[Rocco Del Sesto]

Tommy Martin - UK MW/HW
Stumbled on him and found quite a bit of interesting reading on him especially when he fought in the US.
Career Record: W60(KO 28) / L15(KO 5) / D2

Unknown information has been left blank

An Article in the January 1941 Ring Magazine places Martin's DOB as January 22, 1916 and at St. Mary's in Berkshire. Berkshire is an English county and St. Mary's is located in the town centre of Reading.An article found on boxingace.com website placed his date of death as in 1987. No specific date given.

The same Ring Magazine article notes that while in the US, he was managed by Johnny Rogers and Tommy Farmer and was part of thier boxing stable that included Manuel Ortiz, Mexican bantamweight champion, Jackie Jurich, former flyweight king and Ray Price, a lightweight fighter.That article happens to mention that Martin's permit will be up in March 1941 requiring to return to England, maybe sooner if called into service. Some later newpaper articles mention these circumstances as to why we see Martin fighting back in England and in active for six months after his fight against Turkey Thompson on 1/31/41.

Reading an article on the website blackpresence.co.uk, it mentions his first fight being in November 1933. In 1937,this article says after having put on weight he fought and won his first fight as a heavyweight.BoxRec has recorded on 1/4/37 winning by 5th round KO over Martin Miller listed as a LHW. Previous opponenents listed in BoxRec appear as Middleweights/Welters for most part.So the 1937 date appears logical point that I've split Martin's career between Middleweight from beginning of his career through 1936 and as Heavyweight from 1937 to end of career.That Ring Magazine article says after two years of touring the British Isles, Martin turned pro in 1936 as a welterweight?

Record 1933-36 MW W32(KO 15) / L5(KO 0) / D2
Record 1937-42 HW W28(KO 13) / L10(KO 5) / D0
Record in the US as a HW: W5(KO 3) / L3(KO 0) / D0
2 of the US KO's were TKO.

Down below the original bio from Lee Skye are summaries of articles found on Martin while in the US and then briefly after he returned to England.Some interesting reads. He came over and turned into a real crowd pleaser in the California boxing scene. Many articles described Martin as a very smart fighter in the ring, but, his fight results tend to exhibit a lack of knockout capability. He'd get some opportunities but then not take advantage and finish someone off.

Original Rating and below bio info by Lee Skye

Lee's file had Martins record at 49 wins / 12 losses / 2 draws / 24 KO. Most probably less completeness of his record on BoxRec at the time Lee did this.

Trainer: Sam Minto/Flutey Green
Manager: Johnny Sharps

Rating by: Lee Skye

Tommy Martin was born in Reading in 1916. In 1917, the family moved to Deptford. At 14 he ran away from home and joined a fairground, working in a Boxing Booth. In the late 1920s / early 30s there was always a token black boxer in a troupe, which helped draw crowds along with the slogan "have a go at the n****r".

Tommy got lots of practice and developed a fast punching style. He became a professional boxer in November 1933 and soon became known as the British Brown Bomber. By Christmas, he had fought and won four bouts. His first full season as a boxer was 1936 when he fought 25 bouts, losing only three.

Despite Tommy Martin's success as a boxer, he was having increasing difficulty finding fights. Already championship material, he sailed to the colonies in search of suitable opponents. Boxing Magazine already ranked him as the 4th Best Cruiser Weight (between middle and light weight) in the world.

In 1937, after having put on weight, he fought and won his first heavyweight bout. Boxing Magazine reported, "Martin did exceedingly well to give two stones in weight and a boxing lesson to Jim Wilde".

Although he had many victories under his belt, Martin was unable to fight for the British Heavyweight Championship. He was barred from fighting for Britain by a colour bar, introduced in 1909 and not repealed until 1947. Only Britain and South Africa didn't allow black fighters to contest Empire titles. Even American segregation didn't prevent US boxers fighting for their country.

As if to prove a point, in 1939, Tommy won every one of his fights. Then the war and the colour bar stopped his career in its tracks. While he campaigned against the colour bar, Boxing magazine and the local mayor championed his cause. The MP for Deptford raised the case in Parliament.

Unable to fight for Britain in the ring, Martin joined the RAF and later, when he was invalided out to the Merchant Navy. After that, he moved to the US, joining the Marines before setting up his own gym in Hollywood.

It was not until 1947 that the colour bar was finally abolished from British boxing. It was too late to benefit Tommy Martin and a shameful chapter that has been hidden from sports history. Without the struggles of fighters like Martin, today's boxing stars like Lennox Lewis and British Olympic boxer, Audley Harrison, would have been unable to fight for their country.

01/29/40 - The LA Times, short blug mentions that California manager Johnny Rogers (along with Tommy Farmer) is importing Tommy Martin, HW from London.

03/12/40 - The LA Times, records that Tommy Martin had started training this week at the Main Street Gym. It mentions that Martin "sports a monocle out of the ring". Later photos found show Martin wearing a monocle.

4/18/40 - Los Anglese Evening Citizen News, Hollywood, CA - An interesting little article to make you chuckle a bit. Recounts how Martin was in the office of the State Athletic Commission to get is fight license and his British accent posed some difficulty. When he was asked how much he weighed, Martin replied "Oh, about 13 stun four, Sir." "There, or thereabouts". The Assistant Chief Inspector, Bill Smith did not understand him asking what did "Thirteen stun four" stand for. Chich inspector, Willie Ritchie who was there and who had been to England in 1914 to fight Freddie Walsh explained what it meant and translated to 186 pounds.

04/23/40 - Oakland Tribune - Bob Nestell, 188-1/2 won a 10 round decision over Tommy Martin, 184-1/2. This was Martin's first fight in the US. He had quickly become a fan favorite around the California boxing scene and the 5000 fans at Martin's first show in the US cheered wildly for him as he put up a galliant stand for 10 rounds after hutting his knee in the third round.Nestell had floored Martin in the third round with a right to the head. Martin got up after a four count but went down again and apparently twisted his left knee.The LA Times noted that flooring of Martin as being only a 2 count? Accounts of the fight in the Times, The San Bernardino County Sun and Daily News mentions Nestell flooring Martin as many as a dozen times in the fight but Martin kept getting up! The Daily News says Martin went down for counts of 4 and 8 in that third round when he hurt the left knee. Martin managed to open a bad cut over Nestell's left eye.

05/28/40 - The Los Angeles Times and California Eagle (5/29) - In a rematch between and Bob Nestell,191,Tommy Martin, 185, a rapid attack of rights and lefts from Martin floored and stopped Nestell at 2:08 in the sixth round. In the fifth round, Nestell hit the canvas after a slew of blows from Martin. Nestell remained down for three then arose and rushed in to "rassle" with Martin getting in a couple of right counters. The Times article described Nestell as a slow and clumsy fighter, but showed respect for the fast punching "furriner" getting in some punches with his potent right and lying back on counterpunches in the first couple of rounds. The first measured as pretty even with Nestell gaining the upper hand in the second. In the second, Nestell popped Martin with a couple rights but Martin managed to counter with a left hook that caught Nestell opening a cut over his right eye.After that Nestell "tired rapidly".

07/12/40 - Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, Hollywood - A pre fight review of the upcoming fight that nigt between Tommy Martin and Junior Munsell, viewed the fight as a duel between Munsell's "hard-rock fists" providing "ram-rod hitting", vs Martin's speed in the ring that can start a sudden lightening fast attack that few heavyweights "anywhere" can match.

07/12/40 - The Los Angeles Times, Daily News and LA Evening Citizen News(7/13) - A Cut eye spelled defeat for Junior Munsell, 185-1/2, vs Tommy Martin, 181. Martin scored a TKO victory when Referee Jack Kennedy stop the fight at 1:32 of the fifth round of a scheduled 10 because of the bad cut over Munsell's left eye. There were no knockdowns in the fight even with the fast moving fight filled with much action. Martin, with close in two fisted punching won the first and third rounds while Munsell was able to counter from long range to win the second with the fourth called even. In the fifth round Martin back Munsell clear across the ring throwing more punches from both hands that opened the nasty gash across Munsell's eye.The Daily News recorded the stoppage at 1:25 of the 5th.

8/6/40 - Daily News, LA - Talk and reports coming out that with Billy Conn expected to abdicate his light heavyweight crown to accept a fight with Joe Louis, that Tommy Martin was being trumpeted for consideration to compete to fill Conn's throne.The Daily News reported this day that his managers Johnny Rogers and Tommy Farmer had plans to file notice with the New York and California rin commissions and the National Boxing Association to have Martin's name considered.

8/9/40 - Daily News, LA, The Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Evening Citizen News - Some preliminary discussion on the upcoming fight between Tommy Martin, "Brown Bomber from Deptford, England" and Johnny Hanschen, "22 year old 200 pound 6 foot Norwegian from Minnesota". Martin was being installed as a "6 to 10 favorite". Martin's speedy rapid fire attacks and shifty footwork in the ring was felt to be too much for Hanschen. But the latter was being hralded as a "comer" and his manager apparently felt it a great way to step his fighter Hanschen up the ladder taking on Martin. Hanschen had been offered a spot on the upcoming Billy Conn-Bob Pastor card, but he passed it up to come out to Hollywood and take on Martin. Hmmm...probably should have rethought that decision?!Hanschen was becoming a sought after fighter after recently defeating another upcoming fighter Billy Miske. Hanschen's manager George Parnassus had turned down an offer of $5000 from Jack Hureley to buy Hanschen.

8/9/40 - Daily News and The Los Angeles Times (8/10/40) - Referee Jack Kennedy stopped the Tommy Martin, 176-1/2 / Johnny Hanschen, 197 fight in the sixth round by TKO.After 2:20 in the sixth, Kennedy stopped the fight to look at Hanschen's left eye which was black and closed bad. After gestering something to Hanschen's corner he told the fighters to resume, but then seconds later he looked at Hanschen's eye again and then suddenly raised Martin's arm! Later the house doctor said the eye was not that badly cut nore had it been bleeding badly. Many felt Kennedy made a way to hasty decision to stop the fight. Maybe the fact that Martin put Hanschen down for an 8 count just previous, swayed Kennedy's decision on the stoppage. Report had Martin winning the first round and Hanschen the second and then the Martin took the 3rd and 4th with the 5th round even.The Times account said the knockdown in the sixth, Hanschen was down for 9.

09/13/40 - Daily News and Los Angeles Evening Citizen News(9/14) - Tommy Martin, 183 won six rounds, lost two and drew another in the first 9 rounds of the ten rounder with Buddy Knox, 181 and appeared a cinch to win the fight.Martin's punching speed easily won him the first four rounds, dropping Knox for a no count in the fourth with a short right to the jaw.Knox kept coming at Martin throughout the fight, but he came in wide open and took too much beating from Martin. Until the end of the 10th round.With about 30 seconds to go, Knox caught Martin in his own corner with a wicked left hook that sent Martin reeling into a half sitting position against the ring post. Knox then proceeded to hammer Martin with a dozen punches to his unprotected face, but then the bell ran.Knox kept punching until Martin's manager, Tommy Farmer got into the ring to intervene at the same time tht referee Charley Randolph went to get between the fighters. Randolph without hesitation raised the hand of the semicounsious Martin! It about brought down the roof with protests from the crowd and Knoxes corner. In seconds the ring was littered with papers and programs.Knox's manager Oscar Menachof was irate backing Randolph up against the ropes. Randolph called the fight six rounds for Martin, three for Knox and one even.

10/25/40 - Daily News and Los Angeles Times (10/26) - Buddy Knox of Dayton, Ohio fought and uphill battle to win a 10 round decision over Tommy Martin of England. Knox was floored for a nine count in the third round from a couple of right hand uppercuts to the chin by Martin. Gradually working to some advantage through next rounds to gains points back, Knox finally found an opening in Martin's defense in the eighth round sent Martin to the canvas with a right under the heart. Apparently some question in referee Benny Whitman's decision going to Knox. The Times had Martin winning five rounds to three for Martin and two even saying the fight could and probably should have been called a draw. The Daily News had the same assessment to the outcome of the fight should have been a draw.

11/11/40 - The Des Moines Register, Iowa which was discussing the latest ranking of heavyweights by the Ring, noted that Tommy Martin was positioned as number 8 in the Ring's December Rankings having moved up from number 9 in the November rankings.

11/16/40 - Petaluma Argus-Courier, CA.(What a name for a newspaper) - Listed the latest California Athletic Commission's state boxing rankings. For Heavyweights, Champion-Joe Louis, then in order Tommy Martin, Junior Munsell, Harold Blackshear, Eddie Sargota, Odell Polee, Chuck Crowell, Yancy Henry, John Hanschen, Ernie McDonald, Newsboy Millich. the Commission noted it did not rank Lou Nova who had been inactive and the Baer brothers, Max and Buddy because they did not hold 1940 California licenses.

11/24/40 - The San Bernardino County Sun and The San Francisco Examiner - Announcements that Pat Valentino, bright young San Francisco heavyweight prospect, and Tommy Martin where scheduled to meet in San Francisco on December 9th. Then the 11/30/40 Examiner announced that the fight was posponed due to Valentino taken ill. It was to be rescheduled to December 16.

12/05/40 - The San Francisco Examiner - The Valetino/Martin fight is once again postponed, this time with Martin reported sick with the flu.

1/13/41 - The San Francisco Examiner(1/14/41) - Tommy Martin, 185 decisioned Pat Valentino, 178 in 10 rounds. Martin dropped Valentino in the 10th round to one knee with a right hand uppercut. The paper's score sheet had Martin winning eight rounds, Valentino two, the second and seventh. The Examiner's accessment of the fight was "a smart fighter outthinking a fellow who depends mostly upon his slugging ability". A jarring left hand by Martin had Vantino's left eye closing halfway through the fight. several times, Martin after leading in with a left, he'd cut of Valentino's counters and then pull out from a clinch to send a short cross to the whiskers.Martin would let Valentino lead into him and then he'd attack with both fists at the body.Martin showed too he could take some shots for when Valentino would nail him on the chin, Martin stood his ground and just kept swinging back. In the late rounds, Martin took advantage of Valentino trying to reach Martin bringing himself into close quarters and Martin would then connect with short uppercuts that bobbed Valentino's head back.

1/16/41 - The Sacramento Bee and the Los Angeles Evening Citizen News both reported on the State Athletic Commission approving arrangements for a fight between Turkey Thompson and Tommy Martin and it be recognized for the California heavyweight championship. A follow up article by the California Eagle, LA was billing it as the Boxer vs the Slugger.The 1/26/41 Los Angeles Times was placing Thompson as the early favorite. The fight was getting top billing in California and national notice with the fight being billed for the california title over other notible heavies, Max and Buddy Baer, Lou Nova and Gene Vinassa.It was being figured the winner of this fight would figure quite prominently in the current light-heavyweight league with the likes of Billy Conn and Anton Christoforidis. Also it was being played that the winner might head up a supporting card when Joe Louis was to fight Arturo Godoy in April. So in 7 fights since coming to the US and California in not quite a year, Tommy Martin had built himself a quite a standing. Note also he'd fought himself into the Ring's top 10 rankings.

1/31/41 - The Los Angeles Times(2/1/41) - "Thompson Conquers Martin - Tommy Down Four Times" the headlines read. A fast finish by Thompson as he floored Martin four times in the last round, but was unable to put him away for good, to end winning the 10 round decision for the California Heavyweight Title. The packed house saw Martin almost stopped in the first round by a left hook from the powerful punching Thompson, but he rallied and a terrific battle continued that was fairly even until Thompson closed Martin's eye in the ninth was a left hook.In that last round Martin managed to escape being knocked out by backpedalling around the ring after being floored the four times, for counts of 7, a no count, 9 and 8. Abe Roth officiated the fight. Both fighters scaled 183 pounds.
2/20-25/41 - California Eagle, LA - A short report that Martin's visa has run out and he's headed home. An earlier report had he would go to South America to possibly meet Arturo Godoy. The San Francisco Examiner also reported this. The Billings Gazette, Montana, said Martin had gone to South America for a short stay in order to comply in some fashion with United States immigration regulations. The 2/25/41 Los Angeles Times listed the current California Commission rankings and it had Martin listed Number 1 challenger after Champion Turkey Thompson.

3/27/41 - The San Francisco Examiner - Runs the California State Athletic commissioners ranking for March and it notes that Tommy Martin has been dropped from his previous number 1 rank with him having left for South America.


4/7/41 - Courier-Post, Camden, NJ - Reports that Tommy Martin is in Buenos Aires for three months in order to qualify to return to the United States on another one year permit.

4/17/41 - California Eagle, LA - Reports that Ivan Harold Browning, "an international tenor and close friend of Tommy Martin", had received a letter from Martin who wrote that he had left Buenos Aires on March 12th headed for home. Martin wrote in this letter that his father was killed recently in a Nazi air raid and his mother had asked him to come home. Thus ending Martin's 1 year boxing career in the US.

Came across two articles in The Pittsburgh-Courier, PA of interesting note. Both were written by Wendell Smith in his "Smitty's Sport Spurts". The pieces ran in the 6/21/41 and 7/19/41 editions and "Smitty" discusses the plight of one Tommy Martin of Great Britain, back home and serving for his country during the war, but because of his color, he cannot compete for the British heavyweight boxing crown.

7/24/41 - Star-Phoenix, Saskatoon, Canada - Reports that Tommmy Martin has signed to fight Jack London, one of the last men Martin had fought and beatin in England before he'd made his journy to the United States. The fight was scheduled for Albert Hall in London, but it didn't end up being fought there.

08/01/41 - The Winnipeg Tribune, Manitoba, Canada(8/12/41)- "Big Jack London moved a step nearer a bout with Len Harvey for the British Empire heavyweight boxing championship by soundly beating Tommy Martin a 10 round bout. London gave Martin a rough ride and only his gameness kept Martin on his feet to the end."

Ring Nov 1941 - From "Timely Chatter From Great Britain", by John S. Sharpe, "Sergt. Jack London of West Hartlepool, and The R.A.F., fought one of his best fights when he met Air Craftsman Tommy Martin of Deptford, in a 10 round contest at Belle Vue Manchester. Martin and London were meeting in an elimination contest for the right to meet Len Harvey for the Empire Heavyweight Title, and now the colored man will have to wait his chance, for London, in his victorious way has won his right to a British Title contest, besides and Empire Title bout. You see, Readers, here is the explanation:-Martin being a Negro, is not allowed to box for the British Title, but is allowed to box for an Empire Title. The color question, has been brought up in Parliament, when Mr. Walter Green, Member of Parliament put the question of Martin, to Mr. Herbert Morrison, The Home Secretary, and the reply of The B.B.B.C. The Home Secretary, in a written reply, stated that The B.B.B.C., have a rule, which states , that a colored boxer may box for the Empire Title, but not as a contestant for the British Title as laid down by the B.B.B.C. It seams that Jack London in defeating Tommy Martin, has helped shelve this question for some time, but methinks, that the time is not far off, when a colored lad, born in these British Isles, will have the right to box for The British Title, for if he is good enough to go to Battle for these Isles, then he should have the privileges that are given to all other folk, born in Great Britain." Sharpe then finaly gets back to commenting on the fight. London with fast left hitting and hard hooks controlled the fight. London won every round except maybe even rounds in 4, 7 and 8. Martin had a lump under his left eye at the end of the fight and a split nose while London finished with no marks on him.

Ring Jan. 1942 - Tommy Martin, 186, Deptford against Freddie Mills, 180 of Bournemouth and the R.A.F.Referee was Charles Thomas of Wales. In the second round, Mills caught Martin with a left hook that put Martin on the deck for a count of four. Martin weathered the storm of Mills left hooks till the fifth round when the crashing hooks finally put Martin down, barely beating the count at 9. But, Mills put Martin down again, and referee Charles Thomas stopped the contest and declared Mills the winner of the scheduled 10 rounder.

Ring May 1942 - Sergt. Al Robinson of Leeds and the R.A.F., all 6ft 4in, 212 pounds of him, scored a sensational one round victory over Tommy Martin, Deptford in a scheduled 10. Robinson put Martin away with a right to the jaw putting Martin on his back. BoxRec notes Martin was down three times, John S. Sharpe's account in "Timely Chatter From Great Britain" only noted the one knockdown.