New HW Boxers Rated

[LeeSkye]

Jofre
I think you were the one who posted the pics on theses guys-thought I'd try to rate them-please tweak if you can.

Cliff McDonald

[LeeSkye]

And Doug Kirk

[jofre]

Originally Posted by LeeSkye

Jofre
I think you were the one who posted the pics on theses guys-thought I'd try to rate them-please tweak if you can.

Cliff McDonald

Cliff just passed away recently. Here is a short obit.

CLIFF MCDONALD

July 30, 2004 – Cliff McDonald, 55, of Melrose, MA (formerly of South Boston) died of a heart attack in late July. Although he never fought as an amateur, Cliff posted a pro record of 18-7-1 (17) and won the New England Heavyweight title in a return match with Doug Kirk in 1972. He is an inducted member of the South Boston Hall of Fame. Cliff also excelled in football having captained the South Boston High football team in the mid-60s, and the University of New Hampshire team – from where he graduated in 1971. He was also a member of the Yankee Football Conference, an A.O.H. member, and a Physical Education teacher in the Boston School System for over 30 years. Courtesy, Charlie Ross, Punchlines August 13, 2004.

[jofre]

Originally Posted by Cap

Here's the best I've been able to find of Harold Mays (for comparison). What do you think, Jofre? Note the curly locks. Taken when he was a sparring partner for Gene Tunney.

Cap

Cap, the photo I posted of Harold Mays is definately Mays. Pictured confirmed by members of IBRO.

[jofre]

Originally Posted by LeeSkye

Jofre
I think you were the one who posted the pics on theses guys-thought I'd try to rate them-please tweak if you can.

Cliff McDonald

LeeSkye you did a good job with McDonald and Kirk. McDonald was bigger and a better puncher, but Kirk was more skilled. Kirk's ability to take a punch seems a little too high. I think he had a better chin than Cliff, even though he was smaller. I saw both their fights and was shocked when Kirk blew Cliff away early in the first round. In their rematch Kirk seemed a little more ring worn. He may have slipped after his stoppage loss to Bugner. Still, it took Cliff awhile to break Kirk down. Kirk was a real gutsy guy and not afraid to take on guys bigger than him.

[Gunsmoke]

LeeSkye's latest pack of HWs from the 1920s and 30s is now availble for download from Cornerwork.

Mark

[Rocco Del Sesto]

Spending a few days working on baseball league stuff and loading the many great fighters contributed recently by Lee Skye, Mark Elwood and all... I'm up to 5926 in my data base and still got about 70-75 of Mark's 80's cruiserweights to go. (I do a little editing of the bios as I add them). A lot of great work guys! Thanks!

But to get back to our 67 replay a bit....

01/16/67 Monday
Manchester, England
Barney Wilson – HW (5-3-0) vs. Obe Hepburn – HW (5-4-0)

Barney Wilson - UK (N.Ireland) Rating 1
Heavyweight 1964-68

6 wins / 5 losses / 0 draws / 5 KO

Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Won his first 4 fights in Ireland. In Manchester, England lost for the first time in Jan. 1965 to Jack Grant. Lost that same year to Ivor Evans and Gerry Hassett. In November 1966 he fought Jim Monaghan for the vacant Northern Ireland HW Title. Wilson stopped MOnaghan in the 5th round. In Jan. 1967 he lost to Obe Hepburn. One a fight later in 1967 before finishing his career in Jan. 1968 loosing to Ron Redrup. Big names yep!

Obe Hepburn - UK(Jamaica) Rating 1
Heavyweight 1965-70

10 wins / 19 losses / 2 draws / 8 KO

Hometown: Manchester, England
Birthplace: Jamaica

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Decent punch but without much of a chin to take one. Stopped 12 times in his 19 losses. He started out 5-1-0 then ran into Carl Gizzi in March 1963 with Gizzi stopping Hepburn in the 4th round, the start of a 5-18-2 slide the rest of his career. Five wins against no one of much notice. Lost fights to Roger Tighe twice, a young Joe Bugner, Danny McAlinden and Richard Dunn twice.

The fight....
A couple of sluggers, one from Northern Ireland, the other from Jamaica now calling home in Manchester, England match up in this one. Neither one would appear to have been able to take punches very well. In 1967 it ended as would probably have been expected a KO with Hepburn stopping Wilson in the 7th round. In our replay, I set it for an 8 round affair. It didn’t have to be that long by any means. Wilson starts the first round getting some jabs and hooks opening up quickly a cut over Hepburn’s left eye. Meanwhile Hepburn is missing with his shots. Wilson lands a few more volleys of jabs and hooks. It’s all Wilson’s round with Hepburn shutout in trying to score anything. Round 2 starts with the fighters circling one another and leaning in on each other. The ref pulls them apart to get the action going. Wilson fires a straight right that’s blocked by Hepburn’s gloves, then after pushing Hepburn back to gain some punching room, Wilson unloads a thunderous hook that Obe steps right into and folds him up like an accordion onto the canvas. 1, 2, 3, 4…..it’s over a 2nd round KO victory for Barney Wilson at the 0:57 mark! I was expecting a KO finish in this fight, but not by Wilson!

[Rocco Del Sesto]

01/16/67 Monday
Manchester, England
Vic Moore – HW (7-2-0) vs. Lloyd Walford – HW (10-11-1)

Vic Moore - UK Rating 1
Heavyweight 1965-68
9 wins / 9 losses / 1 draw / 5 KO

Hometown/Birthplace: Hammersmith, UK

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

After a first fight TKO loss to somebody named Derek Groombridge in November 1965, Moore fought in something called the Novice Heavyweight Competition in London in early 1966. He won 3 fights advancing through the Semi-Final rounds. He fought 5 more times, winning 4 in 1966 leading up to his fight in Jan. 1967 with Lloyd Walford. None of those previous opponents amounted to much. Moore's one loss after teh Groombridge fight was to a Ron Gray(20-20-2,10). One of his wins was against a Jim McIivaney who posted a decent 13-12-3,8 career mark. He lost an 8 round decision to Walford in that Jan. 1967 fight and that was the start of a 2-7-1 slide over the last half of his career. He managed wins over George Dulaire and Dennis Avoth while loosing fights to Dulaire, Des Cox, Rudolph Vaughan(12-12-0,10), Roger Tighe, Joe Bugner and lastly to a Terry Daly(16-3-0,13).

Lloyd Walford - UK Rating 1
Heavyweight 1964-76
25 wins / 37 losses / 3 draws / 7 KO

Hometown: Chesterfield, England
Birthplace: Jamaica

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

A busy journeyman heavyweight in England for a good number of years from the mid 60's to mid 70's. Lack of knockout punching abilitiy probably kept him from climbing very high in the ranks. He did though fight a few recognizable names of the time.Early in his career he lost a couple fights to CArl Gizzi who was just getting his career going. He lost also to Billy Gray and defeated Gerry Hassett in the first year of his professional career. He defeated Obe Hepburn, beat Jack London Jr. twice, lost to Eddie Avoth, beat Stan Cullis and vic Moore and drew with Roger Tighe in 1967. Later in his career, Walford managed a win over Tighe. Early in 1968 he lost 8 round decisions to Carl Gizzi and then Jurgen Blin. Later in 1968 he fought and lost two straight 8 round decisions to Bunny Johnson. In 1969 he lost fights to Dickie Owens, beat John (Young) McCormack, lost to Derek Richards, Richard Dunn, Rudi Lubbers, Christian Poncelet twice, David Conteh, Billy Aird and John Luis Gardner. On November 21st, 1972 he defeated Geoff Shaw in a 10 round decision for the vacant British (Central Area) Light Heavyweight Title, this only a month after he'd defeated Roger Tighe in an 8 round fight and then had announced his retirement.

The Fight....
Moore’s sporting the better looking record, but Walford up to now has faced overall better competition. Moore’s biggest fight up to now was an 8 round decision loss to Ron Gray who would accumulate a 20-20-2,10KO career record. Vic’s coming into this fight with 2 wins in November and December of the previous year. Walford, in really the early part of a fairly long career in England has faced some decent heavyweights of the UK boxing scene. He’s coming off a tough loss back in mid November when he was stopped in the 4th round by Jim McIlvaney, 10-3-1 at the time. Both of these guys can be dropped in a fight. Moore with a harder looking punch, might show an advantage in this fight one would think. In the fight in 1967, it turned out to be a split decision affair with Walford taking the 8 round decision.
Our replay here through the first 5 rounds looked like it might turn out to be a mirror image quite possibly one way or the other. It was a very close fight through 5. Moore came out strong in the first round winning on all three judges cards 10-9. Aft that though it was back and forth with Walford getting just enough of the next 4 rounds such that at the end of the 5th we had pretty much a dead even fight. The cards showed it 48-47 Moore, 48-48 even, 47-48 Walford. Couldn’t get it much closer then that! Then came the 6th and lightening strikes! Moore rushed out his corner and quickly slid toward a neutral corner with Walford just missing with a punch. Then all of sudden, Moore lands a punch like a lightening bolt strikes Walford, sending Lloyd onto his back!! He can’t beat the count as Walford is counted out at the 0:36 time in the 6th round. KO victory for Vic Moore!! Wow what a sudden finish to such a close fight?!

[IceTea]

Meehan new rating after the fight.

[shane6969]

Thanks for the good ratings for Meehan Ice Tea, much appreciated mate.

Shane.

[edmastaflash]

Thanks for Meehan Ice Tea!

[IceTea]

I gave him a 7 CF rating against boxers because he was TKO'd in quick fashion by Williams (of tyson fame) who is basically a boxer by trade. If I were Title Bout, I would up Brewster's defensive rating to a +5 or +6. He doesn't get out of the way of jabs and right hands.

MJ

[IceTea]

Here is my rating of Vassili Jirov as a heavy. He can, in my opinion, compete with any of the current crop of prentenders.

[Rocco Del Sesto]

01/16/67 Monday
Manchester, England
Tom Calderwood – LHW (2-4-0) vs. Bob Nicholson – LHW (17-6-3)

Tom Calderwood - UK Rating 1
Light Heavyweight 1966-67
2 wins / 8 losses / 0 draws / 1 KO

Birthplace: Scotland

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Knocked out Sammy Robertson in the first round in January 1966 in the first bout for both of those fighters. It turned out to be the only real hilite to Calderwood's brief career. He won only one other fight, that a 6 round decision over HW Ernie Field(6-13-1,4). Calderwood lost fights to Johnny Hendrickson. two to Bob Nicholson, and an 8th round KO at the hands of Johnny Halafihi in May 1967 ended it all.

Bob Nicholson - UK Rating 1
Light Heavyweight 1960-68
19 wins / 7 losses / 3 draws / 9 KO

Hometown: Famborough, England

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Fought Chic Calderwood in November 1964 for the British Light Heavyweight Title. Calderwood KO'd Nicholson in the 7th round. Other fights of note were a couple wins early in his career over a journeyman middleweight named Brian Coxhead(26-21-1,19), an 8 round decision loss to Johnny Halafihi, an 8 round decision win over Alex Buxton and a 10th round TKO victory over Stan Cullis in Jan. 1964 for the British (Southern Area) LHW Title. He fought Johnny Hendrickson twice, drawing once and loosing the other time. He lost an 8th round TKO to John (Young) McCormack(33-8-1,27), he and Johnny Ould(10-11-2,6) fought a 10 round draw for the British (Southern Area) LHW Title in Feb. 1968 and in what turned out to be Nicholson's last career fight, he lost the Southern Area LHW Title to PHil Watford(13-2-1,4) in November 1968 in a 10 round decision.

The fight.....
A couple of light heavy’s from the UK squaring off here in Manchester on this busy Monday in boxing. Both of these guys are near what is turning out to be the ends of their careers. For Calderwood, it’s nothing to speak about at all. Calderwood is coming off an 8 round decision loss to Johnny Hendrickson back in October the previous year, the one and only real fight of any note in Calderwood’s brief career. For Nicholson, he’s the reigning British (Southern Area) LHW champion. He won that title back in 1964 having defeated Stan Cullis. A few months later he failed in an attempt for the overall British LHW Title, being KO’d by Chic Calderwood. Since then, Nicholson has fought only 4 times, loosing 2, winning 1 and his most recent fight in February 1966, a defense of his Southern Area title. He and Johnny Ould fought to a 10 round draw. It’s now almost a year later with Nicholson finally climbing back into the ring for he’s hoping I guess an easy winning paycheck.
Back in 67 it turned out to be a winning day for Nicholson, but it took the full scheduled 8 rounds to pull out a decision over Calderwood. In our replay, the first round was a pretty easy one for Nicholson, landing some right hand shots and combinations. Calderwood manages to land a hard cross, late in the round but Nicholson counters with a big uppercut that slows any possible Calderwood comeback late in the round. The 2nd round, hardly a ½ minute into it, Nicholson lands another hard uppercut that puts Tom down on the carpet for a 4 count. Calderwood manages to stay out of harms way for the next minute of the round, but then Nicholson shoots a couple quick jabs, the 2nd one of which lands, and then follows that with another strong uppercut that connects! Calderwood manages to split Nicholson’s gloves with a jab, but then Bob counters with a cross that lands. Nicholson then comes in with a cross to Calderwood’s forehead and then a stinging jab. Nicholson then traps Calderwood into his corner and just before the bell, Nicholson lands a perfect combination and Calderwood slumps to the canvas! 1, 2., 3, ….he’s counted out! KO at the end of the 2nd round of Tom Calderwood by Bob Nicholson!!

[LeeSkye]

Sent these HW's over to cornerwork-mostly from 20s and 30s but some from 40-70 era. I had a few pics for these guys I'll post in the "missing pics" thread.

Carl Vinciquerra
Bob Storbeck
Tom Holdstock
Carlo Scotti
Giacomo Bergomas
Jack Tomford
Son Tealy
Tom Mazzacco
Marcel Moret
Adolph Hintz
Young [Art] Campbell
Bill Britt
Tom Uren
Lofty Stigg
Pietro Spagnola
Frank Price
George Gemas
Carl Carter
Johnny Urban
Oscar Battiste
Roy Mitchell
Leone Labriola
Rocky Ston
Joe Cabana
Dusty Johnson
George (Bearcat) Baker
George Singleton
Les Bowtell
Joe Burke
Andre Lenglet
Manuel "Kid" Abrew
Zulu Kid LHW
Johnny Shkor The Fighting Sailor
Jack Nelson
Orlando Ott
Bill Pascoe
Allan Campbell
Billy Joe Thomas
Jimmy (Shamus) O'Brien
Jesse Hall
Hal Boylston
Dave Davey
Jesse Crown
Young Charles Cox
Charley McKenna
Mike Conroy
Carl Gizzi
Giacomo Panfilo

[Gunsmoke]

LeeSkye's HW pack is now available for download from cornerwork.

Cheers,
Mark

[Rocco Del Sesto]

Thanks for more great additions Lee!! Man how do get through rating so many of these guys?! I feel like what I'm doing with my 67 thread is a little trickle

Rocco

[LeeSkye]

Rocco

Just had a lot of extra time on my hands this summer and I would sit at the beach or on the patio with my laptop and a rum cooler, rating fighters for my universe.


Actually, when I think of this summer-you ought to feel sorry for me-no life!

Damn you Trunzos! Curse you Andreas Raht!

[wanderer]

Does any of you guys have a rating of
- Young Sanford aka Fred Houpe, heavyweight of the 70's, managed by the guy from "Sanford and Son", Red Foxx.
- Howard "KO" Smith, named as a HW Champion of Tomorrow in Boxing International '76

[Rocco Del Sesto]

Well, after a bit of hibernation, not realizing it had been like 3 plus weeks since I'd done anything with this, let's try to get the ball rolling again a little.

01/16/67 Monday
Manchester, England
Tommy Woods – HW (1-5-0) vs. Clive Tranter – LHW (2-1-2)

Tommy Woods - UK Rating 1
Heavyweight 1966-68
6 wins / 8 losses / 1 draw / 4 KO

Hometown: Manchester, England

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Entire career fought in England. Lost to MW-Jimmy Tibbs(16-2-1,13), lost once, drew once and beat one time HW-Jim Mcllvaney(13-12-3,8). Lost once and then defeated later on HW-Vernon Allen(10-24-1,3). Woods' most noteworthy opponent turned out to be his last fight when Bunny Johnson stopped him in the 2nd round in Manchester, England in April 1968.

Clive Tranter - UK Rating 1
Light Heavyweight 1966-68
4 wins / 13 losses / 3 draws / 0 KO

Hometown: Tipton, UK

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Fought exclusively in England. Best looking oppenents he faced were MW-Joe Somerville(34-50-4,9), MW-Tony Moore(20-2-1,14), HW-Guinea Roger(13-32-1,11), MW-Jimmy Tibbs(16-2-1,13) and HW-Phil Watford(13-2-1,4).

The Fight....
A couple more local club fighters going at it in the Monday night fight fest here in Manchester in England. Heavyweight Tommy Woods is coming off 3 straight defeats and a 1-5-0 record to start his career all in 1966. Tranter, a Light Heavy has seen a bit more success in his early career which started only back in September of the previous year. The 6 round affair in 1967 helped Woods turn his career around for a bit with a decision over Tranter who would quickly see his career spiral under.
Our replay was a close back and forth fight. There were no knockdowns in this fight as the action went back and forth in the rounds with each fighter in turn seemingly gaining the upper hand in the fight. In the end though Woods carried the day with a Majority Decision victory, 57-57, 58-56, 59-56.