Boxing History: On This Day: Jack Bodell Remembered

By Peter Silkov 

Jack Bodell was a tough and strong heavyweight fighter, with an unorthodox brawling style which, along with his southpaw stance, made him a difficult opponent for just about anyone. Bodell had a lot of heart, and despite being labelled by some as ‘weak chinned,’ most of his inside the distance defeats were caused by stoppages due to cuts.

Bodell was born on August 11, 1940, in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. As an amateur, he won the ABA light-heavyweight championship in 1961, before turning professional in 1962.

During his career, Bodell fought an array of top heavyweight names, including, Joe Erskine, Hubert Hilton, Billy Daniels, Thad Spencer, Ray Patterson, Henry Cooper, Johnny Prescott, Brian London, Billy Walker, Jack O’Halloran, Manuel Ramos, Jery Quarry, Joe Bugner, Jose Manuel Urtain, and Danny McAlinden.

Bodell challenged Henry Cooper for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles on June 13, 1967, but was stopped in the 2^nd round. Following this defeat, Bodell had an eleven fight winning streak, and then on October 13, 1969, he won the vacant British heavyweight championship, by out-pointing Carl Gizzi over 15 rounds.

Five months after beating Gizzi, Bodell defended his British title against Henry Cooper and was beaten on points. Cooper also defended his Commonwealth title in this fight.

On September 27, 1971, Bodell scored the best victory of his career when he out-pointed Joe Bugner over 15 rounds, to win the British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight titles. Bodell’s non-stop brawling style and aggression had just been too much for Bugner. However, this victory was followed by three defeats for Bodell. On November 16, 1971, he was knocked out in the 1^st round by Jerry Quarry. Just once month later Bodell defended his

European heavyweight title, and was stopped in the 2^nd round by Jose Manuel Urtain. Six months later on June 27, 1972, Bodell lost his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, when he was knocked out in the 2^nd round by Danny McAlinden. This was Bodell’s final fight, and he retired with a final record of (58-13, 31koes).

After retirement, Bodell would open the Tile Hill chip shop in Conventry during the 80s. Upon opening it, he invited Muhammad Ali to come down and visit, and Ali accepted the invitation. He was met with a warm greeting. Unfortunately, Bodell would fight a long battle with dementia and died on November 9, 2016, at the age of 76 years old.

Look: When Muhammad Ali visited Coventry and Warwickshire in the 1980s

Jack Bodell Vs. Joe Bugner

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On This Day: Jem Carney Remembered

Jem Carney was an extremely tough and strong fighter for his weight. He was one of the toughest lightweights to come out of England, and although he did not have many recorded contests, he proved himself one of the best fighters in the world during his relatively short career. Carney fought both with gloves and bare-knuckled, but preferred bare-knuckles. Born in Birmingham, West Midlands, on November 5, 1856, Carney had his first recorded contest in 1879.

On October 11, 1881 Carney beat Jimmy Highland in 43 rounds, after a battle which lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes. Highland was so badly injured that he died 4 days later of his injuries and on February 15, 1882, Carney was charged with manslaughter, and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for Highland’s death.

 After a period of inactivity following his imprisonment, Carney returned to competitive fighting in 1884, and on December 20, 1884, he won the British Lightweight championship when he knocked out Young Jacob Hyams in the 45^th round of a grueling battle. Carney then went to America and boxed a series of exhibitions, as well as taking part in two competitive contests, both of which he won. 

Eventually, Carney’s reputation grew, and a fight was set up a with the American lightweight champion Jack McAuliffe, with the winner to be recognized as the Lightweight champion of the world. The fight took place in a stable behind the Atlantic Hotel on Revere Beach on November 16, 1887, with both men wearing gloves, and was one of the most grueling contests of its time, eventually being stopped after 74 rounds, and a reported 4 hours , and 58 minutes. The match was called off by the referee, due to both fighters being exhausted, and members of the crowd repeatedly breaking into the ring. Although the official verdict was a draw, both men claimed that they were the rightful winners, but eyewitnesses of the battle said that at the time of the stoppage Carney held the upper hand in the fight.

After this fight ,Carney had one more competitive contest, losing to Dick Burge on May 25, 1891, in a fight for Carney’s British lightweight title. Carney was declared the loser on a foul in the 11^th round and never fought again competitively.

When Carney no longer boxed competitively, he became a bodyguard to millionaire George Alexander Baird.

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The Big Fight Preview: Kell Brook Vs. Errol Spence, Jr. at Bramall Lane Football Grounds

By Peter Silkov

Boxing has been threatening to make a comeback to credibility recently with some genuinely well matched big fights. Most recent of these was Anthony Joshua’s war with Wladimir Klitschko. Tomorrow we have the latest of what has been a series of encouraging matchups, both here, and abroad. Top of the bill, at the Bramall Lane Football Ground, in Sheffield, England. Kell Brook (36-1, 25koes) takes on his number one challenger, the undefeated Errol Spence Jr.(21-0, 18koes) in what will be the 4^th defence of his IBF world welterweight championship. It will also be Brook’s first outing in the ring since his brave, but ultimately losing effort against world middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin, last September. In that match, Brook won praise for his bravery after being one of the few challengers to actively take the fight to the fearsome Golovkin. Yet, his bravery had a price, and he was eventually pulled out of the fight, battered and bloody, and with a broken right eye socket that required delicate surgery. One of the biggest questions ahead of his fight with Spence Jr. is how much of a mark has the Golovkin fight left upon Brook. Although we have been told that the eye injury has been repaired and is as good as new (albeit now with a titanium plate) there always has to be a question mark over a fighter when he is coming back from such a serious injury. The biggest question will be is the eye vulnerable to being re-injured, plus how will Brook react if the eye is injured again, even if only moderately. In facing Spence Jr., Brook is taking on one of the best prospects in boxing, a fighter who has had big things predicted for him. Spence has a similar box-fighting style to Brook, and the two should produce an interesting and exciting match. The biggest question with Spence Jr, is just how good is he, he is undoubtedly a talented boxer, but this fight will go a long way to telling us just how deep Spence Jr talent really goes.

With two fighters who are well matched, both physically and talent wise, this match has all the marks of being a very close and entertaining fight. I see this fight going the distance, with Brook winning a close and maybe controversial points decision.

The main fight on the undercard, is George Groves (25-3, 18koes) against Fedor Chudinov (14-1, 10koes) for the vacant WBA world super-middleweight title.

This will be Groves 4^th attempt at winning a world title, after failed attempts against Carl Froch, (twice) and Badou Jack. This is a fight which Groves should win, Chudinov is very tough, but lacks the higher boxing skills of Groves. He also lacks the greater talent and experience of Groves.

Groves has said that this is a fight he must win, and if he can box to the best of his ability he should be able to claim a close but clear points win over Chudinov, and finally claim that elusive world championship.

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On This Day: Frank Johnson: The Golden Boy of British Boxing

 By Peter Silkov

Frank ’Golden Boy’ Johnson, was a talented boxer-puncher, who during the early 1950s was one of Britain’s most popular fighters.  Born on November 27, 1928, in Manchester, Lancashire, Johnson turned professional in 1946, at the age of 18-years-old.  Johnson began his career as a featherweight, but soon moved up to lightweight and steadily worked his way up the rankings. He won 32 of his first 33 contests, until on July 25, 1952, in his 34th fight, Johnson won the British lightweight championship, by out-pointing Tommy McGovern over 15 rounds.  Six months later, Johnson added the Commonwealth title to his collection, when he traveled to Australia, and stopped Frank Flannery in 10 rounds.

At this point, Johnson was close to gaining a shot at the World lightweight title, but his world title hopes were dashed and his career suddenly veered off the rails. In his next fight after beating Flannery, five months later, Johnson was stripped of his British Lightweight title after he failed to make the weight for a defence against Joe Lucy.  The fight went ahead as a non-title fight and Johnson was out-pointed by Lucy, after giving a listless display.

Two months after this set back, Johnson suffered another blow when he lost his Commonwealth title to Pat Ford, when he was out-pointed over 15 rounds.  Only two months later, on  October 9, 1953, Johnson fought Ford again, in an effort to regain the Commonwealth title, but was defeated again, this time when he was knocked out in the 13th round.

However, Johnson came back with 4 victories in a row, and on April 26, 1955, he regained the British Lightweight title when he out-pointed Joe Lucy over 15 rounds.

Johnson then suffered another loss of form and lost 4 of his next 5 fights, including a rematch to Lucy on April 13, 1956, when he lost his British Lightweight title back to Lucy after being stopped in 8 rounds.

Johnson moved up to the welterweight division after this defeat, and won 4 bouts in a row, before challenging Peter Waterman for the British Welterweight title on December 17, 1956, but after a stirring effort, was stopped in the 10th round.

This proved to be Johnson’s final title fight, and he had just three more contests, of which he won one.  In his last fight on May 21, 1957, against Boswell St Louis, Johnson retired after the 5th round with a damaged hand.  His final record was 47(26koes)-11.

Frank Johnson died on June 7, 1970, aged only 41.

Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

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