BoxRec

The british title, like any regional or national title, tends not to stay with one holder for too long.
Whether the holder loses the title or vacates it to move on to a higher level.

So it got me wondering, who has had the longest reign as a british titlist without moving up or down.

Or who has had the most fights for the british title overall.

davie wrote:The british title, like any regional or national title, tends not to stay with one holder for too long.
Whether the holder loses the title or vacates it to move on to a higher level.

So it got me wondering, who has had the longest reign as a british titlist without moving up or down.

Or who has had the most fights for the british title overall.

Without doing any research... Henry Cooper's the first name to come to mind

danconnollyeire wrote:

davie wrote:The british title, like any regional or national title, tends not to stay with one holder for too long.
Whether the holder loses the title or vacates it to move on to a higher level.

So it got me wondering, who has had the longest reign as a british titlist without moving up or down.

Or who has had the most fights for the british title overall.

Without doing any research... Henry Cooper's the first name to come to mind

Checked the stats

12 fights total with 8 consecutive wins for cooper.

the longest i found had been clinton mckenzie with 7 consecutive wins and 11 total fights. so 'enry is winning so far

I think Cooper wins this but there's probably a few holders who had long reigns due to WWII.

Neville Brown was holder at middle for some time too, not sure how long off the top of my head.

Bombardier Billy Wells held the title from 1911 to 1919 and made fourteen defences, although his career was on hold for a good few years due to WWI. Looking at his record it looks like a lot of his defences in 1914-16 were against fellow armed forces guys, which could be exhibition type fights or just co-incidence. Don't know too much about him tbh, just know the name.

orbtastic wrote:I think Cooper wins this but there's probably a few holders who had long reigns due to WWII.

Neville Brown was holder at middle for some time too, not sure how long off the top of my head.

Neville Brown was just under 5 years so must be right up there

Wasn't Charlie Magri awarded the belt outright after not defending for 3 years as there was no one good enough to fight him.

Coco wrote:Wasn't Charlie Magri awarded the belt outright after not defending for 3 years as there was no one good enough to fight him.

He won a 15 rounder for the title in his 3rd fight! Craziest thing I've ever read

danconnollyeire wrote:

Coco wrote:Wasn't Charlie Magri awarded the belt outright after not defending for 3 years as there was no one good enough to fight him.

He won a 15 rounder for the title in his 3rd fight! Craziest thing I've ever read

Your comment there has got me thinking....back in those days did they have the development thing of 4,6,8 rounders or did they just go for it straight away? Like, was the undercard with developing fighters common then?

It typically was with fighters with a deep talent pool to have a go at. Magri's problem was that in the UK at least, there were few pros at his weight. I can't remember the exact detail, but he goes into some in his book - but the Board let it go ahead because he was such a seasoned ama boxer.

winkveron wrote:

danconnollyeire wrote:

Coco wrote:Wasn't Charlie Magri awarded the belt outright after not defending for 3 years as there was no one good enough to fight him.

He won a 15 rounder for the title in his 3rd fight! Craziest thing I've ever read

Your comment there has got me thinking....back in those days did they have the development thing of 4,6,8 rounders or did they just go for it straight away? Like, was the undercard with developing fighters common then?

Well, mostly, they did build up like they do now but you get the odd exeption if they have had exeptional amatuer experience ie Spinks/Guer Rodriguez

Most old time boxers had a lot of fights before going for a title, mainly because they could get a fight each week if they wanted, also quite a few did the booths thing and fought all comers on that circuit.

Alot of pre-war records are missing fights on boxrec, they turn up all the time from long forgotton bills.
Jimmy Wilde is listed on boxrec as having 142 pro fights, but even someone as famous as him has bouts missing from his record. Wilde would say he had hundreds of fights

Michael Gomez Had a Couple of Lonsdale belts.. Winner his 1st British Title in 1999 and his last British Fight in 2007 and all at Super Feather Weight...

Dennis Andries had a fairly long span between his first and last British title fights - 1980 & 1996. He could have won a Lonsdale at cruiser too, a lot of people viewed those two losses to Dunstan as mildly controversial.

Crawford Ashley had a fairly long span too, as did Ryan Rhodes of course.

None of them really answer the original question though.

I thought that Pat Cowdell had more notches than he did, I seem to remember him holding domestic belts for what seemed like years.

danconnollyeire wrote: Without doing any research... Henry Cooper's the first name to come to mind

Exactly my reaction.

I've not checked this, but Jamie Moore once told me that he was second to Henry Cooper in terms of British title fights.

Moore is on 7 wins - 1 lost
Brian Curvis 7 wins - 0 lost
Howard Winstone 7 wins -0 lost
Peter Keenan 6 wins - 2 lost

Both on 6-1 are Ronnie Clayton & Neville Brown.

Not the longest in one go, but Danny Williams is 8-3 in British title fights.

Have any fighters had more than one shot at the title and failed to win?

orbtastic wrote:Have any fighters had more than one shot at the title and failed to win?

Do you mean boxers that have never won it, like John McDermott 3 challenges and no wins

Yeah, just mildly curious.

I thought he held the title, must have been the English he won.

Can't think of anyone else who had two stabs or more and failed?

Dick Smith lost 5 at heavyweight , but won the British title at Light heavy going 3-1 there

Christ, that's some going. Talk about perseverance.

Andries was 8-2 at light heavy (bizarrely defending it at the same time he defended his WBC title) and 1-3 at Cruiser, with 2 attempts to win it back.

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