid and remembered him because one of my old trainers said he had fought him in the junior ABA finals one year.

The Finnegans, definitely

KO Artist · Post by **KO Artist** » 28 Jan 2008, 19:14

Robinson wrote:Didnt Cooper open up a Fruit and Veg shop towards the end of his career.

The Brits have produced some hard nosed fighters who sadly make some colorful contenders most often especially in the HW world.

I like Bugner, whether you can call him British, being Hungarian born and Australian adopted.

Cooper lived in a massive detached house in Wembley which in those days was a real classy suburb of London. Now its a dump (Sorry to anyone in Wembley but it is)

He had a triple shop in Wembley High Road selling fruit and Veg and it was PACKED OUT.

He made a fortune as he worked in ther at weekends.

Cooper made a lot of dough, but the Lloyds of London Underwriters crash cost him dear.

As for my favourite british fighters

Tony Sibson & Clinton McKenzie joint first in my book

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 14 Feb 2008, 08:21

how about maurice Hope? he hardly gets a mention these days.

telboy66 · Post by **telboy66** » 14 Feb 2008, 17:25

dagosd2000 wrote:My favorite Brit was Henry Cooper. Is it true that he was a "green grocer?"

henry was a plasterer by trade but he bought a share in a green grocers after meeting a guy on holiday who had the same name as him

BRITISH FIGHTERS OF THE PAST

BRITISH FIGHTERS OF THE PAST

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