WHY DO STARLETS FAIL?
Some fascinating talking points raised in Croydon
CROYDON EBA enjoyed a lively meeting on July 31 at The Orchard, with the raffle raising £95. There was also an auction of a boxing book, presented by Chairman Barry Penny, which, after some fierce bidding, was won by Trevor Cattouse for £50.
We were delighted to welcome back President Bill Caswell and Vice-president Dave Mccarthy after health issues, and a contingent from Brighton EBA. As I keep stressing, it’s vital EBAS support one another. Brighton are holding their summer barbecue this Sunday (August 14) at their headquarters, The Romans pub, Manor Hall Road, Southwick. This is always a good do, and excellent value at just £5 a head. Several Croydon members said they’ll go.
If there’s one thing better than welcoming someone for the first time, it’s welcoming them a second time! This is because it means they enjoyed the experience and will probably keep coming. So, it was good to see former pro lightweight Ricky Andrews, who came for the first time in June, return. “I really enjoyed it – I’ll definitely be coming regularly,” Ricky said.
Ricky boxed out of Crystal Palace, and still lives locally. He had two bouts in 1983, losing the first but winning the next. He then took more than two years out, returning in 1986 for two bouts at Merton Civic Hall, both of which I covered for BN – he beat Mark Dymell in March but lost to Nigel Senior in April, and that was it. All his bouts went the sixround distance.
Social events between meetings are enjoyable, and important – they allow members to bring family and friends along. Possibilities discussed were a quiz – not necessarily on boxing – and a fish and chips supper. Of course, the pandemic is still with us, and we must still be careful, but it’s important to come up with ideas.
Other topics discussed included women’s boxing (again). This really does divide opinion. I explained that the previous evening I had covered the female Commonwealth superbantamweight title bout between Nina Hughes and Tysie Gallagher. This had been a good fight, I said, and the important thing is to have a large enough pool of boxers so decent matches can be made.
Dave Cowland raised the interesting question of why some brilliant amateurs don’t make it in the pros, citing the late Errol Christie. This sparked an interesting
discussion, with Karl Barwise reckoning the longer pro distances were a factor. He recalled American Bernard Taylor, a fine amateur who as a pro challenged Barry Mcguigan for the WBA featherweight title. “For five or six rounds Mcguigan couldn’t touch him,” Barwise said (though the judges saw it differently). “But once he’d fathomed him out, that was that.” Taylor retired after the eighth round.
My recent piece on Carlos Ortiz and other great champions at a reunion in Bloomsbury prompted a reply from Scottish EBA member (and BBBOFC inspector) Neil Mclean.
“I too had the pleasure of being there,” Neil said. “My mission was to bring ‘Cowboy’ John Mccormack down from Scotland, to surprise him with meeting his old Olympic foe, Jose Torres.
“Freddie Mack, as you say, was a revelation down there. He was always the same at our SEBA meetings as well, and is sorely missed.”
Thanks for writing, Neil. This column tends to be about EBA meetings, and items from newsletters, but it’s great to hear from EBA members who have a story to tell, or who are after information (for instance, about a former opponent). Please keep writing!
Jose Torres and John Mccormack clashed in the light-middleweight semi-finals at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Torres won on points but lost in the final to the legendary Laszlo Papp. As a pro he became world lightheavyweight champion, defending successfully against another Scot, Chic Calderwood. Mccormack turned pro and became European, British and Commonwealth middleweight champion.