NOMINATION TIME
Who should make it into the EBA Hall of Fame in 2023?
THIS year’s British Ex-boxers Hall of Fame celebration doesn’t happen for over three months – but already the organisers are seeking nominations for 2023. Every EBA Secretary will have received a voting form, and these need to be returned to Dave Harris no later than July 31.
There are 12 categories, and, as always, names have been suggested for each one. But it’s quite in order to nominate someone else, provided that person meets the criteria for that category. And it’s vital to get the votes in. So often in the past there have been complaints that other people deserved the honour more than the actual inductee(s). If your EBA didn’t get their votes in, there’s really no grounds for complaint.
And this is something that involves every EBA member, not just the committee. If you feel someone should be inducted in a particular category – let your committee know. Properly handled, this is something that should stir up a lot of interesting debate amongst members. And the celebration itself is always a good day. This year, of course, it’s at the Thistle Hotel, Longford, on September 18.
Essex EBA are good at showing they care about today’s scene, and their current newsletter (Punch Lines) has an article on Tyson Fury, and where he stands in comparison with great world heavyweight champions of the past. There’s also praise for local amateurs Lewis Richardson, Isaac Okoh and Louis Doherty on their recent successes.
Looking back, there’s a feature on West Ham’s Ralph Charles, who campaigned as a pro welter between 1963 and 1972, winning 39 of 43 (33 inside-schedule). He was never beaten by a British fighter.
I saw him box several times, including his points win over Johnny Cooke in 1968 that netted Ralph the British and Commonwealth titles. He won a Lonsdale Belt outright with wins over worthy challengers Chuck Henderson (five rounds) and Bernie Terrell (eight). A trip to Vienna saw him knock out local hero Johann Orsolics in 12, to become European champion – but the great world champion, Jose Napoles, proved a step too far, and Ralph’s challenge at Wembley ended in the seventh session. That would be Ralph’s last bout.
Sometime before the current pandemic, Ralph came to a London EBA meeting, and was made very welcome. I had the pleasure of talking to him afterwards about his career. Come again, Ralph – we’d love to see you.
The current Mug’s Alley, the Merseyside Former Boxers’ Association newsletter, has a feature on Liverpool’s Jimmy Stewart, just one of many pre-war boxers who were well worthy of a British title shot but never got one.
He beat the great Jack “Kid” Berg in three rounds, but it was Berg who went on to beat Harry Mizler for the British lightweight title.
Stewart won the Northern Area title, knocking out Frank Barton in eight rounds for the vacant belt in May 1936. But he lost it at his first defence, against former conqueror Harry Craster – an eye injury forced Jimmy to retire after just one round, and he never boxed again. Craster, incidentally, is in the record book as the first man to beat that great Frenchman, Marcel Cerdan – albeit by disqualification.
Jock Mcavoy, the “Rochdale Thunderbolt,” was a great fighter who won British titles at middle and lightheavyweight, and even stepped up to heavy to challenge British champion Jack Petersen (who won on points). In America, Jock sensationally halted Ed Risko, recognised in some quarters as world middleweight champion, inside a round – but never got a return for the title.
Steve Connellan, head coach at Rochdale’s Hamer ABC, told me there’s a campaign to get a statue of Jock erected in his hometown. The campaign’s already got a lot of support – including from Manchester EBA. I hope it succeeds – Mcavoy was a fine fighter, with 132 wins and a draw in 147 outings, and he ducked nobody. He deserves to be commemorated.