Sad day yesterday as the only olympic boxing medalist from the wirral passed away.
When i first started boxing my old man used to mention this guy robbie davies who won an olympic medal from rock ferry called the birkenhead bomber who knocked everyone out,then as i got older i used to see him walking around birkenhead market,as a kid he looked so mean with his leather coat and leather flat cap. When i was about 18 i went out and seen him on the door of yates' charing cross and after a few beers i built up the courage to go and speak to him,what a gent he was,he spoke to me for about 15 -20 mins talking about boxing,anyway he will always be remembered in these parts of the boxing world,R.I.P Robbie from rock ferry
https://youtu.be/9KNb0xGVcc0
R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
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billy nelson
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1966
- Joined: 12 Apr 2010, 12:49
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
Very sad RIP
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
Former ABA middleweight champion Robbie Davies has passed away at the age of 67 after a long battle with dementia.
The feared, shaven-skulled Birkenhead man was a huge draw in the 1970s, particularly at the famous old Stadium in Liverpool where he climbed off the floor to spark many an opponent. Robbie possessed both natural power and a loose defence so he never failed to entertain in a long, successful amateur career, boxing many, many times for his country and representing Britain in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He flattened an Aussie in the second round (after being down himself) before a Venezuelan survived his bombs to win a contentious majority vote. One judge gave Davies every round.
Robbie turned pro at the advanced age of 27 and wiped out anyone willing to trade with him. However, cagey American Johnny Heard had his number and cagey Welshman Pat Thomas outscored him in a bloody, one-sided British title eliminator. Robbie always struggled with the clever types but every time this man entered a boxing ring there was an air of menace and an air of excitement. Few fighters generate the same feeling.
The feared, shaven-skulled Birkenhead man was a huge draw in the 1970s, particularly at the famous old Stadium in Liverpool where he climbed off the floor to spark many an opponent. Robbie possessed both natural power and a loose defence so he never failed to entertain in a long, successful amateur career, boxing many, many times for his country and representing Britain in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He flattened an Aussie in the second round (after being down himself) before a Venezuelan survived his bombs to win a contentious majority vote. One judge gave Davies every round.
Robbie turned pro at the advanced age of 27 and wiped out anyone willing to trade with him. However, cagey American Johnny Heard had his number and cagey Welshman Pat Thomas outscored him in a bloody, one-sided British title eliminator. Robbie always struggled with the clever types but every time this man entered a boxing ring there was an air of menace and an air of excitement. Few fighters generate the same feeling.
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
I picked him up in my taxi a few years back before robbie jnr turned pro and big robbie said to me "have you seen my lad box? I said "no but i know who he is,iv heard a lot about him" big rob said "he has everything,well better than me when i was boxing,he switch hits can box can fight,he is going to the top" he was a good man robbie and spoke with pride in his voice when speaking of his son robbie jnr. So sad,i lost my dad 3 years ago and was very close to him so i know exactly what robbie jnr is going through.bennie wrote:Former ABA middleweight champion Robbie Davies has passed away at the age of 67 after a long battle with dementia.
The feared, shaven-skulled Birkenhead man was a huge draw in the 1970s, particularly at the famous old Stadium in Liverpool where he climbed off the floor to spark many an opponent. Robbie possessed both natural power and a loose defence so he never failed to entertain in a long, successful amateur career, boxing many, many times for his country and representing Britain in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He flattened an Aussie in the second round (after being down himself) before a Venezuelan survived his bombs to win a contentious majority vote. One judge gave Davies every round.
Robbie turned pro at the advanced age of 27 and wiped out anyone willing to trade with him. However, cagey American Johnny Heard had his number and cagey Welshman Pat Thomas outscored him in a bloody, one-sided British title eliminator. Robbie always struggled with the clever types but every time this man entered a boxing ring there was an air of menace and an air of excitement. Few fighters generate the same feeling.
Last edited by TheGman on 06 Aug 2017, 10:16, edited 1 time in total.
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
His mum and my old gran were friends and neighbours in Rock Ferry, met him when I was kid a few times. A really decent man. Sad news.
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
Harry Mullan, editor of Boxing News, said that Robbie's 12-rounder with Pat Thomas at a sold-out Liverpool Stadium in 1979 would never go the distance. (Thomas could whack himself.) It went the distance, with Robbie climbing up from four knockdowns in the final round to make it to the bell. Robbie was guaranteed excitement.
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Chris W 1982
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: 13 Dec 2004, 12:32
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
Know father and son. Both gentlemen of the highest order.
Spent time doing radio with Snr and he was a major contributor to the Mersey Fighters books that my good friend, Gary Shaw, wrote.
One of the best storytellers there ever was and his antics in ABA tournaments are the stuff of legend. That was an era when winning your area was a fierce task.
Robbie spent years ticking over in the basement of the Adelphi gym where he'd spend hours in the gym sauna telling tales of happiness and woe to anyone who was fortunate to listen. My good mate, Spencer Duncan, heard many of them and despite not being the biggest boxing fan he knew how special a man Robbie Davies Snr was.
I sat in Robbie Jnr's dressing room in January as I was doing a feature on ITV's comeback for Boxing News and a sick Snr sat in the corner watching his son warm up with so much pride. It really was beautiful to see. The dementia had cruelly set in by this point and Robbie Jnr was fighting against time as well as opponents to try and give his dad as many cherished moments as possible before the bastard illness took over completely.
Robbie Davies Snr died on Friday night. He died a legend and he'd been one for a very long time. My thoughts and prayers are with my good friend Robbie Jnr and the entire Davies family.
Spent time doing radio with Snr and he was a major contributor to the Mersey Fighters books that my good friend, Gary Shaw, wrote.
One of the best storytellers there ever was and his antics in ABA tournaments are the stuff of legend. That was an era when winning your area was a fierce task.
Robbie spent years ticking over in the basement of the Adelphi gym where he'd spend hours in the gym sauna telling tales of happiness and woe to anyone who was fortunate to listen. My good mate, Spencer Duncan, heard many of them and despite not being the biggest boxing fan he knew how special a man Robbie Davies Snr was.
I sat in Robbie Jnr's dressing room in January as I was doing a feature on ITV's comeback for Boxing News and a sick Snr sat in the corner watching his son warm up with so much pride. It really was beautiful to see. The dementia had cruelly set in by this point and Robbie Jnr was fighting against time as well as opponents to try and give his dad as many cherished moments as possible before the bastard illness took over completely.
Robbie Davies Snr died on Friday night. He died a legend and he'd been one for a very long time. My thoughts and prayers are with my good friend Robbie Jnr and the entire Davies family.
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handsofstone
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 22996
- Joined: 11 Jan 2011, 17:28
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
R.I.P My thoughts are with the family
God bless
God bless
Re: R.I.P Birkenhead Bomber
Best wishes to Robbie Jnr and the whole family at this difficult time.