MAKING ITS DEBUT
The rst-ever South Yorkshire Ex-boxers’ Reunion takes place next month SUNDAY March 10 sees the inaugural South Yorkshire Ex-boxers’ Reunion at The Pocket, Mexborough. It’s the brainchild of former cruiser/heavyweight Chris Woollas and pundit and BN contributor Dave Hall. “It’s escalated,” Dave told me enthusiastically. “People are coming from the North-east, Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Chesterfield, Leeds, Hull, Pontefract, Scunthorpe, Keighley, Ripon, Newark and South Yorkshire. If there are any ex-boxers wishing to attend, please let me know. We have a Facebook page (https://www. facebook.com/groups/450111721855858/) and Twitter (@ex_boxers).”
Many ex-boxers and boxing personalities have already confirmed they’ll be there, including ex-world champions John H. Stracey and Clinton Woods, former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion Jon Jo Irwin, and solid pros Dean Bramhald, Seamus Casey, Tommy Joyce and Nigel Rafferty. It’s due to run from 12pm to 4pm, and I hope it’s a great success. If it does well (and things are looking good), it could become an annual event – like the Northern Federation Boxing Gala, which has been going for years and is always a great weekend.
The current Manchester EBA newsletter announces that this year’s Gala will be held from Friday June 28 to Sunday June 30 at the Sheraton Hotel, Blackpool. The cost will be £97 per head, with £35 for an extra night. Those interested are advised to “get your name down ASAP as it’s a very popular event.” The newsletter also records that at the AGM in January, the existing committee were all sworn in again for another term, but sadly committee member Ian Baynham hasn’t been well. He had a short spell in hospital over the Christmas period and wasn’t able to attend the last two monthly meetings. Hope you get well soon, Ian.
Subject of Lawrence Yearsley’s monthly article is former British bantamweight champion Billy Beynon, a fine battler from Bryn, near Port Talbot. Beynon was far better than his record of 100 defeats in 193 recorded contests suggests, and he had the satisfaction of outscoring Digger Stanley over 20 rounds to win the British title in June 1913. His reign would last less than five months – Stanley beat him in the return – but he’s in the record books as a champion, and no one can take that away from him. Beynon would box on until 1931, having his last bout at the age of 40. Just over a year later he was dead. Not having earned much during his remarkable career, and with 15 children to support,
Billy was forced to go back down the mines, and he was tragically killed as the result of an underground rockfall, while saving his son, Billy Jnr. But his name lives on – and not only in the record books. In 2011, after lobbying by the Bryn Residents Action Group, Billy’s favourite hill – which he used to run up and down regularly in training – was officially named Billy Beynon Hill. A wonderful memorial.
The Croydon Ex-boxers’ Association have booked their Sunday Lunch. It will be held on Sunday October 27 at the Masonic Hall – with an earlier start time of 12pm, to give people more time to socialise. Ticket prices have been held at £25 per head.
I’m constantly stressing how important it is that EBAS support today’s scene. The Scottish EBA certainly do this, with their Boxer of the Year Award, and the winner was due to be decided as this column was being written. In the February newsletter, the three candidates are listed – Ricky Burns, Josh Taylor and Ukashir Farooq (“all excellent ambassadors of boxing”). I look forward to hearing who wins.
Another way of showing support for the game is by attending shows, and in the newsletter Vice-chairman Robert Craig writes: “I attended a thrilling evening… All amateur boys and girls dedicated to the sport produced a fantastic night for all their followers. Great sportsmanship and ... all boxers were well looked after.”
Good to hear, and well done, Robert, for taking the trouble to go. Attending shows – pro or amateur – is a great way to raise an EBA’S profile.