Johnny Williams (boxer)

Johnny Williams (25 December 1926 – 28 January 2007) was a British former professional boxer in the 1940s and 1950s and was at one time both the British and Empire heavyweight champion.

Johnny Williams
Born(1926-12-25)25 December 1926
Died28 January 2007(2007-01-28) (aged 80)
NationalityWelsh
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Boxing record
Total fights75
Wins60
Wins by KO38
Losses11
Draws4
No contests0

Life and career edit

Born in Barmouth, Wales, Williams grew up in Rugby, England, his family having moved there when he was a toddler. He started to box from the age of 10.[1] He turned professional in 1946 and was known for his scientific approach in the ring, with one of his greatest fights being a bout with Jack Gardner on 17 July 1950 in Leicester. It was a Commonwealth title eliminator fight and he lost on points, and according to the BBC it was rated as one of the most grueling bouts ever staged in Britain and left both boxers requiring a night in hospital.[2]

Two years later on 11 March 1952, Williams had his finest hour, when in a rematch with Gardner, he won the 15 round fight, claiming both the British and Empire Heavyweight titles. However the following year he lost these titles to Don Cockell.[3]

Williams made an attempt at winning back the titles in 1955, but was defeated in a fifth-round knockout by Gardner.[4][3]

Williams retired in 1956 with 60 wins, 38 by knockout, 11 losses and 4 draws, and began a career as a farmer at Newton near Rugby.[3]

He died on 28 January 2007 survived by his wife and daughter.[3]

Professional boxing record edit

60 Wins (38 knockouts, 22 decisions), 11 Losses (6 knockouts, 5 decisions), 4 Draws [1]
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 33-9   Joe Bygraves TKO 6 1956-11-16   Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Loss 28-0-1   Joe Erskine PTS 15 1956-08-27   Maindy Stadium, Cardiff BBBofC Heavyweight Title.
Loss 26-4-1   Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson TKO 4 1956-04-13   Uline Arena, Washington, District of Columbia Referee stopped the bout at 2:49 of the fourth round.
Draw 45-5-1   Willi Hoepner PTS 10 1956-02-04   Festhalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hesse
Win 23-3-2   Kitione Lave TKO 1 1955-07-26   Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, West Midlands
Loss 26-5   Jack Gardner KO 5 1955-06-06   Nottingham Ice Stadium, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title Eliminators.
Win 7-4-1   Lucien Touzard TKO 3 1955-04-18   Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
Win 13-2-1   Hennie Quentemeijer KO 2 1955-03-05   Newtown, Powys
Win 12-3-1   Roger Francis Coeuret TKO 4 1954-12-10   Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Win 15-2   "Miracle" Jack Hobbs TKO 7 1954-09-14   Harringay Arena, London
Win 14-3-10   Hugo Salfeld PTS 10 1954-04-04   Stadion Rote Erde, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 42-4-6   Gerhard Hecht KO 2 1954-01-22   Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Berlin
Win 4-4-1   Bernard Verdoolaeghe PTS 10 1953-11-10   Empress Hall, Earl's Court, London
Win 28-7   Fred Powell KO 2 1953-10-05   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 59-11-1   Don Cockell PTS 15 1953-05-12   Harringay Arena, London BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
Win 15-11-1   Ansell Adams PTS 10 1953-04-13   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 25-1-4   Heinz Neuhaus KO 9 1953-02-15   Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 23-2-4   Werner Wiegand KO 5 1952-12-10   Harringay Arena, London
Win 20-2   John Duncan Arthur TKO 7 1952-10-13   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire Commonwealth Heavyweight Title.
Win 13-13-7   Jimmy Rouse TKO 7 1952-07-22   Meadowbrook Bowl, Newark, New Jersey
Win 22-4   Jack Gardner PTS 15 1952-03-11   Empress Hall, Earl's Court, London BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
Win 46-15   Omelio Agramonte PTS 10 1951-12-04   Harringay Arena, London
Draw 21-0-3   Heinz Neuhaus PTS 10 1951-10-14   Stadion Rote Erde, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 28-8-1   Jo Weidin TKO 6 1951-06-05   White City Stadium, London
Win 17-3   Aaron Wilson PTS 8 1951-03-27   Empress Hall, Earl's Court, London
Win 29-5-4   Reg Andrews KO 2 1951-03-19   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 42-21-5   Bill Weinberg TKO 6 1950-12-12   Harringay Arena, London
Win 19-2   George Kaplan TKO 7 1950-11-14   Earls Court Arena, London
Loss 19-2   Jack Gardner PTS 12 1950-07-17   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 72-11-2   Pat Comiskey TKO 6 1950-06-06   White City Stadium, London
Win 23-11   Vern Escoe PTS 10 1950-02-28   Harringay Arena, London
Win 18-8   Lloyd Barnett PTS 10 1950-02-20   Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 18-10   Piet Wilde KO 4 1950-01-24   Empress Hall, Earl's Court, London
Win 19-8-1   Stephane Olek PTS 8 1949-09-06   Harringay Arena, London
Win 17-8   Piet Wilde PTS 10 1949-08-17   Coney Beach Pleasure Park, Porthcawl
Win 11-4   Paddy Slavin TKO 3 1949-06-20   St Andrew's, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 10-5-1   Nils Andersson PTS 8 1949-06-02   White City Stadium, London
Win 23-8-4   Ken Shaw TKO 8 1949-04-19   Royal Albert Hall, London
Win 14-6-2   Nick Wolmarans TKO 4 1949-01-29   Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Win 3-3-1   Billy Wood KO 4 1948-12-16   City Hall, Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal
Win 10-6   Fred Vorster PTS 8 1948-11-06   Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Win 17-9-3   Jock Frederick Taylor PTS 6 1948-09-21   Harringay Arena, London
Win 22-13-7   Reg Spring TKO 6 1948-09-02   Exeter Civic Hall, Exeter, Devon
Win 32-4-1   Don Cockell TKO 2 1948-07-27   Embassy Rink, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 7-12   Gene "KO" Fowler KO 3 1948-06-22   St James Park, Exeter, Devon
Loss 28-4-1   Don Cockell PTS 8 1948-05-18   Highfield Road, Coventry, West Midlands
Win 6-0   Bobby Ogg PTS 6 1948-04-20   Harringay Arena, London
Win 1-0   Sid Falconer RTD 3 1948-03-11   Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands
Win 1-0   Billy Phillips TKO 3 1948-02-17   Harringay Arena, London
Win 21-3   Allan Cooke TKO 1 1948-02-12   Hull Arena, Hull, Yorkshire
Win 12-12-3   Matt Locke KO 1 1948-01-26   Coventry Drill Hall, Coventry, West Midlands
Win 13-13-1   Des Jones PTS 8 1948-01-15   Rink Market, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands
Loss 14-10-6   Reg Spring PTS 8 1947-12-02   Co-op Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win 4-1   Doug Richards PTS 8 1947-11-24   Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Win 7-7   George Barratt TKO 3 1947-11-10   Coventry, West Midlands
Win 9-7-1   Jimmy Carroll KO 5 1947-11-03   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 27-27-7   Trevor Burt KO 2 1947-09-16   Battery Drill Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win 7-6   Jimmy Carroll TKO 5 1947-08-12   Wembley Town Hall, London
Win --   Bernard O'Neill TKO 2 1947-07-07   Wembley Town Hall, London
Draw 26-7-5   Johnny Houlston PTS 8 1947-06-16   Corporation Bus Depot, Newport
Win 41-59-5   Paddy Roche TKO 7 1947-04-03   Leamington, Warwickshire
Win 2-1   Jock Kerry TKO 5 1947-03-24   Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 2-2   Wally With PTS 8 1947-03-19   Caledonian Road Baths, London
Win 2-3   Art Owen TKO 6 1947-02-24   Kettering, Northamptonshire
Win 19-42-6   Ted Barter KO 3 1947-02-10   Oxford Town Hall, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Win 2-2-2   Tommy Bostock TKO 4 1946-12-09   Assembly Rooms, Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Win 0-1   Joe Burt PTS 8 1946-11-04   Birmingham, West Midlands
Draw 12-3-4   Jim Greaves PTS 8 1946-10-21   Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 7-2-1   Jim Hollis PTS 6 1946-09-24   Embassy Rink, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 12-17-2   Harry O'Grady KO 4 1946-06-04   Battery Drill Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win --   Joe Williams PTS 8 1946-04-15   Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 5-4   "Seaman" Tom Smith TKO 5 1946-04-01   Birmingham, West Midlands
Win -- Michael Guerin KO 1 1946-02-26   Co-op Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire Guerin knocked out at 1:40 of the first round.
Win 2-3   "Seaman" Tom Smith PTS 6 1946-02-15   Crossington Street Baths, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 1-0   Billy Rhodes PTS 6 1946-02-12   Crossington Street Baths, Leicester, Leicestershire

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Johnny Williams". Welsh Boxers. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Ex-British champion Williams dies". BBC. 6 February 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d "Obituaries: Johnny Williams". The Telegraph. 5 February 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Uk: Boxing: Gardner V Williams: 1955". British Pathé. Retrieved 16 November 2020.

External links edit