COMING TOGETHER
Several EBAS were represented at the LEBA Annual Awards Lunch
AS mentioned last week, London EBA’S Annual Awards Lunch on February 17 was another wonderful afternoon. Of course, these events don’t organise themselves – there’s a great deal of effort involved in ensuring everything goes smoothly. As always, LEBA Chairman Charlie Wright, President Stephen Powell and Secretary/ Treasurer Ray Caulfield put in a lot of work. And praise, too, to Home Counties Chairman and leading referee Bob Williams, who did an excellent job as MC – and to Barbara O’sullivan and her team of raffle ticket-sellers (raising over £2,000).
Several other EBAS were represented, which adds so much to these events. Newly appointed Welsh EBA President Eddie Avoth (former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion) presented Certificates of Life Membership to Len Wilson, Ken Palmer and Sylvia Richards – the last-named also coming from Wales, and a regular attendee at London meetings with her husband, Geraint.
I was delighted to meet regular correspondents Richard Vaughan (North Staffs EBA) and Central Midlands Secretary Paul Nutting, together with Chairman Gary Bate. If you contact me with your Association’s news, I can publicise it – if you don’t, I can’t. Scottish EBA Vice-chairman Robert Craig also made the trip. And it’s always a pleasure to talk to Essex Chairman Tommy Burling and Secretary Ray Lee.
Hastings Chairman Dave Harris was invited to say a few words on the Ringside Rest and Care Home, and made the point – which some of us try to close our eyes to – that boxing is a high-risk business, and both pros and amateurs can suffer in later years. He congratulated former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Scott Welch, who is going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a team of ex-boxers to raise money for the Home. “We need the whole of the boxing world to make this happen,” he said. Promoter Mo Prior donated £1,000, and announced that he was going on a diet, with the intention of losing three stone. He appealed for sponsors – proceeds to go to the Home.
Ray Caulfield said it was good to see several people attending for the first time, including former European, British and Commonwealth middleweight champion Tony Sibson, an early winner of LEBA’S (now discontinued) Dave Crowley Belt. Ray stressed the importance of encouraging ‘Young Guns’ to join their local EBA, so they know how valuable it is in later years to be able to come along to somewhere where everyone looks after one another. “It’s great to have that community spirit,” Ray said.
Happily, representatives of several amateur clubs were in attendance.
There was a welcome for Vic Moore, first winner of promoter Jack Solomons’
Heavyweight Prizefighter competition – and a special photograph was presented to Guest of Honour Sammy Mccarthy, 87, depicting Solomons and many of the great fighters who had appeared on his promotions down the years. There’s plenty to read in the current
Mug’s Alley – monthly newsletter of the Merseyside Former Boxers’ Association. Under “Memories of the Liverpool Stadium”, there’s a detailed article on the July 1952 clash between Birkenhead’s Wally Thom and Welshman Cliff Curvis, for the former’s British and Commonwealth welterweight titles. Curvis caused a shock by Ko’ing Thom in nine rounds. The article finishes: “Just one of many great title fights which took place at the Liverpool Stadium, and what an atmosphere there was.” Curvis incidentally would have just three more bouts, losing two – while Thom boxed on until 1956, regaining both his titles and becoming European champion as well. He later became a Star referee.
Other articles (both by the late Syd Dye) feature Young Joe Samuels, who packed more than 250 contests into a career lasting less than eight years, and Jackie Lyden, who had more than 100. Lyden, to quote the article, “has a claim to fame that will never be beaten. At the age of 17, back in 1933, he topped the bill at Liverpool Stadium, the youngest fighter ever to achieve such a distinction.” Great to see these old fighters remembered.