Flamengo's Top 25 Aboriginal Fighters...

Take my flimsy cap off to Ippy.. This is harder than I thought. With close too 100 names on the list, all having been State, National and Commonwealth Champs, as well as World Champs and Contenders, it's a bloody task breaking them into a list of just 25.

Longevity is sometimes over taken by success, certain losses are to outweigh certain victories, O/S battles can take precedent over hometown wars and someone has to miss out.

 

25. Jacky Ryan.

Holding both the Qld Feather and Lightweight Crowns simutaneously, Ryan was ducked and dodged by both NSW and Vic promoters for many years. This was a typical ordeal that Queensland Aboriginals endured unless they were snapped up and sent to Ern McQuillan very early in their careers. Jacky fought the best of the nations Lightweights and only through cut eyes would he surrender. Taking on the best Italian and Spanish imports in the late years of his career would only see them going the distance.

Best assett. Chin. Right hand. Brains.
Worst assett. Eyes that bled.

Best win. Charlie Dunn, Dave Landers
Best Loss. Pat Ford, Frankie Flannery

 

24. Johnny Jarrett

With mixed scuccess in the early boxing years, the stringbean Bantam was to ruffle the feathers of Frankie Bennett and Young Regan in two quick bouts with the NSW Bantam Crown in his hands. Hitting his straps when the game was a little quiet, Jarrett fought anyone of note in a career with little financial returns. Taking the National Bantam Crown from Dick White in 1958 payed Jarrett barely a weeks salary. A final loss to Jimmy Carruthers on the ill feted comeback trail saw good reason for Jarrett to hand up the gloves. Look for a story on Jarrett in 'The Fist' later this year.

Best assett. Reflex. Reach. KO punch.
Worst assett. Durability laxed.

Best win. Frank Bennett. Young Regan
Best loss. Jimmy Carruthers. George Flemming

 

Cheers Ippy..

 

23. Tommy Chapman.

A very forgotten 'pioneer' of the game he was. Before The Sands Bros. took total control of Tom Maquires Newcastle gym, Tommy Chapman was on the 'star attraction' banner as the Oz Featherweight Champion. With an early victory over legend Rollo Hinton (182 pro bouts), Maquire was smiling with glee at his 'star'. Mixing numerous times with the likes Mickey Miller, Allan Hall, Eddie Miller and Kid Young in tough battles, Chapman was stopped only 4 times in 72 contests.

Best assett. Chin. Classic boxing ability.
Worst assett. Being in the same era as Mickey and Eddie Miller

Best win. Rollo Hinton, Mickey Miller, Eddie Miller.
Best loss. Billy Rainsbury. Kid Young.

 

22. Pat Leglise.

Hard to believe that after 19 years in retirement, the name of Pat Leglise is almost a trivia question. From the home of Dave Sands and Hec Thompson came another coloured kid with everthing naturally. Flashy hands, rhythym in timing and ability to bang. Rapid progress through the pro ranks saw Leglise meet Brian Janssen (draw) and Willie Tarika to take the Aust. Jnr W/W Crown. Stepping to meet Jeff Malcolm in defence of the crown paid hansomely with a career best win over the aging warrior (still mid-way through his own career). Closing off with losses to Attila Fogas and Lester Ellis, Leglise was a definate star in the 80's.

Best assett. Fkn fit.
Worst assett. Eyes. Hands.

Best win. Jeff Malcolm.
Best Loss. Lester Ellis

 

4 1/2 of them.... Russell Sands was a half brother..

 

None were as great... Not many from any era, from any country, for any reason come even close to Sands at M/W between '48-52.. So, no. Russell was the Feather Champ and Alphie won the ABC M/W Version Aussie title.. (he'd be your favourite,,lol)

 

21. Jerry Jerome

For a bloke who did everything wrong, Jerry remains an icon of the game as one of the true of characters. Beginning 'pay for punch' in his mid 30's, Jerome mixed immediately with the games best. Taking the likes of Ted Whiting and future HoF'r Arthur Cripps the long 20 round journey is enough for this guy's praises so early in the peice. Add the names of 4 Les Darcy opponents and Ed Williams to the resume, not to mention 10 rounds with Sam Langford in an exhibition, the mind boggles as to what might have been if 'Keefy' Ellis had taken control of the clumbsy southpaw in early years. But this is at the turn of last century Jerome was not familiar with training at all. Jerome was no easy beat, and given some modern training tuition I'd believe we'd have seen a World Champion 50 years before Jimmy Carruthers.

Best assett. Endurance. Left hand. Unpredictability.
Worst assett. Lack of technique. No serious interest in fighting.

Best win. Ted Whiting. Albert Scanlon. Arthur Cripps.
Best loss. Ed Williams. Eddie McGoorty. Dave Smith. Billy McNabb. Les O'Donnell