We pay tribute to the former Olympian after he sadly passes away, aged 68
Gary Shaw pays tribute to the last great warrior king of Merseyside
ONE of Merseyside’s most colourful and charismatic boxers, Robbie Davies Snr passed away last week after a short illness.
A former ABA champion, Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist and one of the most exciting pros to ever grace the famous Liverpool Stadium, he was 68 years old and had struggled with dementia for a number of years.
It says much for Davies’ wholehearted approach to the sport he was to eventually excel in that he didn’t take up boxing until relatively late in life.
Almost 24 when he first joined Birkenhead ABC in 1972, Davies won a Northern Counties title the following year before, astonishingly, making the ABA light-middleweight final shortly afterwards, eventually losing out to the Army’s Roger Maxwell.
By now, his fearsome and all-action style had won the Birkenhead man many admirers – not only on Merseyside but also nationally. Despite losing in the 1974 ABA semi-finals, he was selected for that year’s Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand – and duly won a bronze medal.
A change of clubs, to the famous Golden Gloves in Liverpool, the following year didn’t change his ABA luck however, and again Davies returned home a beaten finalist.
Despite this, the national callups continued – eight in total (five wins), as well as selection for the biggest amateur prize of all: the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada. Beaten controversially in the second round, Robbie rejoined Birkenhead ABC on his return, determined to finally gain the ABA crown. In 1977 – this time at middleweight – he capped a fine amateur career by stopping Clay ABC’S Michen Shone in the ABA final.
A pro career beckoned and, aged almost 29, Davies wasted no time in making a name for himself in the paid ranks.
Four pro wins from four ended an amazing year but then, in March 1978, he was outboxed by decent American Johnny Heard at the Liverpool Stadium. The visitor later expressed his disbelief that a black man could gain a decision over the home, white fighter. Interviewed for the Mersey Fighters 2 book in 2007, Davies told Heard that the colour of a man’s skin didn’t matter to the knowledgeable Stadium crowd: “If they thought you deserved the decision, then they would support you.”
Bouncing back, five straight victories followed – including a March 1979 fourth-round KO over Liverpool rival Joe Lally in a cross-mersey battle that is still talked about today. The hard-hitting pair had met as amateurs in a memorable affair a few years previously, and this highly anticipated ‘rematch’ was no different. Both fighters were down before Davies prevailed in one of the most explosive fights the city has ever seen. Just five weeks later, Davies met Cardiff-based Pat Thomas of St Kitts and Nevis in a British super-welterweight title eliminator, but was dropped four times in the 12th and final round to lose both the decision and, ultimately, his love of the game. He retired a year and four fights later, with a record of 11-4 (10).
Well known and well respected on Merseyside, Davies – father of talented Liverpool super-lightweight Robbie Davies Jnr – was a familiar figure around the city, always happy to talk about his own career and his son’s, whom he always lauded as a much better boxer than himself.
With barely believable tales from both inside and outside the ring, Davies – a true ring warrior – will be sadly missed.
HIS FEARSOME AND ALLACTION STYLE WON HIM MANY ADMIRERS