Yeah that's what I always thought, I actually liked him a lot when he was coming through and I love the way he wound up Bellew, just seems to have really lost his head now in a really arrogant way.
Seaman Tommy Watson (ridiculous high level consistency for his era, only has losses to absolute top fighters and a few early ones), or Johnny Cuthbert (who had a very controversial draw with Panama Al Brown in which he was very unfortunate, and a DQ win). Both at or near ATG level imo, and I've never seen them mentioned here.
I've never heard of either, but after reading up on big Tom Sharkey, I'm interested in anything 'Seaman' (no don't go there, you dirty *******) and beating Panama would've been an awesome achievement. I was gonna mention Freddie Welsh, but I couldn't be bothered typing out his long list of accomplishments.
Well, I learnt all about them from the Nipper Pat Daly book (he is another one to be mentioned, the greatest talent in Boxing history imo. Truly a tragedy.).
Looks like you're right pal. Oh ****ing hell, I've been catfished on Boxrec.... what a sad existence. Guy was fighting pro at 9? Mental. You say he was a tragedy, what was?
Suffering multiple concussions in a row and being finished as a boxer at age 18 due to poor handling / overwork. The guy was world ranked by Ring at 15 / 16 - beating national and Euro champs and dominating the UK domestic scene which was ridiculous strong at that point. He was touted by everyone, including Jimmy Wilde and Mickey Walker (whom he sparred), as the UK's future GOAT. The only reason there weren't more champs from Britain at that time overall is because talented children were being exploited, unlike USA which had rules against how often and long you could compete under a certain age.
That's mental, I'll look for film but I'm not hopeful. Just the idea of literal kids bring allowed to fight is ****ing nuts.
It wasn't an anomaly back then, although Pat is the youngest recorded. I don't think there is any film, but there is remarkable testimony from many (Wilde and Walker as I said, Gilbert Odd one of the best boxing journalists ever, plus the numerous students Pat taught later in life, one of became a top boxing man, taught officials and even started boxing in the Bahamas). His style is pretty easy to piece together in the mind too, not a unknowable freak like Greb. Think of a sort of Driscoll, Wilde like technical boxer etc. I'd seriously just recommend the book. One of the best Boxing books I've ever read. Extensive and very well written, never a drag to read.