Lethal right hook made Sid Godfrey a champ

Name Sid Godfrey
Place Of Birth Raglan NSW
Date Of Birth 20 August 1897
Date Deceased 1965
Height 5’ 7”
Weight 9st 8lb
Divisions Featherweight, Lightweight
Titles Featherweight, Lightweight
Record won 52 (KO 27) + lost 15 (KO 4) + drawn 10

Fights At Stadium
Patsy Brannigan pts 20 Sid Godfrey 04 Nov 1916
Sid Godfrey ko 17 Patsy Brannigan 25 Nov 1916
Jimmy Hill pts 20 Sid Godfrey 01 Jan 1917
Sid Godfrey ko 11 Frank Thorn 07 May 1917
Tommy Ryan pts 20 Sid Godfrey 21 May 1917
Sid Godfrey ko 15 Wave Geike 21 Jul 1917
Vince Blackburn pts 20 Sid Godfrey 18 Aug 1917
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Vince Blackburn 27 Oct 1917
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Vince Blackburn 27 Oct 1917
Sid Godfrey drew 20 Vince Blackburn 12 Jan 1918
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Sam Saunders 25 Jan 1919
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Harry Holmes 14 Feb 1920
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Harry Holmes 06 Mar 1920
Sid Godfrey ko 2 Digger Evans 20 Mar 1920
Jackie Green pts 20 Sid Godfrey 05 Apr 1920
Sid Godfrey ko 8 Rug Macario 29 May 1920
Sid Godfrey wf 7 Joe Symonds 17 Jul 1920
Jimmy Hill drew 20 Sid Godfrey 04 Sep 1920
Sid Godfrey wf 8 Silvano Jamito 02 Oct 1920
Sid Godfrey ko 9 Arthur Wynns 26 Dec 1920
Eugene Criqui ko 10 Sid Godfrey 05 Feb 1921
Sid Godfrey wf 15 Francisco Flores 26 Mar 1921
Llew Edwards pts 20 Sid Godfrey 02 Apr 1921
Sid Godfrey ko 17 Cabanella Dencio 14 May 1921
Sid Godfrey ko 2 Leo Patterson 25 Jun 1921
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Llew Edwards 23 Jul 1921
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Harry Stone 20 Aug 1921
Sid Godfrey ko 9 Pat Mills 15 Oct 1921
Sid Godfrey wf 17 Tommy O'Brien 29 Oct 1921
Sid Godfrey drew 20 Bert Spargo 04 Feb 1922
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Billy McCann 18 Mar 1922
Sid Godfrey drew 20 Bert Spargo 15 Apr 1922
Sid Godfrey ko 5 Tommy Cello 08 Jul 1922
Hughie Dwyer pts 20 Sid Godfrey 14 Oct 1922
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Harry Collins 17 Feb 1923
Sid Godfrey pts 20 George Eagel 24 Mar 1923
Sid Godfrey ko 20 Archie Bradley 26 May 1923
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Luis Plees 22 Dec 1923
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Bert Spargo 26 Jan 1924
Sid Godfrey ko 12 Eddie Butcher 29 Mar 1924
Sid Godfrey drew 20 Archie Bradley 12 Apr 1924
Sid Godfrey drew 20 Billy Grime 10 May 1924
Harry Collins ko 10 Sid Godfrey 11 Apr 1925

Random Jottings

· Won featherweight title from Vince Blackburn 1915

· Won Lightweight title from Harry Stone in 1921

· Fought epic fight with Eugene Criqui

The following article was published in The Daily Mirror Saturday June 1, 1957

LETHAL RIGHT HOOK MADE SID GODFREY A CHAMP

FIFTEEN thousand avid boxing fans thronged to Sydney Stadium on the night of February 5, 1921, to cheer on local idol Sid Godfrey against the devastating French importation, Eugene Criqui. Already the visitor had humbled the cream of Australia’s boxing talent. Tough, hard hitting Godfrey was almost the only possibility left to defend the national ring honor. He did his best, and for six rounds gave Criqui a boxing lesson. Then his strength began to wane from the
drastic weight reduction the French camp had cagily insisted on. The hushed crowd saw the gallant Australian made a chopping block. Finally in the tenth he took the count - but was far from disgraced. The man who beat him went on to win a world title.

Veteran of some 125 fights, Sid Godfrey won all but a bare dozen or so. At different times he won both the Australian featherweight and light weight titles.

One of the greatest draw cards in the history of the Australian ring, he earned £20,000 in eight years of boxing when the pound was really a pound.

He fought 25 importation’s, many of them world rated stars, and for aggression, crowd pleasing fighting spirit and power laden punching took second place to none.

Generally considered in the first three Australian lightweights of all time, Sid Godfrey and his famous lethal right hand punch carved themselves a permanent place in our ring history and in the hearts of thousands of fans.

Sid Godfrey was born on his parents’ farm at Raglan, near Bathurst, on August 20 1897. His father was interested in boxing and fitted up a ring in one of the barns.

There from the age of 12, young Sid took on youngsters for miles round. Two years later he moved to Sydney in search of amateur honors.

Settled at Auburn, he went to work for a blacksmith at 5 shillings a week and began entering amateur tournaments then popular around the suburbs.

In One of these affairs at Merrylands, Godfrey won every fight except one by a knockout - sometimes vanquishing four opponents in one night.

When he got a rise in wages, he was able to afford 2/6 for a weekly lesson from old time lightweight champion Jim Barron.

A star of the boxing “Golden Age” in the 1890’s, whose proudest record was a twenty round draw with Young Griffo, Barron conducted boxing classes at St. Benedict’s School in Abercombie Street, Redfern.

While sparring there one evening in 1916, Sid Godfrey impressed Snowy Baker who was then promoting at Sydney Stadium.

As a result he turned professional. He won his first bout against Luke Wright by a knockout in six rounds and was soon battering his way through the grueling twenty rounders then common.
Work at the smithy had developed a strong right arm. Young Godfrey won a following among Stadium regulars as he dispatched most of his opponents with a right hook.

In his second year as a professional Godfrey collected the Australian featherweight tile from Vince Blackburn.

He held it for three years until beaten by Jackie Green in 1920.

One of Godfrey’s 1917 victories was in Melbourne over Jack Jannesse when because of the widespread strike that year purses were very poor.

Each boxer received only £10. Godfrey had to pay his return fare from Sydney out of that, but he was still probably better off than Jannesse.

For 16 rounds the Melbourne boy took a fearful hiding before he finally collapsed and was counted out.

Godfrey had no wish to punish his opponent unnecessarily - particularly for a mere £10. From the bell he sailed into action to end it quickly.

Jannesse was soon punched into a semi-coma as Godfrey’s wicked right kept toppling him to the canvas.

Each time, however, he dazedly climbed back to his feet and walked up to continue the battle.
Godfrey’s face blanched at the prospect of further belting into the almost helpless Victorian.
“Go down Jack,” he hissed. “You don’t want to get killed for a tenner do you?”
Jannesse took no notice. Godfrey winced with each punch and pleaded with him to stop taking the sickening punishment.

His words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The beating up continued round after round.
In the 16th, Godfrey pushed his opponent as he seemed to fall forward into a clinch. Jannesse toppled over and lay still.

He was counted out and the fight was over. Godfrey shrugged. Next day he questioned his opponent.

“Why did you take such a hiding Jack?” he asked. “That was worth more than a tenner. You should have gone down as I told you.”

Jannesse grinned and explained: “I didn’t hear you Sid. I don’t remember a thing after the second round - I must have been out on my feet.”

Godfrey was climbing rapidly in Australian boxing. In 1918 he had 18 fights and was beaten only twice .

The following year, unable to get enough fights at home to keep him busy, he tried his luck in the Philippines.

At Manila, lonely and homesick, he met the whirlwind Cabanella Dencio, and suffered one of the few knockouts of his career - in the first round.

Godfrey proved his Manila form was all wrong when the Filipino arrived in Australia in 1921. He evened the score with a ko win in the 17th.

By 1920, Godfrey had proved himself in international class with victories over visiting overseas stars.

His victims included the clever English featherweight Joe Symonds (one of the cagiest boxers ever to visit Australia), the highly rated Arthur Wyns (featherweight champion of Europe_ and the rugged Filipino Salvino Jamito.

Symonds gave Godfrey a torrid time with one of the most vicious exhibitions of foul fighting ever seen at Sydney Stadium .

He specialized in a backward blow known as a “Shamrock.” Designed to injure an opponents face, it utilized the back of the wrist and the elbow.

Symonds made it doubly effective with a special corkscrew action and took heavy toll of Godfrey’s features in the early rounds.

Godfrey gave back better he got. Four times his hurricane right put Symonds down, starting in the first round.

By the third the Englishman had been knocked down twice. Godfrey’s heavier punching had him staggering.

He retaliated with his shamrock, illegally tearing Godfrey’s mouth with a swipe of his wrist.
Referee Joe Wallis warned him. Godfrey came bounding in with his own chastisement.

His right shot out in a bone jolting blow to Symond’s jaw. The Englishman was bowled over like a rabbit.

The Stadium crowd was roaring with excitement and let go a cheer as the plucky little pug from Plymouth hauled himself to his feet at the count of eight.

Again Godfrey let go his right hand wallop and Symonds was on the floor once more. He was up at nine, when the bell saved him from a certain finisher Godfrey was winding up.

In the fourth Symonds surprisingly emerged with new strength. That round and the next he took the offensive, cruelly flailing the Australian’s injured mouth with blatant shamrocks whenever he got close.

Referee Joe Wallis warned him repeatedly, but was somehow impressed with the wily Englishman’s repeated apologies and smiling protestations that he would not offend again.
Godfrey’s punching was getting wilder and less accurate as his temper rose. In the seventh he unleashed a furious assault to end it quickly.

Symonds clinched. The crowd booed angrily as he fouled Godfrey again and again with shamrocks.

There was no alternative for the referee but to disqualify him and crown Godfrey winner on a foul.

Godfrey’s fight with the Belgian star Arthur Wyns on December 26th , 1920, definitely proved he was in world class. Wyns had a win over Criqui in his record as well as the European title in his pocket.

The Stadium, as usual for Godfrey’s bouts was packed. He was a sensational puncher and crowds invariably turned up for the thrilling action that was always a feature of his bouts.

They were not disappointed with his affray with Wyns. Both men forced the fight from the opening bell, trading punch for punch, round after round.

Each man launched regular, vicious two fisted offensives and the fortunes see-sawed. Each flurry of blows resulted only in rousing his opponent to step up his own attack.

By the ninth, the more experienced Wyns was considered to be in front on points. Godfrey gambled on a knockout blow and took dire punishment to maneuver the Belgian into his sights.
He retreated. The tough Wyns followed, his arms pounding like pistons into Godfrey’s body.

Pinned on the ropes, the Australian was obvisouly wilting under the hurricane barrage.
To the crowd it seemed only seconds before Godfrey must go down and Wyns win by a knockout. They underestimated their own idol.

Godfrey took all Wyns could deliver. He was coolly waiting for the break that was inevitable sooner or later in his opponents onslaught.

It came. Wyns nearly exhausted stepped back. Momentarily he dropped his arms.
With the speed of a rapier thrust, Godfrey’s deadly right came over. Straight as a bullet it sped to the target and landed flush on Wyns temple.

Godfrey’s swarms of supporters cheered him to the echo. Standing on their seats to get a better view, they yelled derisively at Wyns as he made a forlorn
attempt to rise before Joe Wallis counted him out.

Then a lightweight , Godfrey had already paid the penalty of drastic weight reduction when he lost his featherweight title to Jackie Green in 1920.

He made the same mistake against Frenchman Eugene Criqui whose manager insisted he make 9 stone.

Forced to take 12 lb of quickly, he had almost nothing to eat or drink for the last couple of days before the fight.

He left himself a weakened shell of the great fighter he was. Only his iron will to win kept him going until the inevitable defeat in the 10th round.

Godfrey was satisfied with the then enormous purse of £780, and tried to lure Criqui into a return at a 9 st 5 lb limit.

The Frenchman politely, but firmly declined and went back to Europe, where he defeated Johnny Kilbane for the world featherweight title.

For all his torrid encounters with imported boxers, Godfrey’s hardest opponent was probably the rough and rugged Queenslander Archie Bradley known variously as the “Gympie Tiger,” “man-eater,” and “Killer.”

They first met at Brisbane in 1921. Bradley brought into play almost every illegal trick in boxing.
He fought like a ferocious wild bull and the locals loved for it. He belted into Godfrey whenever he stepped back after being ordered to break.

Several times he threw Godfrey out of the ring and rocked him with savage punches as he climbed back.

Bradley did everything but bite. After 20 rounds of what Godfrey called the “Marquess of Queensland Rules,” Bradley got the decision.

Two years later after Godfrey had won the lightweight title championship from “Hop” Harry Stone, Archie Bradley arrived in Sydney with a challenge.

Godfrey k.o.’d him in the 20th, but always said “The Gympie Tiger” was his hardest opponent. It was the first time Bradley had ever been knocked off his feet.

In 1923 Hughie Dwyer - a more brilliant boxer but without Godfrey’s punching power - won the lightweight title from him on points with clever tactics and generalship.

Godfrey was well fixed financially and considering retirement. He owned a city hotel and business was his first concern.

His ring appearances became fewer in 1924. He beat Bert Spargo and Eddie Butcher, drew with Billy Grime and then virtually retired.

A year passed. Godfrey’s weight climbed to 11 stone. A promoter then offered him £850 to fight the sensational Harry Collins for the welterweight title.

The money lured Godfrey back. He threw himself into strenuous training. But when he climbed into the ring on April 11th, 1925, he was still slow and flabby and not a shadow of the former lightweight tornado.

Collins outweighed him and he had run out of gas by the eighth round.

His last desperate throw was a famous Godfrey right which caught Collins flush on the chin in the ninth, but the big welter was able to hang on and finish the round.

In the 10th Sid Godfrey was himself knocked out. One of the greatest Australian boxing careers was finished.

Godfrey returned to the hotel business, in which he continues to this day.
Of his tough boxing years he know says: “I wouldn’t like to go through them again.”

The Following Article By W.F. CORBETT Was Published In The Sun October 28, 1944

Memories of weight making Sid Godfrey, ex lightweight champion of Australia are like the sweating horror of a child waking from a bad dream. Reducing to the featherweight limit of 9 stone to fight grim, slashing Frenchman Eugene Criqui in 1921, was an agony of body and soul.

Sid with his characteristic long rolling stride and still fairly trim figure is today proprietor of “The Horse and Jockey Hotel” in Parramatta Road, Homebush.

“ I tremble to think of the torment I went through making my weight. I was as tall as I was now (5’ 7”) and to fight Criqui I was under the feather limit.”

Criqui with savage, merciless attacks, stopped the weakened Godfrey in the tenth round before a mass of people, many of whom burst in through the Stadium’s main doors and avalanched down the aisle to ringside.

“My fight prior to Criqui was with Arthur Wynns, whom I had in 10. I weighed 9st 5lb and 9st 12lb when I commenced to train for the Criqui fight. Ultimately I got down to 9st 5lb but discovered that though I would reduce 2lbs, I would put 1lb back on again. Even so, I went down to 9st 4lb and 9st 3lb. At this stage I would lose 1lb and build up 2. I couldn’t raise a perspiration, and in the sweat box the bulbs were burning me. I decided the only chance I had to make the weight was not to eat at all. All I eat for 2½ days wouldn’t amount to one square meal.

Then at 7:30 on the night of the fight I weighed in at 8st 13¾. Immediately after I drank a pint of milk and eggs. It was one of the worst things I could have done. Not as long as I live, will I forget that ordeal, it was a killer.”

Now he plays golf. He weighed 13 stone when he first started playing, but is now little more than 11 stone.

The cleverest men he fought he says was Jimmy Hill and Jackie Green and the hardest hitter American Tommy O’ Brien, who introduced the old soup basin haircut which was so fashionable among young bloods at the time. He rates Archie Bradley the toughest. He is convinced Vince Blackburn would have won the world bantamweight title if he would have gone after it when he was at his best.

In 1919 he announced his retirement. Jack Munro met him by chance and suggested he make a comeback at the Hippodrome. He replied that he would never be a draw card. Munro persuaded him. He had another 35 fights netting £7000 in 5 years, making £15000 for Stadiums Ltd.

The following is an unfinished article from scrapbook 33 of the Bert Cox Collection. It is written by Bill Lawless (“Solar Plexus”) and parts may be inaccurate.

If it could be claimed that Sid Godfrey was the equal in ability to such previous lightweight champions as Keys, Mehegan, McCoy, Dwyer, Llew Edwards, Jack Hall, he could console himself with the fact that he was such a better drawcard than those mentioned, that in one or two contests alone, he earned more than did some of the other top liners in the whole course of their careers.

Another strange feature concerning this worthy fellow is the fact that at one point of his career, he was so sick and tired of boxing for next to nothing, that at one point he seriously considered giving up. However he didn’t and eventually made sufficient money to invest wisely in the hotel business.

He began boxing in amateur tournaments in Granville in 1914, in which he failed to win any honors. The first published account of his career was early in 1915 at an amateur tournament in Auburn, where he won the final of the featherweight competition . A little while later he won a similar tournament, but also won the lightweight final.

In 1916 he began his professional career with a six round knock out of a promising and hard hitting youth called Luke Wright. He then figured in twelve bouts, winning six by knock out.

Early in 1917, he was well beaten by brilliant former featherweight Jimmy Hill who scaled 9st 6½lb. In Feb 1917 he as ko’d in 14 by Bert Spargo. After a defeat against Wave Geike (whom he had previously beaten) he ko’d Frank Thorn twice, then knocked out Wave Geike in 15. Returning to Sydney he cleverly outpointed Tommy Ryan.

He tried to win the featherweight crown from Vince Blackburn, but lost on points. However, in October 1917, he won the title in a questionable points decision over Blackburn.

In 1917, he fought an Aboriginal featherweight, Sandy McVea, who took a terrible battering for 11 rounds. The referee should have stopped the fight around the sixth round, or failing that his corner should have thrown in the towel. However, it was rumored that a certain individual had bet that McVea would last ten rounds.

In 1918, he had another fight with Blackburn and although he was declared the winner on points, he lost the featherweight title because he was overweight.

From then until the end of 1918, he was beaten on points by Jimmy Hill and Llew Edwards and was extremely lucky in having a drawn decision with Blackburn, for in the 8th round he accidentally sent a right below the belt and the contest was stopped by police.

In 1919 he beat Bob Williams at Sydney Stadium on a TKO in 20 rounds for the lightweight championship of NSW. He then went to Manila He was a sick man. He fought a draw with Flores, but was ko’d in one round by Dencio. He returned to Australia and defeated Eugene Volaire in Brisbane.

It was about this time that he sincerely thought about quitting. But the wheel of fortune turned his way by a stream of French, English and Filipino boxers.

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

Arthur Cripps - three good teeth and several stumps

Place Of Birth. Sydney NSW
Date Of Birth. 08 Jan 1879
Date Deceased. 04 Sep 1934
Height. 5’9”
Weight. 11 st 4 lb
Divisions. Middleweight, Heavyweight
Titles. Australian Middleweight, 1903-1905, 1906-1909

Record. won 33 (KO 14) + lost 11 (KO 3) + drawn 3 Newspaper Decisions won : lost 1

Stadium Career. 1909-1911

Career Span. 1902-1914

Fights At The Stadium: 1909 - 1911

Rudy Unholz pts 20 10 Nov 1909
Dave Smith drew 20 29 Nov 1909

Gunner Moir koby 7 23 Feb 1910
Ed Williams pts 20 11 Mar 1910
Dave Smith lpts 20 12 Oct 1910

Jimmy Clabby koby 15 18 Nov 1911

Random Jottings

• Member of AIF team. (Australian Imperial Force)
  
• A benefit night of boxing was held for him at the Stadium, shortly before his death. He had been ill for some time.
• Traveled to many places and ended up in New York, knocking out Joe Williams in two rounds
• Returned to Australia and on 09 August 1904 fought Jack Thompson for the third time. Fought a twenty round draw with giant Peter Felix. This was followed by a win on a foul against Bill Squires, when he cleverly threw himself in such a way that the referee thought he had been thrown, and promptly disqualified Squires.
• Born in Victoria Street, Sydney. His father was a well known medico and his mother an accomplished lady with a “glorious voice”.
• He spent much time in Queensland, and on several occasions represented the Queensland Football team.
• He claimed that after being trained by Austin, he never suffered a black eye or a bloody nose.
• Late in his career he fought Jerry Jerome and was offered £1.00 per round during Jerome’s stay in the ring. “One can well imagine he carried Jerry who however, beat the ex champion when the latter was at the end of his tether.”
• Taught by Big Jim Austin, one of the cleverest trainers of the time, who saw him in a crude effort against Bill McCarthy, at the Gaiety Hall in Sydney in Jul 1902.
• From that time, until November, he was not allowed to fight until Jim Austin was satisfied. Following his previous amateurish performance, he was not given much of a chance against clever and capable Harry Dawson, but he had advanced sufficiently to KO him in eighteen rounds .
• In 1903, he dethroned middleweight champion Jack Thompson. He then went to South Africa, where he was beaten by Irishman Mike Williams, who was then the South African champion.

Article From “The Referee”, date unknown.

Dear old Arthur Cripps, one of the best middleweights Australia has had. When he took his teeth out, Arthur’s jaws fell in, his chin thrust out and his mouth slitted in a thin straight line.

But he was not entirely fangless. He had three good teeth and several stumps. But boxing was not responsible for the gaps. He lost several teeth on the football field. He was a first class Rugby Union player.

Arthur retired from football. He had nine teeth left and his fiancee declared an ultimatum. Cripps was in love, so he took to boxing.

Long years afterwards, Cripps told me , that when he was at the peak of his career, he never received £100 for a fight, “But when I was through as a fighter, McIntosh sprouted as a promoter, and I got more money out of four fights, than I collected in all the years I was champion.”

In his early boxing years, he ran a two up school as a sideline. This is no reflection on his character.

He was an honest man and he conducted a “square” game. But his efforts to keep it clean, cost him six of his teeth. So he quit the gaming house and carried on with three.

Mouthguards were not worn in those days, but I never saw Arthur sporting a cut or lacerated lip. He was a brilliant boxer, a man four square in and out of the ring.

Involvement with AIF.

Arthur Cripps, was selected as Heavyweight, but his place was taken by Corp. R.G. Stephenson, so he could enter the light-heavyweight tournament. However, Cripps was prevented by constant illness from competing.

Cripps was not keen on fighting for the AIF, stating, “I’m after a spot of real fighting.”

Brisbane Courier July 1935

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

Llew Edwards

Name Llew Edwards
Place Of Birth Porth, Wales
Date Of Birth 1894
Date of Death: 1965
Divisions Lightweight
Titles Australian Lightweight
Record Fights 93, 35 ko, 33 wpts, 4 wf, 6 draws ,7 lpts, 5 koby, 1 nc, 2 nd
Stadium Span 1915 - 1921

Fights At Stadium

Llew Edwards ko 2 Jimmy Hill 18 Dec 1915
Llew Edwards pts 20 Roughhouse Burns 29 Apr 1916
Llew Edwards pts 20 Herb McCoy 27 May 1916
Llew Edwards ko 2 Jimmy Hill 27 Jan 1917
Llew Edwards ko 18 Herb McCoy 10 Feb 1917
Llew Edwards ko 20 Herb McCoy 10 Mar 1917
Llew Edwards ko 2 Matty Smith 04 Aug 1917
Llew Edwards ko 13 Eddie Wallace 27 Dec 1919
Llew Edwards pts 20 Sid Godfrey 02 Apr 1921
Sid Godfrey pts 20 Llew Edwards 23 Jul 1921
Llew Edwards wf 11 Jack Suddington 12 Nov 1921
Tommy O'Brien ko 7 Llew Edwards 26 Nov 1921

The following article is taken from a newspaper clipping dated Oct, 13 1939.

Llew Edwards was a Lonsdale belt holder and featherweight champion of Great Britain when he came to this country. His first fight here was against Jimmy Hill for the Empire title, which Llew won.

These feats and facts are forgotten by fight fans today for more than 20 years have elapsed since Llew wore those crowns, but there is one title he held that will be remembered as long as is his name. One of the greatest two handed fighters and crowd pleasers who ever came to Australia is a title he will never lose.

Llew is a product of Wales, that little country that gave this world such champions as Welsh, Wilde and Driscoll.

He was 19 when he had his first fight, and before coming to Australia he beat Owen Moran in an elimination series for the featherweight title of Great Britain.

Australian fight fans took to Llew Edwards like a duck takes to water. He was the answer to a promoters dream with his non stop, two handed style of fighting. A clean living boy who trained assiduously, he was always ready to step into the ring, never quibbling where, when, or whom he fought.

In one month he had as many as four fights covering Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. These are the reasons for Llew Edwards being one of the most popular overseas fighters with fans and promoters alike.

After fighting Jimmy Hill, Frank Thorn, Geo Taylor, Bert Spargo and a few other top-notchers, Llew went to the Philippines in 1919 with Vince Blackburn, Tommy Ryan, Harry Holmes and Owen Cairns.

In four contests there he was unbeaten and made history in licking the immortal Dencio Cabanella.

On his return to Australia he had four or five fights and then went to America. Poor Llew never got warm from the day he landed until the day he left. In the Philippines the tropical heat was almost unbearable; he got back to Australia in the middle of a very hot summer, but on reaching Chicago walked into a climate with a temperature 20 below zero.

His first fight in the land of Uncle Sam was against Ritchie Mitchell, one of the best lightweights in the world. Llew lost and the only excuse he offers is that Mitchell was by far the best fighter he ever met.

Llew had three or four more fights, but could not get acclimatized, so went back to England, had one fight, and then came back to Australia, where he has been ever since.

That was in 1920 and he went on fighting the best until he met Harry Stone in 1922. During that fight he was faced with the realization that his eyesight was failing. His sense of distance and timing was all wrong. There and then he decided to quit - and he did.

He had earned a fortune with his fists, but like most people to whom wealth comes quickly, he spent freely. Unfortunately for him, he did not pay enough attention to the business end of fighting. He left that to others, and when he finished, instead of having plenty, the cupboard was bare. There was nothing left for him but hard work.

Llew took this blow just as he had taken punches - with a smile - and for a while he capitalized his name with a boxing booth. After that he worked behind a hotel bar for a year or so, when he came to Melbourne and got a job as assistant boiler attendant.

While in that place he attended night school and got his own ticket to tend boilers, but unfortunately most boilers today are so made that they mind themselves.

Llew has no kick with the way the cards have fallen. He can still smile and has his health. If he had his time over, he says he would sit in on the same game.

Random Jottings

· Australian lightweight champion. Beat McCoy on points at the end of 1916.

· Not clever, nor was he a stylist, but possessed untiring energy.

· Could deliver a fair punch and take them unflinchingly and maintain a good pace for twenty rounds.

· As training he was made to box twenty rounds a day. Had his training schedule been less, he might have been boxing, longer and better.

· Started boxing at 19. Arrived in Australia in 1916 and was at his best. Had 44 fights here.

· Met Sid Godfrey three times. Won first and second on points, badly beaten in third.

· KO’d by Ritchie Mitchell in Milwaukee.

· In England beat Jack Regan three times. Returned to U.S. and had ND with Laelar and Noye. KO’d in two by Clonie Tate.

· Returning to Australia outpointed Volaire and Godfrey. Beaten by Harry Stone. KO’d Dick Johnson in Sydney.

· Non drinker, non smoker.

· Tried to become a teacher of boxing

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

George Chip

Photo: Bert Cox Collection

Name: George Chip
Real Name: George Chipulonis
Place Of Birth: Scranton, Pa.
Date Of Birth: 25th August, 1888
Date Deceased: 06th November, 1960
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 158 lbs
Divisions: Middleweight
Titles: A claimant to the world middleweight title.

Won 42 (KO 35) + lost 16 (KO 3) + drawn 3 = 63
Newspaper Decisions won 40 : lost 44 : drawn 15

Stadium Career Span: 1916

Misc.: Manager Jimmy Dime. Tetewanian-American.

Article “Fistic Flashbacks” published in undated “Sports Novels” magazine.

After the murder of Stanley Ketchell, the world middleweight boxing title became vacant, and it was several years before George Chip emerged as champion.

With the sudden and tragic death of Ketchell came numerous claimants for the vacant middleweight crown. “Cyclone” Johnny Thompson, who stopped former title holder Billy Papke, at Sydney Stadium, probably had the strongest pretensions to this crown, but for some unknown reason failed to force his claims and gradually faded out of the picture as a contender.

For several years the title was in dispute. Eventually George Chip became recognized champion when he KO’d Frank Klaus, who in the course of his graduation to the field of claimants had whipped Papke and George Carpentier.

The family name was Chipulonis. In those days a boxer with such a name would be frowned upon. Therefore when George launched upon his fistic career, he wisely shortened his name to Chip.

Born of Lithuanian parents at Scranton USA on August 25, 1888, George made a successful ring debut early in 1909 by stopping his opponent in the second round. This initial triumph was followed by four more KOs which gained him a bout with a pretty tough customer in the person of Billy Manfredo.

George was not a bit overawed by the reputation of his opponent and sailed into him from the first bell to administer a severe thrashing to his rival for two rounds, when in sheer desperation, Manfredo committed an unpardonable foul and was disqualified.

This pair of lads met on three occasions during this year, all of which were no decision affairs. Early in 1910 Chip proved his superiority over Manfredo by stopping him in five rounds.

From thenceforth George’s ability soared high in the estimation of the promoters and they sent him into the ring opposed to top class boys. He held Buck Crouse to even terms in two no decision bouts, then suprisingly had the better of the “Giant Killer” Jack Dillon. However, before the year ended Crouse came back for another shot at George suffered his first defeat when he was KO’d in the third round.

In his first bout in 1911 Chip suffered a further defeat when he was outpointed by Jack Dillon after fifteen rounds of hard and fast fighting.

These defeats did not cause any loss of prestige. George had proved conclusively that he was a fighter of the highest quality, therefore, he continued to gain matches with the best of the middleweight brigade. He engaged in fourteen more bouts before he was again declared a loser.

This time it was the cagey Jeff Smith who stopped his run of success by gaining a fifteen round's decision. To be whipped by this ring general neither disgraced nor discouraged George. He insisted that he met the best and before he annexed the title he again crossed gloves with Dillon, Crouse, etc.

It was on the night of October 11, 1913, at Pittsburgh that Frank Klaus and Chip came together in their championship clash.

Frank, although well aware of his opponent's record was so puffed up with his own victories, that he did not take his rival seriously. Consequently, he did not prepare himself as he should have - a lapse that was brought home to him with a vengeance before the opening round was a minute old.

With the opening bell, George hurled himself into the attack with a vicious barrage of blows which had Frank stepping around much more speedily than he anticipated would be necessary to retain his high standing in the middleweight division.

The boy from Scranton continued his onslaught until midway through the sixth round before he sent his foe crashing to the floor with a vicious right hand to the chin. At the count of nine, Klaus struggled to his feet, but was immediately sent down and out by a similar blow.

Two months later Frank made an attempt to reverse the defeat. However, he fared a little worse on this occasion as the winning blow was put over in the fifth session.

George’s reign as king of the division was short-lived. Approximately six months later the champion paid the same penalty as Klaus had by underestimating his opponent's ability, when he clashed with Al McCoy at Brooklyn, on April 7, 1914.

True, Al had no standing in the first flight of middleweights at that period. Nethertheless, that was no excuse for George to have been lax in his preparation or careless with his defense which Al, quickly demonstrated. Exactly one minute and thirty seconds after the opening bell, George dropped his guard and as quick as a flash McCoy seized the opportunity by driving a powerful right to the chin, which dropped the champion to the canvas for the full count.

Although deprived of his crown, George continued to successfully battle among the top class boys.
Naturally he was anxious for a return with McCoy and pestered him until he obliged with a ten round no decision encounter. They met at Brooklyn on April 6, 1915, and George administered a severe lacing to his opponent throughout the entire bout. Unable to knock out his man, Chip had to be contented that he had inflicted heavy punishment upon the man who had unexpectedly shorn him of his crown.

Whatever chances George had of regaining the title were completely blotted out when he clashed with Les Darcy in Sydney. Darcy proved Chip’s master in every phase of the game, until he KO’d him in the ninth round.

Before leaving these shores George engaged in another bout in Melbourne, Art Magirl being the victim of a fourteenth round ko.

On his return to his homeland, George continued his ring activities for a further five years, meeting good, bad and indifferent fighters during this period. In none of these bouts did he display the ability he had when fighting his way up to the middleweight crown.

During twelve years of ring warfare Chip engaged in 153 bouts, most of which were no decision affairs. Nethertheless, despite the fact that he crossed gloves with such notables as Tommy and Mike Gibbons, Harry Greb, Gus Christie, K.O. Brown, Jeff Smith, Jack Dillon, Jimmy Clabby, Frank Klaus, K.O. Brennan, Billy Murray, Frank Loughrey, Eddie McGoorty, Al McCoy, Buck Crouse and Les Darcy, none of these men, with the exception of the last three mentioned boxers, were capable of stopping him, which proves George Chip was an excellent fighting machine.

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

Vince Blackburn

Sadly the photo I have of Vince Blackburn, is of very poor quality

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)

Boxing fans of an earlier generation will recall when they heard with delight the announcers cry “The Blackburn brothers” and saw little Vince and Lal, hardly able to peep above the middle rope, give an exhibition with dad, their tutor looking on with pride. When sweet charity called the trio, they were always willing and many worthy causes benefited.

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.

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

When Pat Bradley hit them, they stayed hit

Photo: Bert Cox Collection

Weight: middleweight
Country Ireland
Residence San Francisco, California, United States
won 15 (KO 14) + lost 12 (KO 7) + drawn 3 = 32
rounds boxed 236 KO% 43.75

Fights At Stadium: (Bert Cox Collection)

Jean Adoucy ko 8 08 Feb 1913
Charlie Godfrey ko 1 05 Mar 1913
Jack Clarke ko 12 19 Mar 1913
Sid Stagg ko 13 10 May 1913
Jim Sullivan ko 1 05 Jul 1913
Jerry Jerome ko 13 13 Sep 1913
Dave Smith lpts 20 25 Oct 1913

Eddie McGoorty lpts 20 08 Feb 1914
Jeff Smith koby 16 13 Apr 1914
Frank Loughrey koby 8 12 Dec 1914

N. Simpson lpts 20 14 Aug 1915

The following article is from an undated newspaper, probably The Referee.

WHEN PAT BRADLEY HIT THEM

THEY STAYED HIT

A Wonderful Plodder with Remarkable

Patience and Endurance

ENGLISHMAN SID. STAGG AS A STEPPING

STONE TO FORTUNE.

When I hits ‘em they stays hit” was not exactly the motto of Pat Bradley, the welterweight who carved such a swath in the ranks of the welterweights and middleweights of Australia,England and America close on 20 years ago, but if ever a boxer should have had it emblazoned on his crest - that is, of course, if he had a crest - it was the same Pat Bradley.

For if he had had to depend on points decisions to build up a reputation he would never have left the novice class. He was the finished knockout merchant if ever there was one - a real one-punch man in every sense of the term - and whether he landed properly with left or right the recipient stayed put and took no further interest in the proceedings.

** Article taken from press clipping. Newspaper and author unknown.

JEFF SMITH’S REFUSAL TO BE

COWED BY DEADLY PUNCH

ust as familiarity breeds contempt, so does over-respect cause a boxer to fight within himself and present himself to the world as a stultified edition of what otherwise would be a fine fighting machine.

Take the case of Eddie McGoorty, American boxer and fighter with a knockout in either hand and Pat Bradley, another American who was essentially a fighter with a terrific punch, an infinite capacity for taking punishment, and a native ring cunning that made him an awkward customer to handle and a dangerous man at all times!

Bradley stayed twenty rounds with McGoorty, yet the American had no difficulty in sending Dave Smith, who gave Bradley one of the trouncings of his young life into dreamland inside a round on two occasions. And on top of that Jeff Smith another American middleweight who, although McGoorty’s master, was not credited with being the knockout artist McGoorty was, gave Bradley the father of a hiding and made it necessary for the police to intervene in the sixteenth round.

That McGoorty found himself in this position was due to the fact that he developed over-respect for a punch - not without cause, it must be admitted - and permitted it to affect his fighting to such an extent that he had to be satisfied with a points decision when he should have won early with a knock-out.

ust about this time - early in 1914 - Bradley was bowling the welterweights and middleweights of Australia, America, and England over like nine-pins. He was no respector of persons. And when he entered the ring he had only one idea in view, and that was to annihilate his opponent in short order. Those swings of Bradley’s were dreadful things to contemplate, and when one landed, there was hardly ever a mistake - the full count followed. And unlike the average fighter he could not “pull” a punch: he could not “stall.” And box along quietly: every punch was fully loaded, and although they were sometimes erratic, they were always a deadly menace whenever they were about for no matter where they landed, they hurt.

Boxer after boxer had gone down under the weight of that punch, and as far as he was concerned, what was virtually a reign of terror existed. The men round and about his weight were not exactly afraid of him, but although one and all knew that they ought to beat him in ordinary course of event, the menace of that punch was a nightmare to them. They knew they should not get caught with it, but so many good men had fallen victims that the thought was ever present that any one of them-----answer the call of the wild but devastating swing. But when the match with McGoorty was arranged, Australia as a man thought the hoodoo would be ended, for the night at any rate and that Bradley would be forced to swallow some of the medicine he was so fond of dispensing. Nobody imagined for an instant that McGoorty the Puncher would be infected with the terrors of a mere punch, and they looked to him to polish Bradley in that masterly manner that had been evident whenever he entered the ring. Consequently the meeting was regarded as likely to provide a rare fight - while it lasted, which was not expected to be very long.

But the crowd reckoned without their Bradley, without the far reaching effects of his punch. For, despite that he could have scorned the idea that he was troubled, it was obvious throughout the contest, which was decided at Sydney Stadium on Feb 7^th 1914, that the possibility of it bringing him the loser’s end of the gate was never out of McGoorty’s mind.

Not that he fought badly. Far from it. But there was a reserve that had never previously been present and although he punished Bradley severely in every round, there was always a sufficiency of respect that prevented his going right after his man and completing his job in the workmanlike manner that was characteristic of him.

That punch had him in its tolls and kept him within bounds that were foreign to him.- caused him to refrain from opening out with that liberty that would probably have meant an early finish.

Round after round McGoorty pasted his man unmercifully. He hit him with everything he possessed - hooks, swings, jabs, jolts. There was nothing that did not end up on some part of Bradley’s anatomy and even allowing for the toughness of the recipient, there was always lacking the real McGoorty touch, that finished punching that made the difference between the horizontal and the perpendicular.

So the fight went on - one-sided and uninteresting. The huge crowd was more or less disgusted. They had smelt blood, and wanted it. But when they realized that they were not going to get it they contented themselves by gambling against the possibility of Bradley seeing the distance out. In this way they developed a renewed keenness in the contest, a keenness that was intensified when Bradley, despite the hammering he was constantly subjected to, every now and then narrowly missed the opposing jaw with one of his ”haymakers”

Bradley was always dangerous. This McGoorty knew, and notwithstanding that he had the strength, ability, and punching power to ease the burden that was troubling him so greatly, there was always lacking that freedom that kept Bradley on his feet. And so Bradley saw the 20 rounds out, a performance a punter could have written his own ticket about before the fight when it was difficult to wager on a knockout in a specified number of rounds.

What a different attitude was adopted by Jeff Smith when he met Bradley on April 11 of the same year. In the interval, Smith had beaten McGoorty in the famous fight in which McGoorty had been given the decision, to have it repudiated the world over: but despite that, he had handled McGoorty in most finished manner, and boxed and fought him faultlessly, he was still regarded as his inferior in the knock-out department of the game. It was conceded on all sides that he must beat Bradley, barring accidents, but in spite of all his cleverness and shiftiness the thought was always present that one of those accidents that Bradley was so prone to encouraging would assuredly happen.

Miscellaneous Notes

In the 1930’s he worked on the “SS Mariposa” on which most of the overseas boxers arrived in Australia.

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved

Colin Bell - Lack Of Fighting Instinct Proved Colin Bell’s Downfall

Name Colin Bell Place Of Birth Narrabri NSWDate Of Birth October 6, 1883Date Deceased Manly 1948Height 6 ftWeight 13 st 7 lbDivisions HeavyweightTitles Australian Heavyweight

Record
Stadium Span 1911 -1923Career Span 1909-1923
Fights At The Stadium
Jack Howard lpts 20 18 Mar 1911
Dave Smith koby 14 10 Jun 1916
Les O'Donnell wf 6 09 Dec 1916
Tim Tracey ko 3 03 Mar 1917
Albert Lloyd koby 2 24 Mar 1917
Gordon Coghill ko 5 09 Aug 1921
Jim Roland Dwyer koby 13 24 Feb 1923

Random Jottings

• First Fight May 6, 1909 (Sam Hillings)
• Last Fight February 24, 1923, Jim Dwyer
• Lacked ambition and killer instinct. In his last fight against James Roland Dwyer, he lost against a much poorer boxer.

THERE’S ALWAYS THE DEVIL TO PAY FOR THE
BOXER WITHOUT “DEVIL”

Heavyweight Who Should Have Been a Champion, but Wasn’t.
Lack Of Fighting Instinct Proved Colin Bell’s Downfall

DAVID AND GOLIATH IN MODERN SETTING
(By Jack Gell)

A BOXER without heart is about as capable as a one armed painter with the itch.
The will to win, with which is incorporated the refusal to acknowledge defeat at all times, is so much a necessity for the ringman that he is doomed to defeat and general failure without it. There is s no half measure. Possessed of the fighting “heart” or “devil,” or whatever you care to call it, there is always the possibility of triumphing lack of skill or condition. But all the attributes in the world will avail nothing unless they are backed up with that very real quality which spurs a man to victory and compels him to go down fighting.

Australian heavyweight Colin Bell was a man without this brand of “heart.” Not that he was in any sense a coward - the term must not be taken as implying the possession of a “yellow streak,” - but he did not possess the fighting instinct that is so well defined in the average boxer. Although endowed well above the average, both physically and mentally, he was pre-destined never to make a great success in the ring.

The “find” of a Moree squatter who had the rough edges knocked off him and was
developed by Larry Foley, Bell threatened many anxious moments for the heavyweight world. In the gymnasium he was the personification of everything a heavyweight champion should be. He was skillful above the average…..was as fast on his feet as the fastest lightweight, stood well over 6 foot in his socks, and was built in proportion. Superficially, a fighter every inch of him, but he possessed that hopeless minus quantity, lack of “devil,” which made all the difference between a ring fighter and a gymnasium gloveman.

And so, while capable of doing everything that was asked of him in exhibition bouts, he could not take into the ring with him the very asset so necessary for success.

Bell had an indifferent career as a boxer. He placed some good wins to his credit, but other fights he should have won were snatched from him in his hour of victory by men, who had they acknowledged defeat instead of fighting on in the hope that the tide may turn in their favor, would have gone under to him. That was Bell all over. There was a sort of faint heartedness or soft heartedness about him that caused him to hesitate when he should have gone in to finish his man, a shortage of combativeness more in keeping with the kindergarten than the boxing ring.
Still Bell could not help it. He was a sort of boxing misfit, a skilled Hercules who because of his one great failing, was a boxing pigmy. He did his best to overcome his weakness, but Nature remained paramount and he never did the great things that, with his wonderful strength and skill, should have been an easy accomplishment.

Take the fight he had with Dave Smith at the Sydney Stadium on June 10, 1916, as an instance. It was typical of other battles which the Moree giant participated in with, if anything, this difference - that he demonstrated his incapacity to become a great fighter in a greater measure than usual. For that night he had victory within his grasp four or five times and was not equal to effecting the “killing” that should have been easy for him.

Bell had just returned from a trip to England and America where he had fought, among others Bombardier Wells (the English false alarm) * and Joe Jeanette (the colored heavyweight who for many years was the idol of Paris), without adding to his laurels. He looked a veritable giant alongside Smith, who although heavyweight champion of Australia, was little better than a middleweight. As a matter of fact he weighed 13 stone 11 ¾ pounds as against hi opponents 11st 9lb, a difference of over two stones.

But this tremendous advantage did not worry Smith, who had the fighting instinct well developed, and besides was a firm believer in the familiar and popular boxing axiom that the bigger they are the harder they fall. And so instead of Bell being the aggressor and endeavoring to overwhelm his man with his strength, it was Smith who took up the attack from the moment they were called together. David and Goliath in a modern setting.

The enormous strength which Bell possessed, with the added advantages of skill with his hands and cleverness on his feet, should have counseled the big fellow to carry the war into the enemy camp, but the absence of “devil” that prompted caution proved his undoing. Smith, realizing that his strength would not prove equal to the task if he remained on the defensive and allowed Bell to wear him down, punished his man at every opportunity and set a pace that might have caused his own downfall had he not been in superb condition.

The fact was, that Smith knew of Bell’s weakness and, like a good general, capitalized it at every stage of the contest. Ducking and side-stepping and dodging he leaped in and out at the mountain of muscle in front of him and so punished him about the head with lefts and rights that after a few rounds Bell was tottering. But only momentarily. He pulled himself together well and then did what he should have done from the start - opened out. For a round or two he fought as if he really meant it. Smith was hard put to it to defend himself and in the sixth session was in such a bad way that had Bell taken proper advantage of the opportunity he would probably have with a knock-out.

But he did not. He procrastinated. He just could not assert that once of “devil” that constituted the difference victory and defeat with the result that Smith was given the “breather” that enabled him to gather his scattered senses. And having done that and possessing the very thing that Bell was deficient in, he made attack his defense and in a few moments was dominating the fighting again.

With all this, it must not be imagined that Bell was fighting badly. Far from it…
neglecting to follow up his advantages and consequently was being forced to play a minor role when he should have won his way to victory.

Again a few rounds later he caught Smith with a terrific left over the right eye, splitting it badly and causing the blood to flow freely. A second later he hooked a powerful left to the jaw and again Smith was flying distress signals. But did Bell go in to finish his man? He did not. And so Smith, maintaining a relentless attack, continued on until, by the time the tenth round was reached, Bell was obviously done.

For a while the big fellow tried to bluff that all was well, but Smith refused to believe him and continued to pepper him with rights and lefts. And then Bell got another chance. A heavy right to the jaw had Smith in a bad way, but instead of crowding in and administering the finishing punch as he had plenty of opportunities to do, he allowed the damaged warrior freedom from trouble until such time as his head had cleared and then had to take what was coming to him - which was not altogether pleasant.

By the time the fourteenth round was reached Bell was badly used up. Smith had gradually worn him down until he was comparatively easy for the smaller man to handle. And so Smith, who was showing signs of wear and tear, concluded that the best thing to do would be to get the business over. With right and left he pasted Bell unmercifully and drove him staggering, back on to the ropes. As Bell rebounded Smith’s right flashed through the air on to the opposing jaw and Bell crashed to the floor helpless. The finishing punch was not a particularly hard one, but it was all that was necessary to terminate the big fellow’s interest in the proceedings.

If ever a boxer should have won a fight it was Bell that night. But, although Nature had endowed him handsomely, the most essential ingredient for the development of a successful fighter had been overlooked. And because of the lack of “devil” there was invariably the devil to pay - for Bell - whenever he entered the ring.

* Wells was also famous for being the third person to fill the role of the "gongman" - the figure seen striking the gong in the introduction to J. Arthur Rank films.

The Following Notes Are Taken From An Article in “The Sydney Sun”
by W.F. Corbett, dated August 26, 1944.

• “Colin Bell, with the chest of a locomotive boiler, a neck the girth of an Atlantic Funnel.

• “Hero of fights untold, follower of a dozen callings, he is caretaker of the Australian Railway Union’s building downtown. Colin Bell, as massive as the concrete block he looks after. Hands as huge as a steam grab, a hand that could pulp your bones, Colin has tossed a glove with men who stand out in big type in the record books. Men like, Jack Johnson , Bill Lang, Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Dave Smith, King Levinsky.

• Of Johnson he says “I was with him in America for three months as his sparring partner. He was the best. Never in that time did I see him off balance. I believed I was a good boxer, but he could do just what he liked with me.”

• Explaining the rumor that Johnson was afraid to fight Langford, Johnson told him, “Well Colin, I can get £6000 to fight white men who are easier to beat than Langford. The promoters would offer me only £1800 to fight Langford. If I were offered £6000 to fight Langford, I would.

• Bell was made as hard as a cliff face by a life of vigorous variety before he became a boxer. The strength of his hands was acquired from the old blade method of shearing. He has been a bullock driver, sheep drover, tank sinker, tin miner, done miles of fencing in tough country, took a turn at saw milling and also a taxi driver.

• One of the strange things about Colin Bell throughout his career was the mercy he showed on his opponents. It used to be said that if he had the killer instinct, he would have beaten all the heavyweights of his time. Bell confirms this, “When I could knock an opponent out with one punch that was all right, but after staggering a man, I could not go in for the kill. I just couldn’t do it, that’s all there is to it.”

• In 1944 he was 61, 18 stone. His top fighting weight was fourteen stone 10 pounds when he beat George Cook. In the ring he had the pace of a featherweight.

• For three years he hunted buffalo in the Northern Territory. He rode in wild west shows. Is gentle, courteous, but has a rollicking robustness that would have gone pretty well in a medieval banquet hall.

Copyright Mike Hitchen, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved