"Bombardier" Billy Wells/(filmed fights)

[Brutu]

Probably he is best known as the first hw to win the Lonsdale belt.That and having his scheduled fight
against Jack Johnson at Earl's Court for Oct.1911 being canceled by the Home Office.
But how manyof his 52 fights over 1910-1925 were filmed?
how many of those if any still exist?

[Rocky Balboa]

Probably he is best known as the first hw to win the Lonsdale belt.That and having his scheduled fight
against Jack Johnson at Earl's Court for Oct.1911 being canceled by the Home Office.
But how manyof his 52 fights over 1910-1925 were filmed?
how many of those if any still exist?

Not too sure about your question, but I do have a question of my own.

Was Billy the man who appeared at the start of films, banging the gong?

[Brutu]

yes
He was the man who banged the gong at the beginning of all those films by theBritish fim company Rankin
back in the 1950's.

[harrygreb]

actually billy did not do all those films. he was replaced after a while by some other bloke.

why did i know that a thread about billy wells would soon mention his involvement with banging a gong?

[granberry]

actually billy did not do all those films. he was replaced after a while by some other bloke.

why did i know that a thread about billy wells would soon mention his involvement with banging a gong?

Because nobody posting here knows zilch about the topic.

No surprise there.

[harrygreb]

figures.

merry xmas gran.

[Brutu]

Here is a listing of a few of his fights that were filmed up unitl 1915 anyway.
(source FIGHT PICTURES by Dan Streible)These films presumed lost.

Gunner Moir -Billy Wells /Jan-1911-UK
Mc Farland-Billy Wells /May-1912(Vitagraph)
Geo.Carpentier-Billy Wells /December-1913(copyright date given)

[granberry]

Here is a listing of a few of his fights that were filmed up unitl 1915 anyway.
(source FIGHT PICTURES by Dan Streible)These films presumed lost.

Gunner Moir -Billy Wells /Jan-1911-UK
Mc Farland-Billy Wells /May-1912(Vitagraph)
Geo.Carpentier-Billy Wells /December-1913(copyright date given)

Who knows what Jimmy Jacobs may have found. (He made several trips to England and the continent of Europe).

Now everything he collected over a lifetime sits unseen at ESPN.

[Woller]

Sorry to dissapoint you Granberry, but I know that the Moir v Wells fights exists.

I have it myself! (Full of knock-downs and Wells faints after the decision is announced.)

Woller

[Brutu]

Sorry to dissapoint you Granberry, but I know that the Moir v Wells fights exists.

I have it myself! (Full of knock-downs and Wells faints after the decision is announced.)

Woller

In the filmography I mentioned,it has an asterix next to known fight films to still exist,but it did not
have one next to the Moir-Wells fight.Thats what I meant when the book looked a little weak.

[granberry]

Sorry to dissapoint you Granberry, but I know that the Moir v Wells fights exists.

I have it myself! (Full of knock-downs and Wells faints after the decision is announced.)

Woller

Woller has SCREWY mental processes.

I have spent thousands of hours and dollars over a period of years on my fight film collection. For years I was in touch with the original source for finding most of those films, Jimmy Jacobs.

Why would Woller, in his own screwed up ability to comprehend the world around him,

think I of all people would not want film to be available?

[Brutu]

About the Moir-Wells fight.
Did that footage recently turn up in the last 10 or 15 years ,or has it been around much longer?

[Brutu]

If they should ever put a Bombardier Billy Wells fight on youtube.
They should sync it up with that old T-Rex song from 1972,
Bang a Gong get in ON.

[granberry]

All I know of Wells is that he came to the US and was knocked out in two rounds by Gunboat Smith.

Smith was bitter at Jim Corbett for writing that Wells would beat him. Corbett liked Wells' classic style of boxing.
Fighters are partial to other fighters who fight more or less in the same style they do.

That's why it can be bad sometimes for a former fighter who had a pronounced style to judge a fight.
The puncher will pull unconsciously for the puncher--
while the boxer will do the same with the boxer.

[Brutu]

Sorry to dissapoint you Granberry, but I know that the Moir v Wells fights exists.

I have it myself! (Full of knock-downs and Wells faints after the decision is announced.)

Woller

That sounds like it may actually bethe second Moir-Wells fight in 1913.
In their first fight in 1911 Wells was well in control then farted around extended his left hand and Moir hit him in the stomach
and ko'd him in third.
I guess this means the first fight is still presumed lost?

[Woller]

I just had look at the fight.
Referee Eugene Corri.
Round 1: Moir black trunks is down 3 times and last time pulls Wells down with him ala Baer v Carnera.
Round 2: Wells white shorts is down 4 times and is saved by the bell on the floor.
Round 3: (A sign at ringside with "3" is clearly seen). Wells is down two times and is counted out second time. After rising Wells collapses and is dragged to his corner.
It looks like it must be their first fight ?!
Woller

[klompton]

I have several clips of Wells training as well as his fights with Moir and Bloomfield and an exhibition against Pat O'Keefe.

[Brutu]

Wells in training(1914)
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=77944

Wells in training(1920)
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=27886


Wells in some ring action against Wrestler(1938)
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=20863

Bombardier Billy Wells in 1966,as guest of honour at the 75th anniversary. of the National Sporting Club.
(can you identify the old Billy Wells fight film the invited audience is watching at 3:50?)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=71482

[Alex]

Fight films of Wells vs. Joe Beckett and Wells vs. Gunner Moir were on Youtube but it looks like they've been taken down, which is a real shame as it was quite clear footage.

Wells was highly regarded as a boxer (he was never beaten on points), and also had a decent dig. Unfortunately, he didn't have a chin to match it and was also criticised for lacking the 'killer instinct'. Wells apparently was guilty on more than one occasion of coming close to finishing an opponent, then letting him off the hook only to get KO'd himself later in the fight. That was the case in his 1911 match with Moir.