Paddy Graham

Name: Paddy Graham
Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Birthplace: Killough, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Died: 2019-10-09 (Age:87)
Pro Boxer: Record
Amateur Boxer: Record

Obituary

One of the great gutsy characters of Irish boxing the ginger-haired tearaway lived most of his life in the Belfast Markets area.

Born on May 5, 1932, in the village of Killough, County Down, he came with his parents to live in Belfast Markets district at five years of age.

Nearby was the famous St George's Boxing Club, which he joined as a juvenile.

In 1952 he was part of the Club's 'Magnificent Seven' fighters - all winning Ulster Senior amateur titles. Graham clinched the featherweight honors for the then 'Cradle of Champions'.

A year later he lost the title on a cut-eye decision, in the final, to future British Featherweight finalist Jimmy Brown.

Graham, now a lightweight and managed by England-based Jimmy Lumb, switched to the paid ranks on December 28, 1953, at the Ulster Hall, Belfast, beating Tommy Bleeks of County Tyrone.

Up to the welterweight grade, after losing to Gerry Smyth of the Markets for the Area Lightweight crown, he collided four times with fellow Belfast ringmaster Peter 'Al' Sharpe - swapping the Area title on the way. He had three hair-raising scraps with Trinidad whirlwind Boswell St Louis, winning one.

Graham also met other high pedigree punchers of that era such as world ranked American Ted 'Farmer' Wright, South Africa's Willie Toweel - and leading British boxers Darkie Hughes, Brian Curvis, Johnny Kramer, Cliff Brown, Brian Husband, Tommy Molloy and Cork-born Mick Leahy.