A couple of boxing deaths to report.

[Mimmy]

With sadness, ex boxing referee Paul Thomas and Welsh ex middleweight Wayne Ellis. Both passed away this week.

Rip both

[Stuarty]

Ellis that fought Steve Collins? What age was he?

[Mimmy]

Ellis that fought Steve Collins? What age was he?

im sure he was same age as me 49. Not a old guy.

[Boxerbeetle]

Paul Thomas died a few weeks ago, didn’t he? I nearly started a thread on it when I heard, but was worried it would be disrespectful as the news didn’t seem to be common knowledge at the time.

[Mimmy]

Paul Thomas died a few weeks ago, didn’t he? I nearly started a thread on it when I heard, but was worried it would be disrespectful as the news didn’t seem to be common knowledge at the time.

I know what you mean. I put this up as it was on another forum im in so I thought it would be respectful to inform people on here as this is a boxing community after all.

[Boxerbeetle]

Paul Thomas died a few weeks ago, didn’t he? I nearly started a thread on it when I heard, but was worried it would be disrespectful as the news didn’t seem to be common knowledge at the time.

I know what you mean. I put this up as it was on another forum im in so I thought it would be respectful to inform people on here as this is a boxing community after all.

Of course, I just meant I didn’t want to start a thread as soon as I heard the news as it was very early on. Nothing wrong with starting one now

[Stuarty]

Ellis that fought Steve Collins? What age was he?

im sure he was same age as me 49. Not a old guy.

That's awful man. No age to go! RIP

[Coco]

Wayne had a big op on his stomach, I guess it was a complication.
I think he's got like 5 kids too
RIP

[prewarboxing]

According to the website of Joe Longthorne, Ricky Beaumont of Hull has also passed. I hope this isn't true as I remember Ricky well. A tough cookie, good pro, ABA champion in 1979. Younger than me as well. Makes you think.

http://www.joelongthornembe.co.uk/news/483

[johnty1888]

Ricky died on December 18/19th

[boxingknockout]

Wayne Ellis? I remember him winning the ABAs... too young RIP

[mickey1975]

Ricky was revered in Hull, had many a pint with him. He was an exceptional talent, but a rough lad. Joe Longthorne will have sat up for two days at Ricky's send off, singing, etc. Not a penny charged. He did the the same here for Little Eddie "The mad professor", Henry's brother. Does it all over here. Great man Joe.

[veriton]

Paul Thomas died a few weeks ago, didn’t he? I nearly started a thread on it when I heard, but was worried it would be disrespectful as the news didn’t seem to be common knowledge at the time.

I know what you mean. I put this up as it was on another forum im in so I thought it would be respectful to inform people on here as this is a boxing community after all.

full page piece on it in boxing news last week

[bennie]

Good fighter Wayne. He bombed out Neville Brown in the first round in the ABA semis in 1988 and went on to win the ABA title with a one-sided pasting of the rugged Billy Neil at Wembley. He can count himself unlucky not to have got the Olympic spot that year which went to Richie Woodhall (whom Brown had outpointed earlier in the ABAs). Woodhall got a bronze, losing to Roy Jones.
Paul Thomas was a brilliant referee who always knew when to stop a fight; he was also an absolute gentleman who never lost his sense of fun. I'm shocked to hear of his death. (I had heard that Wayne and Ricky Beaumont had passed baway, sadly.) Ricky was also ABA champion and a very dangerous fighter. He was all set to challenge Ray Cattouse for the British lightweight title in 1981 when Cattouse got sick and the fight was off. It was never rescheduled, which is a real shame. Ricky's best win is over George Feeney who went on to win the British title from Cattouse.

[Tommy Gunn13]

Wayne Ellis? I remember him winning the ABAs... too young RIP

Same here, battered a heavily favoured Nevillie Brown in the British Semi finals if my memory is correct..

[paddy chavez]

Wayne Ellis? I remember him winning the ABAs... too young RIP

Same here, battered a heavily favoured Nevillie Brown in the British Semi finals if my memory is correct..

[stujones]

RIP to Paul, Wayne and Ricky. Very sad.

[THEBUTCH]

Lovely boxer Ellis and figured if some really good dust ups. RIP

[bennie]

Former British title challenger Chris Walker passed away suddenly a few days ago at the age of 66 to the shock of the Sheffield boxing community. “To say I am gutted is an understatement,” says Glyn Rhodes MBE, who often ran into Chris. “The first day I walked into Brendan Ingle's gym, the first people I spoke to were Chris and Mick Mills; the first ever pro show I went to was Chris challenging for the British title here in Sheffield against Colin Powers. I always found Chris to be a gentleman.”
“God look after this legend, RIP Chris Walker,” adds ex-pro Robert Riley.
Chris hailed from Retford in Nottinghamshire but he made Sheffield his home and secured his British title chance in February 1978 less than two years after turning pro, which is quite an achievement. In front of a sellout crowd he took on the gifted Colin Powers for the light-welterweight title and dominated the first six rounds to chants of “Walker, Walker,” before walking on to a big right hand in the seventh and never recovering. Both Powers and his manager Vic Andreeti, a former British light-welterweight champion himself, were mighty relieved at the finish.
Chris was obviously disappointed but he proved that he belonged at the highest domestic level and later mixed it with men such as Clinton McKenzie, George Feeney, Chris Sanigar and Peter Neal, extending each and every one of them. His best wins came over Vernon Vanriel, Jim Montague, Mick Minter (Alan's brother), Billy Waith and Sinclair Christie.