The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

Is Herol "Bomber" Graham really the best British boxer never to win a world title? Read on and decide for yourself...

"Peerless" Jim Driscoll

Birth date 15th December 1880
Division Featherweight
Stance orthodox
Height 5′ 4½″ / 164cm
Reach 66½″ / 169cm
Alias Jem Driscoll
Country Wales
Residence Cardiff
Birth place Cardiff

How many boxers would have 100,000 lining the streets at their funeral today? For that matter, how many stars of any field would command such respect from the general public? But that's exactly what happened when "Peerless" passed away on 30th January 1925 aged just 44 years of age. In a time when news travelled slowly, literally half of the population of Cardiff turned up to send their hero Driscoll off.

Driscoll grew up in the tough neighbourhood of the Cardiff docks where his father died when Jim was just 7 months old. Driscoll knew tough poverty and when he was old enough, started in the boxing booths of South Wales, much like Jimmy Wilde and Tommy Farr did later. Driscoll would take of people of all shapes and sizes whilst honing his defensive skills against bigger, stronger men. His defensive skills and elusiveness were to be his major attributes but he could also mix it with the best of them. There are stories about Driscoll's elusiveness. Legend has it that he would challenge anyone to hit him on the nose while he stood on a handkerchief with his hands tied behind his back! At the age of 17, Jim was earning a sovereign a week from boxing. Jack Scarott (infamous for running the booths) added a silver crown to each purse by tying the teenager's hands behind his back and offering a gold sovereign to anyone who could hit the courageous Driscoll on the nose inside a minute. The money was safe.

After losing only one fight, against Harry Mansfield in a hotly disputed decision, Jim fought for the British featherweight title, in 1906, against the reigning champion Joe Bowker. Although the fight went the full distance of 15 rounds, Bowker was hopelessly outclassed by Driscoll and went down to a points defeat. Jim Driscoll inexplicably gave up his title but the following year met Joe Bowker again for the Featherweight Championship of Great Britain - this time knocking Bowker out in the 17th round to become a two-time British Champion. The next year, 1908, saw Jim avenge his only defeat to date by defeating Harry Mansfield over 6 rounds and taking the Empire title by defeating Charles Griffin over 15 rounds (this fight was also billed as being for the British version of the World Featherweight Title).

In 1908, Driscoll set sail for the promised land of America where he fought, outclassed and beat all that America had to offer. After 9 wins in 4 months, pressure mounted on then World Champion Abe Attell to fight Driscoll. However, Attell refused to put his world title on the line and forced the contest to be just a 10 round contest where the rules stated that if a boxer was not knocked out then the fight was declared a no-decision. Almost every American newspaper reporter present gave Driscoll the verdict with Nat Fleischer commenting that 'Driscoll was easily the best. The Welshman easily outpointed Atell and virtually took his title away from him. He definitely proved, as far as I am concerned, that he was the best featherweight in the world'.

Jim peppered Abe constantly with his perfect straight left while evading with ease any offerings from the champion, this continued over the course of the entire fight, with observers later stating that Jim had won every round. It is widely acknowledged that had there been a decision that night then Wales, and the world, would have heralded a new World Champion.

Jim was offered a return fight with the world title at stake but before leaving Wales had promised to box in an exhibition bout at the Nazareth House Orphanage annual charity show. Being a true gentleman he sailed back to Wales the following day to honor his promise, effectively giving up his chance to become a World Champion before he would break the promise he had given.

On his return to Wales he was given a heroes welcome - he was carried shoulder high through the cheering throng to his home in Newtown. As far as the Welsh were concerned he WAS the World Champion. Indeed, much of Europe recognised Jim Driscoll as THE World Featherweight Champion and he was billed as such. To this day the nuns of Nazareth House tend his grave.

Jim's next fight was against Seaman Hayes which was won in 6 rounds whereby Jim was presented with the very first featherweight Lord Lonsdale belt and once again became the British Featherweight Champion.. Later that year a controversial chapter in Jim Driscoll's career took place when he fought against his fellow countryman Freddie Welsh. Freddie Welsh was at the time the British Lightweight Champion and already recognized as a world class fighter ( he went on to become World Lightweight Champion). Welsh and Driscoll were great friends but in the build up to the fight the friendship did not last surrounded by all the hype that generated from their respective fans and the press. Sadly, it became a grudge fight between the two Welshmen.

Two world class fighters of tremendous skill facing each other was surely going to prove a feast for ardent boxing purists. It was not to be. Freddie Welsh adopted rough house tactics and did everything he could to stop Jim from boxing, by legal or illegal means. Jim appealed to the referee on several occasions to no avail- Freddie was holding and hitting to the kidneys amongst various other transgressions of the rules - until in the tenth round he could take no more of Freddie's illegal tactics, losing his patience Jim butted Freddie Welsh full in the face giving the referee no alternative but to immediately disqualify him. Jim was deeply upset by the outcome and pleaded for a return but a rematch never took place.

Spike Robson was defeated in 7 rounds in Driscoll's next fight giving him the first ownership of a Lord Lonsdale belt. By now though the Peerless One was not a well man, suffering ill health. It was purely because of his superior skill that he was able to continue and took the European title by defeating Jean Posey in 12 rounds.

The First World War broke out in 1914, Jim joined the Armed Forces and did not box for 6 years. After a couple of comeback fights Peerless Jim Driscoll stepped in to the ring for the last time in a failed attempt to beat Charles Ledoux, who was considered to be the best featherweight in the world at this time. It was not a wise decision but Jim was not to resist a last big pay day. Ledoux was 11 years younger than Driscoll, at his peak and a rough all-action type of fighter. To make matters even worse Jim had been taken ill four days before the fight and climbed into the ring a very sick man. It was apparent to all at ringside that Jim was indeed a sick man, he looked aged, grey-haired and haggard. Reports on this fight vary with some saying that once the fight had started Jim Driscoll gave a display for 15 rounds of what many consider to be the finest display of classical boxing ever witnessed. He hit Ledoux at will, danced around the ring bobbing and weaving, feinting, jabbing - displaying all his old ring craft. At the end of the eighth round even Ledoux joined in the applause for the brilliant Welsh master. For 15 rounds it was a totally one sided fight, Ledoux could not place a telling punch on Driscoll. For one last time The Master was at work.

It was unfortunate that the fight was over 20 rounds, not the 15 rounds that Driscoll had wanted. After dominating the fight totally for 15 rounds Jim Driscoll was now hopelessly tired. Ledoux connected with a wild right hook to the body of The Master toward the end of the 15th round but did not follow up, such was his surprise at actually striking his opponent. Had he followed up the fight would have ended there and then as Jim was all but out on his feet. Desperately Jim's corner tried to revive him and persuade him not to go out for the next round but Jim would not hear of it. At the sound of the bell Jim staggered to his feet. Before a punch was landed Driscoll's corner threw in the towel - it was to be the very end.

More than 70 years after his death, Peerless Jim was still raising money for Nazareth House. His nephew presented Jim’s Welsh Silver Belt and Certificate of Appreciation from the Assault of Arms Committee to the Welsh Hall of Fame, at the Museum of Welsh Life, St ***ans. A pair of boxing gloves, presented to Driscoll by Abe Atell, were also included in the presentation. The Hall of Fame Committee presented Nazareth House with a cheque in appreciation of the gifts.

So again, who is the best British boxer to never win a world title?

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I'm an unashamed Peerless Jim hugger.

 

He's fascinating - Although reports vary wildly about his last fight against Ledoux. Some say he was outclassing him all the way through - others say that he got battered. I suspect it's somewhere in between the extremes and he showed flashes of brilliance but not consistantly.

 

That's a cracking piece PoW :good

 

Footage used to be on youtube.

One of my favourite pieces on this thread, thanks, Driscoll is top 5 British ATG :good

Mand' that is a ****ing excellent account of one of the best fighters from a stacked era of lightweights. Sadly, I've never come across any footage of him.

 

I've done him :yep

 

Plagiarism is not cool (you know who you are) :nono

 

THIS!!!

Geez, I'm not claiming myself to be anything special, but nearly every single one of these make my ones look like absolute toilet.

 

I've not seen it - what are your thoughts on the fight?

 

Driscoll got battered by the looks of it, admittedly it was only the end of the fight, and he was well past his best, it means little in the grand scheme of things.

 

Oh yeahatsch good post

Nevermind, may do either Julian Jackson or Whitaker next:good

 

Ooh, both are very good choices for completely different reasons :thumbsup