BoxRec

Until about 1947

Coloured fighters were not allowed to fight for a British title.

I picked up this little gem when I was doing a bit of personal research on the old style boxing booths
at travelling fairs.

Dave

felbridge11 wrote:Until about 1947

Coloured fighters were not allowed to fight for a British title.

I picked up this little gem when I was doing a bit of personal research on the old style boxing booths
at travelling fairs.

Dave

Would not surprise me.

felbridge11 wrote:Until about 1947

Coloured fighters were not allowed to fight for a British title.

I picked up this little gem when I was doing a bit of personal research on the old style boxing booths
at travelling fairs.

Dave

Which colour?

forcefraser wrote:

felbridge11 wrote:Until about 1947

Coloured fighters were not allowed to fight for a British title.

I picked up this little gem when I was doing a bit of personal research on the old style boxing booths
at travelling fairs.

Dave

Which colour?

What is still more shocking is that in 2009 there still is not a category "Black English" or "Black European" on many official governement forums. Its something like "White European," "White Other, "Black Carribean" "Black African" etc....

whicker wrote:What is still more shocking is that in 2009 there still is not a category "Black English" or "Black European" on many official governement forums. Its something like "White European," "White Other, "Black Carribean" "Black African" etc....

I do not mind that.

Would a black African/Caribbean count as white other then??

Coco wrote:Would a black African/Caribbean count as white other then??

Dick Turpin (Randy's elder brother) was the first coloured fighter to win a British title (in 1948).
He also robbed a few toffs.

This may sound like a daft question but was it the same for the Commonwealth?

My T Sharp wrote:This may sound like a daft question but was it the same for the Commonwealth?

Coloured fighters could fight for the British Empire title from 1931 when Canada's Larry Gains won the heavyweight title from "Phaintin''' Phil Scott in two rounds in Leicester. Gains was given the shot almost out of embarrassment. He had licked Max Schmeling in two rounds in Germany (and later Primo Carnera).

bennie wrote:

My T Sharp wrote:This may sound like a daft question but was it the same for the Commonwealth?

Coloured fighters could fight for the British Empire title from 1931 when Canada's Larry Gains won the heavyweight title from "Phaintin''' Phil Scott in two rounds in Leicester. Gains was given the shot almost out of embarrassment. He had licked Max Schmeling in two rounds in Germany (and later Primo Carnera).

Cheers

-

Sam Langford fought for the World title in 1907 http://www.boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=60131

DG. wrote:

whicker wrote:What is still more shocking is that in 2009 there still is not a category "Black English" or "Black European" on many official governement forums. Its something like "White European," "White Other, "Black Carribean" "Black African" etc....

I do not mind that.

May I ask why, DG?

Was the 1st dark skinned fighter to fight for a world title not Joe Gans

What about Andrew Jeptha?

Great thread, I had the pleasure of meeting Larry Gains, a Gem of a Man. Love these Tit Bit threads

Coco wrote:Would a black African/Caribbean count as white other then??

I'm not sure- It does tend to be "black carribean" OR "Black african"

I think they have also "white- other" (so white south africans) and "black- other" (so eg Australians)

I'm mixed race, but WHERE they (my ancestors) came from, I have no idea. I'd say I'm "Mixed Race British" but I've not seen a category for that.

Further to my original post.

I was originally doing a bit of private research on Len Harvey an ex british heavweight champion.

When he retired he owned a pub in Turnham Green/Chiswick and came down to the boys club of which I
was a member, gave out the prizes and made a donation to the club funds.

His official record was 111-9 13 but including fairground booth fights he claimed to have fought 418 times.

It was while trawling through the various links that I discovered that the British Boxing Board of Control discriminated
against "non whites" as late as the mid to late 1940's.

I was not giving an opinion, just stating an historical fact which might have been of interest to any forum members who like to increase their knowledge of the history of boxing and were unaware of the situation that existed at that time.

This website gives interesting background material:

http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/pe ... hnson.html

David



.

Even in the 60s there was discrimination against Black Fighters by the Promoters

felbridge11 wrote:Further to my original post.

I was originally doing a bit of private research on Len Harvey an ex british heavweight champion.

When he retired he owned a pub in Turnham Green/Chiswick and came down to the boys club of which I
was a member, gave out the prizes and made a donation to the club funds.

His official record was 111-9 13 but including fairground booth fights he claimed to have fought 418 times.

It was while trawling through the various links that I discovered that the British Boxing Board of Control discriminated
against "non whites" as late as the mid to late 1940's.

I was not giving an opinion, just stating an historical fact which might have been of interest to any forum members who like to increase their knowledge of the history of boxing and were unaware of the situation that existed at that time.

This website gives interesting background material:

http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/pe ... hnson.html

David



.

Keep em coming mate. Always good to drop little facts like these when in the pub with the lads

alexpaterson wrote:Was the 1st dark skinned fighter to fight for a world title not Joe Gans

George Dixon.

Collins2000 wrote:What about Andrew Jeptha?

Yes, you're bang on to give him a mention, Collins. Jeptha, a black South African who made his way to Liverpool, won the 'British title' in 1907. However, as The Board was not formed until 1929 and blatantly banned black fighters from contesting the British title until 1948 (Dick Turpin), Jeptha's title is not really credited.

Scrap wrote:Even in the 60s there was discrimination against Black Fighters by the Promoters

In 1982 Time magazine, with a huge worldwide circulation, placed Gerry Cooney on its front cover before he was due to challenge Larry Holmes for the world heavyweight title.