SUPERB SCRAPBOOK
Essex EBA have put together a brilliant book about Jimmy Davis
OVER the years, Essex EBA have produced several scrapbooks on former fighters, put together by Chairman Tommy Burling and Secretary Raymond Lee. The latest, on Bethnal Green’s Jimmy Davis, is well up to the usual standard. There’s an eye-catching front cover, designed by Raymond, and on the back a reproduction of the Boxing News Certificate of Merit awarded to Jimmy for his eight-round points win over Joe Hyman at the Albert Hall on March 14, 1950 – signed by BN proprietor Vivian Brodzky and editor Gilbert Odd. And the book contains reports of most of Jimmy’s 93 pro bouts, together with scans of programmes, flyers and the like.
Jimmy boxed as a pro between 1945 and 1954, winning 66 and drawing five. Only 12 wins came inside the distance – he was essentially a boxer, with a good left jab – but more than once he found the punch to turn a fight round when he seemed to be losing. He started at welterweight, but soon went up to middle. After losing his debut (possibly through nerves) on points to Billy Walker at the Albert Hall, Jimmy went 12 without loss (one draw), before coming up against Randolph Turpin. Jimmy was KO’D in four rounds – no disgrace against a future world champion.
Eight wins later Jimmy met with future London EBA member Alby Hollister, in an official Southern Area middleweight title eliminator. This was a thriller, with both on the floor, and Hollister prevailed via fifthround KO. Jimmy would never box for the title, though he beat future champions Ron Pudney and Wally Beckett. Creditably, Jimmy split two verdicts each with former Commonwealth middleweight champion
Bos Murphy (New Zealand) and ex-british welter kingpin Henry Hall (who had narrowly beaten Jimmy in the 1944 ABA welter final).
Eventually Jimmy went up to lightheavy, and in March 1954 he outpointed Tony Lord in a Southern Area title final eliminator at Leyton Baths (the vast majority of Jimmy’s bouts were in London). But he didn’t get the title shot, and in fact boxed only twice more. Arthur Howard was stopped in three rounds, on a cut, to put Jimmy 2-1 up in their series. Howard would go on to fight twice for the British title, losing to Randolph Turpin and Chic Calderwood.
Then Jimmy met West Ham’s Ron Barton in Harringay. Ten months previously they had boxed on the same bill at Leyton Baths – Jimmy outpointing Dave Williams, Barton winning his debut
with a one-round KO of Jim Lindley. In the intervening period Jimmy had had the wins over Lord and Howard, while Barton had won 11 straight. Barton beat Jimmy, too, in three rounds, and would go on to win the vacant British light-heavy title, halting former middleweight champion (and Davis conqueror) Albert Finch in eight. Jimmy never boxed again and died in 2008, aged 81. An article by Gene Saxon reveals that Jimmy was inspired to take up boxing, aged 10, by seeing a picture of future world heavyweight champion Joe Louis.
One fascinating thing about the scrapbook is that reports of whole tournaments are reproduced, not just Davis’ bouts, so one can read of such stars (and future stars) as Eric Boon, Don Cockell and Sammy Mccarthy. There’s also the report of Tommy Mcgovern’s sensational 45-second dispatch of a weight-weakened Billy Thompson, to take Thompson’s British lightweight title ( Jimmy scored a repeat win over Wally Beckett on the undercard). And it’s not just champions – it’s interesting to read reports of well-known names such as Ernie Fossey (later a prominent manager, promoter and matchmaker), future London EBA Chairman Micky O’sullivan and the Kray twins, Ron and Reg. It’s a great book, proceeds to be divided equally between Essex EBA and the Ringside Charitable Trust. The cost is £10.00 plus £3.25 p/p, and cheques made payable to “Essex Ex-boxers Association” (not EBA) should be sent to Raymond Lee at 5 Broadhurst Walk, Rainham, Essex, RM13 7HD.