Name: Vince Blackburn
Place Of Birth: Balmain NSW
Date Of Birth: 04 Aug 1895
Date Deceased: Unknown
Height 5′ 5½″ / 166cm
Divisions: Featherweight, Bantamweight
Won 21 (KO 2)
Lost 17 (KO 8)
Drawn 5
Newspaper Decisions won 1
Titles:
Featherweight Champion 1917
Bantamweight Champion 1916 - 1920
Stadium Career Span: 1916 - 1922
Fights At Stadium: (Bert L Cox Collection)
Frank Pearson pts 20 13 Nov 1916
Jack Jannesse lpts 20 11 Dec 1916
Jack Jannesse lpts 20 23 Dec 1916
Andy Maguire drew 20 31 Dec 1916
Jack Jannesse pts 20 21 Apr 1917
Andy Maguire wf 15 30 Jun 1917
Sid Godfrey pts 20 18 Aug 1917
Jack Jannesse pts 20 29 Sep 1917
Sid Godfrey lpts 20 27 Oct 1917
Sid Godfrey drew 20 12 Jan 1918
Silvano Jamito pts 20 06 Sep 1919
Silvano Jamito pts 20 03 Oct 1919
Silvano Jamito wf 16 06 Dec 1919
Jackie Green lpts 20 17 Jan 1920
Eugene Criqui koby 10 23 Oct 1920
Joe Symonds koby 7 05 Mar 1921
Jackie Green ko 13 20 May 1922
Stanley McBride pts 20 03 Jun 1922
Larry Jones koby 17 01 Jul 1922
Frank Kramer koby 9 29 Jul 1922
Notes based on an article entitled “Famous Fighters”
(Newspaper and writer unknown)
Lal, the more brilliant passed on without showing his brilliance in open company. Vince became bantamweight champion of Australia. He also later took the featherweight title.
When Vince decide to go into the game seriously, Newtown Olympia asked him to give a three round exhibition. No one was longer in the game, yet they wanted to give him a trial! Three of his opponents shied away.
He beat Billy Molyneux then later lost to him. After that, he could not get a fight until he beat Mick Mulqueen.
In 1916, after winning against Harry Holmes and Victorian George Eddy, he beat Holmes again for the State lightweight title, stopping him in 14 rounds.
He met Frank Pearson for the Australian bantamweight title, which was dormant through Jack Jannesse being laid aside with illness.
Vince took the title, but Jack Jannesse came back to reclaim his crown, only to lose it again to Vince. Jannesse and Blackburn fought five times, with Blackburn winning three and Jannesse two.
Whilst in possession of the bantamweight title he gave 8½ lbs to Sid Godfrey to take the featherweight championship. Godfrey later regained his title.
He gave away a stone to Jimmy Hill and drew with him, beating him in a return.
Had two fights against Cabanella Dencio for one win and one loss.
Went to the Philippines with Llew Edwards, Harry Holmes, Tommy Ryan and George Ballieu. There he won the bantamweight championship of the Orient (Holmes took the featherweight title). During eight months in the Philippines he lost only to Dencio.
After winning the bantamweight championship in 1916, he held it until beaten by Jackie Green in 1920
Blackburn traveled to England and the US. He lost two fights in England and beat Sammy Mandell in America after sustaining a broken hand in the second round. He was offered $2000 to fight Bud Ridley but refused.
He retired after losing to Eugene Criqui, but Stadiums Ltd. persuaded him to make a comeback against Jackie Green, whom he knocked out in thirteen rounds. After that he beat the American Stan McBride.
After retirement he went into the hotel trade and ran several city and country hotels, including one at Redfern.
Sid Godfrey claimed that Blackburn could have won the World bantamweight title when at his best.Described as a keen businessman with a genial personality.
