How is/was Randy Turpin viewed in the UK ?

He was before my time.

He's not a household name anymore, apart from in his home town of Warwick, where there is a statue of him in the town centre market Square.

He certainly isn't close to being as big a name as Bobby Charlton to the general public.

Amongst serious boxing fans he's remembered as a very good, but not quite great, fighter, with a truly great win on his ledger.

 

His win over Sugar Ray is probably the. greatest single victory ever by a British boxer.
Alas it was mainly downhill after that.
The obvious distractions after his famous upset, chiefly being the cause.
Check out the documentary on him -
64 Day Hero, should be on YouTube.

 

Largely forgotten now to be honest.

 

I think it's one of the best wins of all time and arguably the best single win in Welterweight division.

Robison was like 121-1 wasn't he ? When Turpin beat him. Turpin also came close to to winning the rematch aswell until Robinson pulled it out.

 

It was at MW mate, though I suspect you know that. SRR was 129-1-2 going into the fight, having beaten the only fighter to have beaten him, on each of the other 5 occasions they fought. Great win for Randy.

 

Not gonna lie I had a brain fart there.

 

Happens to the best of us mate.

 

By the general public true but not by boxing fans.Obviously best remembered for the Robinson win,also sadly for the unfortunate events concerning his death

 

Same here Greg.
Came along before my time, but have read up on the man
Have a lot of respect for the man he pulled off a stunning upset.
And of course that tragic end.

 

In the pantheon of boxers ill equipped to deal, and come to terms with fame and notoriety Turpin reigns supreme, and then some, his life was truly pitiful and immensely sad, from very humble and somewhat poor upbringings he, with the aid of strength and desire, rose to the top of the MW ranks, as a young man he was painfully shy, not helped by a slight stutter, he was destined to box, most of the men in his family took up boxing at some stage, and they all enjoyed a good rate of success, Randy of course being the best of the bunch, Peter Wilson one of the best boxing writers of them all, had this to say about Turpins first fight " it was like watching a hungry Tiger devour a tethered goat " he rose quickly threw the british ranks, Mark Hart matched him at times, just before his fight with Sugar Ray, he was visited by Len Harvey in his dressing room, Len said to him, he has two arms and two legs just like you, don't be subdued, also he told Randy that in the clinches he was to use his superior strength and to clasp Rays wrist with his own very strong hands, and squeeze as hard as he can, this said Harvey will take its toll over the distance, Ray is on record as saying Turpin was the strongest fighter he ever fought, but alas the return fight in America was preceded by Turpin being constantly harassed by the press, stories of loose women being ferried to his hotel room at all hours, it was all too much for the simple almost illiterate fighter, his demise was sad and sort of predicable, always a easy mark, giving and lending money to all and sundry, his health and wealth sliding into abyss, the end was almost a relief for Randy, so yes a sorry tale, but not unusual in the boxing world alas.
stay safe guys.

 

Similar to Honeyghan I'd say. Both won the title vs probably the best pfp fighter in the sport at the time. Turpin's is the bigger win but Lloyd had more fights as champ.

Not many are viewed as highly as the Divine Baldy. You mentioned Jofre/Pele, but Eder was regarded as probably the best pfp fighter of the 1960s, so was much more highly rated than Randy.