300-STRONG
Boxing historian
A packed sell-out crowd for the latest London EBA Awards
THE London EBA’S Annual Awards Lunch at The Grand Connaught Rooms, Holborn, was another resounding success, with around 300 present.
“It’s all about members and guests getting together,” Chairman Bob Cheeseman said.
Many EBAS were represented – Scottish, Essex, Central (Midlands), Home Counties, Croydon – and several ex-champs were there (Billy Schwer, Jason Matthews, Maurice Hope, John Conteh). I’d heard the latter was a superb auctioneer at charity events, but I’d never previously seen him in action – he could well have taken it up professionally.
I was delighted to share a table with fellow-writers Geoff Petts (former BN staffer) and Ken Sellek (current BN contributor), and former champions Michael Watson and Jim Mcdonnell. Jim won the Mancini Award for Services to Boxing, being described as a “dedicated” trainer (and as a pro fighter he won the European featherweight title).
Michael Watson presented the Guest of Honour award to James Cook, former British and European super-middleweight champion – whose work with the Pedro Club has earned him the MBE, for the tremendous amount of good it does for the youth of Hackney. With a big smile, Michael recalled how James had taken his unbeaten record, with an eightrounds points win at Wembley Conference Centre in May 1986. “He told me I was too flash!” Michael laughed.
Michael, of course, went on to win the Commonwealth middleweight title. It’s LEBA’S practice to invite ex-champions to present the various awards, and apart from Michael, there were John Conteh (WBC light-heavyweight), Maurice Hope (WBC super-welter), Derek Williams (European and Commonwealth heavy), Vernon Sollas (British feather), Billy Schwer (British and Commonwealth light), James Cook (British and European super-middle) and Jimmy Batten (British super-welter). The latter presented Certificates of Life Membership to octogenarians Pat Gavin and Dennis Stagg.
The Pat Floyd Cup for the best London amateur prospect went to Demeij Shittu – and the 2022 winner, Giorgio Visoli, who couldn’t make last year’s ceremony, was presented with his trophy. Giorgio is now a pro super-featherweight, with two quick wins in as many bouts.
The Johnny Kent Award for the best pro London prospect went to middleweight George Liddard, currently on six straight wins. George has been
described as having a similar style to the late, great Terry Downes, and hopes to fight for a title this year.
The Jack Powell Award for services to LEBA went to “one of life’s nice guys,” Dominic Shepherd, who has raised a lot of money for LEBA and other good causes.
There was a special award for the family of the late Carl Payne, the sculptor of the statue of Henry Cooper but sadly died before it was erected. It was good to see them, along with Cooper’s sons, John and Henry.
Among attendees from Essex EBA was Secretary Ray Lee, whose 2024 edition of the British Boxing Journal is now available. It’s comprehensive as always, with details of every British promotion, including referees’ names and scores of every distance bout. There’s a foreword by former IBF super-lightweight champion
Terry Marsh, a quiz by Ralph Oates, and articles on the history of the Commonwealth Boxing Council and Premierland. To order a copy, or get more information, contact Ray via Raymond.lee@btinternet.com.
It’s always a pleasure to get a call from Dave Harris, Hastings EBA Chairman and prime mover behind the Ringside Charitable Trust and the British Ex-boxers’ Hall of Fame. He’s already thinking about next year’s Hall of Fame, and is anxious to hear from EBAS with nominations for the various categories.
“But I don’t just want names,” Dave said. “I’d like people to explain why they’re nominating those particular people – what they’ve done to merit being inducted.” So I’d urge all EBAS to get thinking, come up with some ideas and let Dave know via tedandlils@hotmail.co.uk.