MAN OF MANY TALENTS
THE Board of Control’s annual awards lunch is always a good day, and I was delighted to see members of several EBAS there – London, Home Counties, Croydon, Brighton. In fact, HCEBA Chairman Bob Williams was in charge of the auction, and did a fine job.
Bob has contributed to boxing in many different ways – he was the prime mover behind HCEBA, which continues to flourish while some other Associations are facing problems, and he’s also a Star referee. What’s sometimes forgotten is that he was a useful, and popular, pro light/super-lightweight between 1986 and 1994. He won 20 and drew one of 33 outings, regularly appearing on the London small-hall circuit – York Hall, Battersea Town Hall, Lewisham Theatre, Watford Town Hall. Sadly only the firstnamed still hosts boxing today.
Bob fought some good people, but came unstuck in his one shot at a pro title, being turned back in four rounds by Jon Thaxton for the vacant Southern Area super-lightweight belt. That was no disgrace – Thaxton went on to win British and European honours. Yes, Bob’s a man of many parts.
I was sorry to read in Bournemouth EBA’S latest newsletter that President Alan Honniball and Treasurer Stan White have been unwell. I’m sure everyone will join me in wishing them both a full and speedy recovery. Both are hoping to make Bournemouth’s April meeting.
Elsewhere in the newsletter is an in-depth piece on that great Hungarian, the late Laszlo Papp, who won gold at three consecutive Olympics (middle in 1948, light-middle in 1952 and 1956). In 1956, his opponent in the final was
Jose Torres, later to turn pro and become world light-heavyweight champion, and in the semi he beat Poland’s Zbigniew Pietrzykowski, to reverse a loss in the final of the Warsaw Cup just over two months earlier. Pietrzykowski would step up to light-heavy and become one of the favourites to win gold at the 1960 Games – only to be turned back in the final by a certain Cassius Clay.
Under the Communist regime, professional sport was banned in Hungary, but Papp was allowed to box pro overseas and built up a fine record on the Continent. He won the European middleweight title and successfully defended it six times – victims including British champions George Aldridge (rsf 15) and Mick Leahy (pts). He also beat Bootle’s Harry Scott in a non-title bout, and several good Americans, including
Sugar Ray Robinson conqueror Ralph ‘Tiger’ Jones.
By 1964 Papp was a leading contender for Joey Giardello’s world title, but the Hungarian government had a change of heart, recalled Papp and revoked his passport. Another intriguing fight that should have happened, but didn’t – the skills of Papp against the strength of Giardello. We can only wonder. Pieces like this in EBA newsletters are great for recalling boxers of yesteryear.
Talking of Bournemouth, in the current Seconds Out (London EBA’S monthly newsletter) there’s a ‘Down Memory Lane’ page of photos from LEBA’S March 2019 meeting, when we were delighted to welcome a party from Bournemouth EBA. That was pre-pandemic, of course, and for a long time Covid-19 curtailed such visits – but they’ve started up again, and they’re so important. Croydon EBA are planning to visit Brighton in May, and I hope it comes off.
It’s also important, as I keep stressing, that EBAS show that they are interested in today’s scene, not simply reminiscing about “the good old days”. And they do show this, in various ways – Seconds Out has detailed reports by Michael Lordan of three recent bouts; Dan Azeez vs Joshua Buatsi (“A South London Showdown”), Connor Benn vs Peter Dobson in Las Vegas, and Reece Bellotti vs Liam Dillon. And, of course, LEBA also has their ‘Young Guns’ – new pros that they follow with interest.
There are also photos of LEBA’S recent Annual Awards Lunch, including former WBC light-heavyweight champion John Conteh in full flow as auctioneer and members and guests having a good time.