I was saddened to hear yesterday of the passing of stalwart Birmingham Boxing figure Dave Roden. Dave died last week at the age of 70. He had a stroke about 4 years ago and, it seems, never properly recovered from it. Dave started Boxing as a teenager for Nobby Nobbs' Rum Runner ABC - surely the only Amateur Boxing Club to be run from a nightclub. Among his sparring partners there was future wrestler and actor Pat Roach. A couple of sparring sessions with much loved Heavyweight Johnny Prescott persuaded Dave to try his luck in the professional ranks and, aged just 20, he turned over under the ubiquitous George Biddles. Roden had an in and out career, winning 11 and losing 8 but boxed and won on some big shows at Earls Court and the Empire Pool which featured the likes of Joe Bugner, John Conteh and Chris Finnegan. He retired after losing on points to the much more experienced Rocky Campbell for the Midland Area Title in 1974. Dave opened a business in the Erdington area, a fore runner of today's discount stores, and due to a mixture of hard work and business acumen, was soon doing well but could not resist the pull of the Fight Game, first managing a handful of local boys but getting very involved in promoting. As well as putting on shows at the Tower Ballroom Dave also mounted some very ambitious shows at Bingley Hall and the newly opened NEC. Dave's best years in promoting were the mid 80's when he joined up with Paddy and Tommy Lynch and, under the Roden - Lynch banner staged some unforgettable cards featuring Pat Cowdell, Kostas Petrou, Tony Willis and Lloyd Christie. The Lynch Brothers' withdrawal from promoting saw Dave move into the administrative side of the sport and he rose from a BBBofC Steward to becoming Chairman of the Midland area Council. He was also a leading light in the setting up and running of the Midland Ex Boxers' Association and proposed his old pal, Brummie legend Bunny Johnson as President, a position he still holds. Dave Roden was one of those characters without whom provincial Boxing would struggle to exist and was an exemplary servant to the sport. He leaves a widow and grown up Daughter. RIP Big Man.
