One possible reason that the likes of Jack Carroll, Ambrose Palmer and Ron Richards didn't go to the United States for bouts was that they could make a decent living while boxing in Australia. At the same time, there wasn't any guarantee that fighting in the United States was worth the expense and the time involved in such a venture. During the time of Peter Jackson and Young Griffo, it seemed to be more difficult for a fighter to make a decent living while boxing in Australia, hence the large number of Australian fighters going to North America to ply their trade there from the 1880s to the beginning of World War I. - Chuck Johnston
Then it was their choice and they have no one to blame if they didn't receive title shots do they? All this twaddle about Aussie fighters being afraid they would be jobbed out of decisions if they went to the States is BS! I find it incredibly irritating when people make sweeping statements without a shred of proof to back them up ,and then ,when called on them disappear.
I made a mistake in a previous post on this thread when I wrote that that a lot of Australian boxers were going to North America to ply their trade during the period from the 1880s to World War II. I intended to write, "from the 1880s to World War I." During the 1920s and 1930s, it seemed that fewer Australian fighters went to the U.S. than they did before WWI. In regards to Australian boxers like Ambrose Palmer, Jack Carroll and Ron Richards not going to the United States, I am not defending them. I simply was speculating why they wouldn't do it. - Chuck Johnston
Of the 1930s Australian fighters, Jack Carroll, Ambrose Palmer, Ron Richards, Fred Henneberry and Merv "******" Blandon really stand out. I would say that Carroll and Palmer are the best of the group. But when comparing all of the mentioned Australian fighters with the top fighters from around the world, I have my doubts that any of the mentioned fighters was ever the absolute best in his particular weight class. Yet this particular group of Australian fighters may have been the best one during the Twentieth Century. - Chuck Johnston
I know Richards wanted to go to America but his management done the wrong thing by him. Aboriginals have never been treated well here and Richards, despite his talents, was no different. As far as Carroll is concerned, he did go overseas once to New Zealand and hated the travel. According to his daughter he couldn't even go out fishing locally without becoming horribly sick. He even said himself that if Ross wouldn't come to fight him in Australia then he would have to live without getting his shot at the crown. Carroll was also a very shy, reserved man, he wasnt all that interested in the accolades that boxing brought, he fought to make a good living for his family.
fenech. griffo doesn't have the results or the film to back it, but he might be the real answer. rose is my favorite, but fenech was better especially h2h.
As an American interested in boxing history research, I didn't know anything about the fine Australian boxer, Jack Carroll. But I did know something about Ambrose Palmer, Ron Richards, Fred Henneberry and Merv "******" Blandon because they fought American or Filipino boxers that drew my interest. Of course, I also knew about Les Darcy, an Australian fighter whose life and boxing career has been of great interest to American boxing history enthusiasts. After losing two teeth during a bout with Harold Hardwick, Les Darcy reportedly went to a dentist to get at least one of the teeth put back in. According to at least one source, the dentist's competence was questionable. But that type of dental procedure is something that I would have avoided at the time, especially when certain medications weren't available for tooth infections. Undergoing that dental procedure probably resulted in the infection that led to Darcy's death in the United States more than a year later. - Chuck Johnston
Cheers Mac. I certainly don't want to re open a can of worms but I think we all know only too well the racist attitudes of those days, which for my money makes Jackson's achievements even more remarkable.
i don't consider jackson to be from oz, but he was def great and is one of the hardest to fathom boxers ever, he could've been anything from a bigger charles to a smaller foreman.
