Welsh influence at Boxing Hall of Fame
THE second annual British Boxing Hall of Fame took place on Sunday, September 18, at the Azur Pavilion in Hastings, saw a string Welsh influence again.
With another oversubscribed audience of 360 invited guests, fans were treated to an array of boxing celebrities present.
Merthyr Tydfil was well represented by the Welsh Ex Boxers Association giving their full support to all inductees, but with special support given to the Welsh representatives, and those previously who have connections with Merthyr in particular.
Up first was Wynford Jones who presented the 2016 inductee “Posthu- mous” award to Howard Winstone Jr, who received this award on behalf of his father, the great Welsh wizard himself, Howard Winstone.
Up later to receive the award of “Pioneer 1880 – 1949” on behalf of the great Jimmy Wilde was Cyril Thomas, Welsh secretary of the Welsh EBA.
Next up was Merthyr’s “Adopted son” Ken Buchanan, who received the award for the “Modern Era”. Ken, the former undefeated World Lightweight Champion, was receiving this induction into his fourth Boxing Hall of Fame – Scotland, New York, Los Angeles, and now Britain.
Ken was presented by his lifelong friend of over 50 years, Phil Jones of He- olgerrig, Merthyr Tydfil, with whom Ken stayed with him and his family back in the 1960s during Ken’s training down in the Penydarren Gym at Merthyr Tydfil. Ken still has strong links with the family and Merthyr itself.
Also inducted under the “Amateur Boxer” category was Dick McTaggart, probably the greatest ever amateur boxer of all time.