Dicky Downes
Posted: 30 Jan 2006, 16:08
Dicky Downes
A man of many names
A former member of the Merseyside Former Boxers Association until his death in March 1988 aged 74.
Who were Billy Mason, Bert Harris,Dick Dunn, Digger Downes and Dicky Downes, all well known Liverpool boxers in the 1930’s ?
The answer is simple they were all the same fighter Dicky Downes. He used all the other names when boxing on unlicensed shows and there were many occasions when he boxed incognito to save the risk of losing his valued Board of Control boxing Licence.
“If you stepped out of line you could have your licence taken from you and although boxing only brought in a few pounds the money was invaluable in those hard times”
Dicky boxed from flyweight to lightweight between 1930 and 1943 and had around 100 official fights. He had several managers during this period – Charlie Phillips, Dick Burke, Dom and Tony Vairo and the well known pairing of Wakeman and Metcalf.
His biggest purse was the £8. 10shillings he picked up as a 16 year old from a nights work in a Seaforth boxing booth.
His first real fight was against Sam Quirk , Dicky used the name Bert Harris on this occasion and won by a ko in the 1st round.
Second time out he went by the name of Billy Mason and koed Joe Waking in the 2nd.
On his third time out, using his real name, he was disqualified against the local KO specialist Wilf Fairhurst of St Helens.
Dicky would often box three time a week, using a variety of names, knocking out Fred Mulrooney in two rounds in Birkenhead, finished all square with Chuck Seddon of Wigan ( one win each and a draw), then a disputed points decision against Lol Fish of Bolton.
Another good win was against Ray Wood of Failsworth, nominated for the Area championships, who Dicky outpointed at Morecombe.
Dicky rekoned he won more fights by KO than on points and had his biggest official purse of £3 10 shillings when he topped the bill in Belfast when he dropped a points decision to Joe Clark.
He boxed all over the North West and outpointed the likes of Freddie Brittnor, Kid McQueen and Joe Cunliffe. Also outpointed Young Duff at Blackpool after taking two counts in the 4th and another two in the 5th, as well as stopping Kid Fogo in two rounds, Alf Sreet in two rounds and Charlie battling Hyde in six.
A man of many names
A former member of the Merseyside Former Boxers Association until his death in March 1988 aged 74.
Who were Billy Mason, Bert Harris,Dick Dunn, Digger Downes and Dicky Downes, all well known Liverpool boxers in the 1930’s ?
The answer is simple they were all the same fighter Dicky Downes. He used all the other names when boxing on unlicensed shows and there were many occasions when he boxed incognito to save the risk of losing his valued Board of Control boxing Licence.
“If you stepped out of line you could have your licence taken from you and although boxing only brought in a few pounds the money was invaluable in those hard times”
Dicky boxed from flyweight to lightweight between 1930 and 1943 and had around 100 official fights. He had several managers during this period – Charlie Phillips, Dick Burke, Dom and Tony Vairo and the well known pairing of Wakeman and Metcalf.
His biggest purse was the £8. 10shillings he picked up as a 16 year old from a nights work in a Seaforth boxing booth.
His first real fight was against Sam Quirk , Dicky used the name Bert Harris on this occasion and won by a ko in the 1st round.
Second time out he went by the name of Billy Mason and koed Joe Waking in the 2nd.
On his third time out, using his real name, he was disqualified against the local KO specialist Wilf Fairhurst of St Helens.
Dicky would often box three time a week, using a variety of names, knocking out Fred Mulrooney in two rounds in Birkenhead, finished all square with Chuck Seddon of Wigan ( one win each and a draw), then a disputed points decision against Lol Fish of Bolton.
Another good win was against Ray Wood of Failsworth, nominated for the Area championships, who Dicky outpointed at Morecombe.
Dicky rekoned he won more fights by KO than on points and had his biggest official purse of £3 10 shillings when he topped the bill in Belfast when he dropped a points decision to Joe Clark.
He boxed all over the North West and outpointed the likes of Freddie Brittnor, Kid McQueen and Joe Cunliffe. Also outpointed Young Duff at Blackpool after taking two counts in the 4th and another two in the 5th, as well as stopping Kid Fogo in two rounds, Alf Sreet in two rounds and Charlie battling Hyde in six.