Remembering what a great prospect Henry Wharton was

[mickey1975]

He runs a gym and has four pros and a thriving amateur section. Also puts on evenings there. His gym is big enough for his own shows, has a bar, etc and has held Yorkshire championships.
As for the trouble.... nobody beat the crap out of him. He got ran over.

He got ran over and then battered by travellers not far from York . ( I forgot about the car element as itwas so long ago ) .
Oh and I used to work with a close cousin of his so thats how I know what happened , not what was printed in the local rag .

I’ve heard a million stories over the years of people claiming to be best pals with the family, nearly all are lying.

[Monzon83]

He could certainly bang a bit, remember seeing some his early fights he was like a white Nigel Benn.

Probably never been a better era for British MW's than the late 80's early 90's, it was a great time for a young boxing fan in the UK as all the fights were still on terrestrial TV.

[coghaugen11]

It was unbelievable seeing them all. Rod Douglas, Carlton Warren were animals too and Errol Christie still around. Watson was cleaning guys out with that overarm right. Then you had Calzaghe banging over guys in ABAs on Granstand. Punches would sound like shotguns from the British middles at the dome-like Albert Hall etc

[THEBUTCH]

Very good fighter was Wharton.

I remember Henry being disqualified in the ABA final against Johnson. Johnson always had an attitude on him whenever I saw him box and he gave Wharton a serious stare at the end of the 1st round so Wharton gave him a dig in the stomach. I don't remember it being a "tap", but it certainly wasn't a full blown punch by any stretch.

Unfortunately, it's the amateurs and that can't be tolerated, so poor Henry had to get his marching orders, even if he was provoked.

Although somewhat lucky to win the British title against O'Toole (IMO), Wharton was top British class and good Euro/international standard, but shy of world class.

A hell of left hook on him and often exciting to watch. Shame he had the curse of a big puncher and suffered with damaged hands.

IMO Sibbo was a fair bit better than Wharton.

The video at the start of this post also reminds me what a great arsehole Gary Newbon was

[margaret thatcher]

a poor man's white nigel benn is exactly right, solid euro level fighter

[mickey1975]

Well, to sum it up lads, he’s happy living in a mansion with his 9 kids and wife.

[margaret thatcher]

well, we were talking about him as a boxer so im not sure that really sums up anything in this thread, but whatever lolol....

bjs a millionaire too! traveller knob polishing

[mickey1975]

well, we were talking about him as a boxer so im not sure that really sums up anything in this thread, but whatever lolol....

bjs a millionaire too! traveller knob polishing

Jimjim asked how he’s doing nowadays.... I answered.

[mickey1975]

well, we were talking about him as a boxer so im not sure that really sums up anything in this thread, but whatever lolol....

bjs a millionaire too! traveller knob polishing

Traveller knob polishing? Yes, his brother is an extremely close friend. And his cousin. So what? I’m close to Mike Fafera, does that mean I am obsessed with Polish people? Jack Bateson, am I obsessed with white people, Hamed Ghiaz, am I obsessed with Asian people? Grow up.

[margaret thatcher]

ya, i know you love dropping names mate

[coghaugen11]

Any other era he’d of been world champion. Think what he’d do to Lucian Bute or Chong Pal Park.

[polecateddy]

Any other era he’d of been world champion. Think what he’d do to Lucian Bute or Chong Pal Park.

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

[coghaugen11]

Any other era he’d of been world champion. Think what he’d do to Lucian Bute or Chong Pal Park.

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

They were anything but comfortable. Benn was pissing blood for days, ducking below the waist on the ropes once Wharton woke up. Reid was bashed up a bit (though Wharton was a bit shot after the prolonged Eubank beating in 94) and Eubank was forced to throw punches for 12 stanzas straight.

[coghaugen11]

He did take out former and future world champions Galvano and Nardiello. Both spoiler specialists.

[polecateddy]

Any other era he’d of been world champion. Think what he’d do to Lucian Bute or Chong Pal Park.

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

They were anything but comfortable. Benn was pissing blood for days, ducking below the waist on the ropes once Wharton woke up. Reid was bashed up a bit (though Wharton was a bit shot after the prolonged Eubank beating in 94) and Eubank was forced to throw punches for 12 stanzas straight.

I got the impression with the Benn fight, although I’ve not seen it since the night, that Benn was comfortably outpointing Wharton, but then inexplicably choose to have a tear up in the final two rounds, which was unnecessary and didn’t particularly go Benn’s way.

[Pugilist-specialist]

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

And Fidel Smith (Slugger O'Toole) at British level. The fight was shown on BBC and will be remembered for Frank Bruno's "home cooking" comment.

[Deserter]

IMO Sibbo was a fair bit better than Wharton.

I 'm with you mate, just still think it would be a great fantasy tear-up and Wharton's iron chin would have kept it interesting throughout.

[coneye]

Regardless , he was a hell of a good fighter ,, sometimes i think with u tube , tv , ect ect and promoters putting on ppv for world titles , ect when really there just domestic level fighters , it brings down what we percieve has quality .

When really world class is well different than european class , which is different than domestic ,,,, But the facts are to be world class you have to be good , and so on and so on .

Now the likes of Wharton , were very very good , but he was boxing in a day when you could'nt duck and dive and head for ppv bollocks titles cos the promoter could smell a quid , it was proper fighters , fighting the best , and guess what if you could'nt beat them you did'nt get a shot ,, in Whartons time it was a tough time , few years later , alls he would need is a promoter willing to pay him top dollar to fight imports who come to get beat , and presto theres another world champ coming along ,

Really lets look at say Connor Benn , now i like this kid , he's got heart and he will put it on the line , but really could you imagine him going up against a Henry type opponent , but yet they will duck and dive and spend money on him and it would'nt suprise me if he ends up winning a version of a world title against a , reoad sweeper from outer mongolia ,,,, diferent times and we older guys look back on them in different ways

[bennie]

Mickey .

Struggling to find 1989 ABA final results
Henry won his semi final and I see Seymour Johnson beat Chris Okoh in the other semi.

I can find Seymour as the champion from that year so presumably beat Henry in the final ?

Seymour must have been some talent if he beat Okoh and Wharton , but never turned over ...

Any ideas ??

Johnson was a slippery southpaw and he boxed well enough to frustrate Wharton in the first round but no more than frustrate him. Henry would have got to him over the next two rounds. Johnson enjoyed home advantage in Gloucester when he beat the inexperienced Okoh in the ABA quarter-finals and got a real break in the ABA semis when the Scots walked out in a row over the use of headguards. It meant that Johnson got a bye straight through to the final and didn't have to face the talented Stephen Wilson, who would have beaten him.
As for Henry's disqualification, referee Dave McCann should have thrown him out straightaway. I seem to remember that Johnson goaded Wharton on the bell to end the first, or certainly eyeballed him, and the frustrated Wharton lashed out with a short right to the chest. Johnson made a meal of it, doubling over, before making his way to his corner. McCann waited for the start of round two, sent Johnson to a neutral corner and then ruled Wharton out. The timing was cruel but McCann was still within his rights. He boxed for England as a fighter and was a good referee. A mob approached the ring and but most of them appeared to be pulling the others back and it quickly came to nothing.
Interestingly, the England selectors immediately picked Wharton for the European championships which commenced three weeks after the ABA finals. However, Henry was lost to the amateur game as soon as McCann threw him out. Johnson didn't go in his place. He wasn't even picked for the Canada Cup a month after the ABA finals.
It was a tetchy night, with Army man John McLean disrespecting John Lyon after their flyweight final. McLean, for some reason, thought he had won and raised his arm as the decision was being announced and then stormed away when it went to the great Lyon, who made it an incredible eight ABA titles, an all-time record. McLean's behaviour was disgusting. Henry Akinwande also played up when he came into the ring wearing his Olympic vest instead of his club colours in an awful heavyweight final with fellow Nigerian Herbie Hide. Akinwande got the nod but nobody cared. Robert McCracken came into the ring looking like a hippie with his hair all over the place and spent much of his light-welterweight final with Alan Hall pushing it back so he could see. Inevitably, McCracken dropped a unanimous decision to Hall, who fought a good fight. Neville Brown probably stole the show with a quick win over stocky Welshman Carlo Colarusso but there were also good performances from Keith Howlett, Mark Ramsey, Peter Richardson and Mark Elliott.

[coghaugen11]

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

They were anything but comfortable. Benn was pissing blood for days, ducking below the waist on the ropes once Wharton woke up. Reid was bashed up a bit (though Wharton was a bit shot after the prolonged Eubank beating in 94) and Eubank was forced to throw punches for 12 stanzas straight.

I got the impression with the Benn fight, although I’ve not seen it since the night, that Benn was comfortably outpointing Wharton, but then inexplicably choose to have a tear up in the final two rounds, which was unnecessary and didn’t particularly go Benn’s way.

Wharton froze, didn’t throw a punch until the last second of the 5th round. He was used to small halls, not a packed Earls Court with Don King ringside.

[coghaugen11]

Saying that, Benn, Eubank and Reid all managed to outpoint him in relatively comfortable fights - each had to raise their game a bit from their average performance level. I’d see Wharton more of a win and lose European titles type level.

And Fidel Smith (Slugger O'Toole) at British level. The fight was shown on BBC and will be remembered for Frank Bruno's "home cooking" comment.

He struggled a bit because he was still a young novice about 22 and shouldn’t of been near 12 rounders that soon. Slugger had been sparring Bomber Graham every day for years and years and been around.

[Pugilist-specialist]

They were anything but comfortable. Benn was pissing blood for days, ducking below the waist on the ropes once Wharton woke up. Reid was bashed up a bit (though Wharton was a bit shot after the prolonged Eubank beating in 94) and Eubank was forced to throw punches for 12 stanzas straight.

I got the impression with the Benn fight, although I’ve not seen it since the night, that Benn was comfortably outpointing Wharton, but then inexplicably choose to have a tear up in the final two rounds, which was unnecessary and didn’t particularly go Benn’s way.

Wharton froze, didn’t throw a punch until the last second of the 5th round. He was used to small halls, not a packed Earls Court with Don King ringside.

He'd already had a stadium fight at Elland Road.

[coghaugen11]

I got the impression with the Benn fight, although I’ve not seen it since the night, that Benn was comfortably outpointing Wharton, but then inexplicably choose to have a tear up in the final two rounds, which was unnecessary and didn’t particularly go Benn’s way.

Wharton froze, didn’t throw a punch until the last second of the 5th round. He was used to small halls, not a packed Earls Court with Don King ringside.

He'd already had a stadium fight at Elland Road.

Not quite the same as coming to London for a big fight, with the chimes of Big Ben to face your hero.

[Pugilist-specialist]

Wharton froze, didn’t throw a punch until the last second of the 5th round. He was used to small halls, not a packed Earls Court with Don King ringside.

He'd already had a stadium fight at Elland Road.

Not quite the same as coming to London for a big fight, with the chimes of Big Ben to face your hero.

I wouldn't have thought that somebody with the life experiences of Henry Wharton would be intimidated by a tall clock.

[Counter-puncher]