SIZZLING SIXTIES

The SIXTIES was an interesting decade for boxing including British boxing. During the Sixties reign of
CASSIUS CLAY aka MUHAMMAD ALI, two British boxers that received a boost in the name recognition department were
HENRY COOPER and BRIAN LONDON, but there were other active British heavyweights such as Joe Erskine, Johnny Prescott,
Billy "Golden Boy" Walker, and Jim Cooper.

The other weight divisions had there share of local or international stars such as the old veteran Terry Downes to others such as one Bob Nicholson, Brian Curvis, Dave Charnley, Maurice Cullen, Dave Coventry, Howard Winstone, Frankie Taylor,
and Walter McGowan

And how many except Lobdon area boxing fans would remember that 1964 controversial battle
between BRIAN LONDON and JOHNNY PRESCOTT that took place in Liverpool where Brian was robbed
blind faster than a old coach driving North of London was robbed by the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin.
Well the referee wasn't the highwayman, he was just plain old referee WALLY THOM who dropped a bomb with his lone decision.

Of interest, Dave Coventry moved to North America and in 1968, he served as my cornerman when fighting in the finals of a Golden Gloves tournament against 1966 Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner FRANKIE SCOTT

1969 Top British Boxers

By mid/1969 the top British boxers would be Jack BODELL, Carl GIZZI, Eddie AVOTH, Wally SWIFT and ALAN RUDKIN.
And how many remember John (Young) McCormack and his managerPaddy BYrne. Then a fresh newcomer
with the tag "Blond Bomber" was JOE BUGNER who replaced BILLY WALKER with that "Blonde Bomber" tag.
He was handled by Amdy Smith in Huntingdon.

In 1969, some of the British boxers and their Commonwealth rivals would be:

HENRY COOPER, JACK BODELL and rivals George Chuvalo, Charlie Chase and BunntyJohnson,

EDDIE AVOTH, JOH MCCORMACK and rivals Dick Tiger and Al Sparks

LES MCATEER, MARK ROWE and rivals Gomeo Brennan and Bunny Sterling,

RALPH CHARLES and rivals Eddie Blay, Donato Paduano and Joey Durelle

VIC ANDREETI, MAURICE CULLEN and rivals Albert Breau and George Fogas,

KEN BUCHANAN, BRIAN HUDSON and rivals Bunny Grant, Al Ford and Percy Hayles

JIM REVIE, BRIAN PACKER and rivals Billy McGrandle and Art Hafey

ALAN RUDKIN, WALTER MCGOWAN and rivals Lionel Rose and Bob Allotey

SIXTIES HIGHLIGHTS on the WORLD STAGE:

One of the early highlights of the sixties was the TERRY DOWNES - Paul Pender bouts, Then in the
mid Sixties came the Downes bout with Willie Pastrano. Others may remember the Emile Griffith bout with
BRIAN CURVIS and the various high profile bouts of WALTER MCGOWAN, HOWARD WINSTONE and ALAN RUDKIN.
Remember when Rudkin faced Fighting Harada, Lionel Rose and Ruben Olivares. And who could forget
Jose Torres vs CHIC CALDERWOOD. Bat back to the early Sixties and we have DAVE CHARNLEY
facing lightweight champion Joe Brown.