Roy Skeldon

[nobleart1978]

Any memories of the light heavyweight slugger from Tipton ?

Fought for the british title against Crawford Ashley in 1991 at the age of 37

[Noxy]

I seem to remember him fighting Tee Jay as well, televised on a Sat afternoon. A 3 knockdown job. I think it was Skeldon.

[maley1984]

He had a gym until recently local to me. Lovely bloke seen him at many shows and trained alittle at his gym when my lad was doing junior training with him.

[MasterG]

Roy, in his pro debut fought a future referee.

[Jimmy2020]

Roy, in his pro debut fought a future referee.

Just checked that. Wasn't who I expected.

[bennie]

Roy never won the big ones but he was a right hard case and his willingness to get stuck in earned him plenty of new supporters wherever he fought, particularly in his native Black Country, where he drew comparisons to the legendary Tipton Slasher, whose grave Roy visited before every fight.
I once saw Roy flattened in four rounds by the light-hitting Colin Flute in Wolverhampton in 1978. Roy was completely 'out' but it developed into one of those freak results because it never happened again and Skeldon had the mettle to go in with southpaw Flute on two further occasions, winning them both. Roy never ducked anyone in his long, proud career and took on the likes of Glenn McCrory, Sammy Reeson, Roy Smith, Andy Straughn, Antonio Harris and Trevor Cattouse (brother of Ray). He particularly bossed the Midlands scene, outscoring Tommy "Buck" Taylor in a 10-rounder and stopping Eddie Fenton, Chris Devine, Steve Aquilina, Cordwell Hylton and Birmingham's dangerous John Foreman. He showed all his fighting heart when he climbed up from two knockdowns against rugged Welshman Denys Cronin to force a four-round stoppage in Wolverhampton.
Eventually, belatedly, Roy secured a couple of major title shots: dropping a 12-round decision to the world class Guy Waters for the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title in 1989 and losing on cuts to talented Leeds man Crawford Ashley for the vacant British light-heavyweight title in July 1991, in what proved to be his last outing. He was cruelly denied a winnable shot at the same British title just weeks earlier when the champion, Steve McCarthy, walked out in a row over TV money. McCarthy was then stripped of the title.

[bennie]

I seem to remember him fighting Tee Jay as well, televised on a Sat afternoon. A 3 knockdown job. I think it was Skeldon.

You're thinking of Nottingham's Roy Smith and the first disastrous defence of his British cruiserweight title against Londoner Jay in 1987. Smith had only won the title a matter of weeks earlier with a dazzling 12-round decision over Andy Straughn in Alfreton and looked set for a long reign, although he needed a rest after the Straughn effort. To my surprise, he was quickly back in action in a non-title encounter with Alek Penarski and needed seven rounds to stop Penarski when all he really needed was a two or three-round loosener against a Tijuana tumbler. Then came the defence against the stocky, muscled Jay in Wandsworth and a horribly stale Smith was completely overwhelmed inside the first round and never really recovered.

[Fray Bentos]

Roy never won the big ones but he was a right hard case and his willingness to get stuck in earned him plenty of new supporters wherever he fought, particularly in his native Black Country, where he drew comparisons to the legendary Tipton Slasher, whose grave Roy visited before every fight.
I once saw Roy flattened in four rounds by the light-hitting Colin Flute in Wolverhampton in 1978. Roy was completely 'out' but it developed into one of those freak results because it never happened again and Skeldon had the mettle to go in with southpaw Flute on two further occasions, winning them both. Roy never ducked anyone in his long, proud career and took on the likes of Glenn McCrory, Sammy Reeson, Roy Smith, Andy Straughn, Antonio Harris and Trevor Cattouse (brother of Ray). He particularly bossed the Midlands scene, outscoring Tommy "Buck" Taylor in a 10-rounder and stopping Eddie Fenton, Chris Devine, Steve Aquilina, Cordwell Hylton and Birmingham's dangerous John Foreman. He showed all his fighting heart when he climbed up from two knockdowns against rugged Welshman Denys Cronin to force a four-round stoppage in Wolverhampton.
Eventually, belatedly, Roy secured a couple of major title shots: dropping a 12-round decision to the world class Guy Waters for the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title in 1989 and losing on cuts to talented Leeds man Crawford Ashley for the vacant British light-heavyweight title in July 1991, in what proved to be his last outing. He was cruelly denied a winnable shot at the same British title just weeks earlier when the champion, Steve McCarthy, walked out in a row over TV money. McCarthy was then stripped of the title.

He went all the way to Australia too! Tipton to I think... Perth? In those days a fair few Brits went over to Australia to fight for the Commonwealth title. It's sad it doesn't seem to happen these days.

[nobleart1978]

William Perry " The Tipton Slasher"
Champion of England 1850 - 1857
(London Prize Ring)

Or as they called him locally "ode tippon"

[Noxy]

I seem to remember him fighting Tee Jay as well, televised on a Sat afternoon. A 3 knockdown job. I think it was Skeldon.

You're thinking of Nottingham's Roy Smith and the first disastrous defence of his British cruiserweight title against Londoner Jay in 1987. Smith had only won the title a matter of weeks earlier with a dazzling 12-round decision over Andy Straughn in Alfreton and looked set for a long reign, although he needed a rest after the Straughn effort. To my surprise, he was quickly back in action in a non-title encounter with Alek Penarski and needed seven rounds to stop Penarski when all he really needed was a two or three-round loosener against a Tijuana tumbler. Then came the defence against the stocky, muscled Jay in Wandsworth and a horribly stale Smith was completely overwhelmed inside the first round and never really recovered.

Your knowledge is encyclopaedic!

[Bladder]

I seen his fight against Denys Cronin in Wolverhampton that bennie mentions above, good entertaining scrap.

[Ditko]

[Ditko]

Viz was always taking the pee out of Tipton for some reason

[Ditko]

[Ditko]

[margaret thatcher]

yes but how do we rate babs windsor

[Ditko]

[Ditko]

[Ditko]

[Ditko]

[Teddy's Toupee]

Top officiating from Terry O'Connor, there. Some things never change.

[Ditko]

You have to admire his consistency over the years ..