Tony Sibson / Frank Warren - old timers memory needed.

I'm sure i can remember my old man applauding and then bemoaning Frank Warren back in the mid to late 80s over Sibson fighting a 15 round title fight - when the 15 rounders were banned in the UK. It was all to do with the WBC/WBA and IBF if i remember correctly.

Can anyone remember what was actually going on?:think

 

He fought Frank Tate before the IBF had reduced their fights to 12.

 

At 15 rds?

So - was that unlawful?

 

I remember the event,but not any controversy to be honest.
Though the BBBOC being pissed off does ring a bell.

 

All I can remember about that fight was that it was claimed by ITV that it was being shown live, yet they had between round ad breaks that went on for about three minutes......


I also remember the punch that put Sibson away. It was a peach.

 

I remember listening to it on the radio,so they lied.The *******s.

 

anyone got any footage of him

 

Ta mate - perhaps it was just the old man!

 

If I remember correctly the IBF let it be sanctioned as a 12 rounder.

You may already know this, but for years WBA and then IBF title fights were not sanctioned in Britain because the BBB of C would only recognize the WBC as they only joined the WBC.

Then in the early 80's Warren formed the National Boxing Council (NBC) and tried to gain membership to the WBA, as the recognized British member, which probably would of led to NBC and BBB of C both being legally entitled to sanction fights in Britain.

But in the end the BBB of C backed down and joined the WBA and also recognized Warren's NBC and thus Warren agreed to come under the BBB of c umbrella.

Warren kicked off again when the BBB of C did not recognize the IBF and the BBB of C again backed down allowing Warren to stage the Marsh/Manley fight.

Sadly this did not help say a Henry Cooper who the BBB of C refused to let fight in the WBA Heavyweight tournament in 1967 (after Ali was stripped). Cooper throwing his Lonsdale belt away in anger.

 

^ Is that why Buchanan was not recognised as a world champ by the BBBoC after he beat Laguna, cos it was for the WBA? I'm sure I've read something like that.

 

Yes, in the early 70s the BBB of C only recognized the WBC, that is why there was never a WBA title fight in the country until the early 80s.*

*The exceptions being when a unified champion fought, like Foster/Finnegan.

 

Thanks :good

 

That's it!

I wonder how things would have panned out had the WBC and BBB of C had held their ground?

Must have left a bitter taste in Henry Cooper's mouth .

Either way - i liked Sibbo and wanted whatever was best for him as a youngun.