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Were they world title defences when Tommy Burns knocked out two
opponents on the same night?
Eric Keeley, Doncaster
THE JUDGE: Tommy
Bums ko'd Jim O'Brien and Jim Walker in one round each in San Diego on
the evening of 28 March 1906. They were exhibition bouts.
Was Rocky Marciano the only undefeated world heavyweight champion?
Geoff Horncastle, Luton
THE JUDGE: Rocky
Marciano was the only world heavyweight champion to end his entire
career undefeated (49 fights, 49 wins). Gene Tunney retired as unbeaten
champion, but suffered one defeat as a light-heavyweight against Harry
Grebb. James J. Jeffries and Joe Louis retired as unbeaten heavyweight
champions, but were beaten in comeback title fights.
What was the result when Joe Bugner fought Jack Bodell and which titles were at stake?
Bernard Holsgrove, Brighton
THE JUDGE: Bodell
outpointed Bugner over 15 rounds in a European, Commonwealth and
British heavyweight title fight at Wembley Arena on 27 September 1971.
Bugner was making his first defence of the titles taken from Henry
Cooper in a controversial contest six months earlier.
Which British champion was nicknamed the Dartford Destroyer?
Terry Myers, Cambridge
THE
JUDGE: Dave Charnley, who was European, Commonwealth and British
lightweight champion from 1957 to 1965. Born in Dartford, Kent, on
October 10 1935, he twice made unsuccessful world title challenges
against Joe 'Old Bones' Brown - stopped on a cut eye in Houston, Texas,
in 1959, and narrowly outpointed over 15 rounds at Earls Court in 1961.
Stocky southpaw Dave, undoubtedly one of Britain's all-time great
lightweight champions, stopped the veteran American in six rounds in a
non-title fight at Manchester on February 25 1963.
Where was Chris Eubank born, and where did he start his
professional career?
Mick Nathanson, West Drayton
THE
JUDGE: Showman Chris was born in Dulwich on 8 August 1966, but he spent
his teenage years in New York. He turned professional while in the
United States and had his first five fights in Atlantic City, winning
each of them on points over four rounds between October 1985 and March
1987. He made his British debut with a first round stoppage against
Darren Parker at Copthome, West Sussex, on 15 February 1988.
How many professional fights did Henry Cooper have, and did he ever box abroad?
Monty Trow, Market Harborough
THE JUDGE: Sir Henry's record (1954-71): Fights 55, W40, L 14, D 1.
He
won 27 inside the distance, and was stopped eight times, with five
defeats caused by eye injuries. Henry fought abroad five times:
Stockholm (1957: lko5 v Ingemar Johansson), Dortmund twice (1957: wpts
10 v Hans Kalbfelll, 1958: drew10 v Heinz Neuhaus), Frankfurt (1958:
ldisq6 v Erich Schoeppner) and Rome (1969: wko5 Piero Tomasoni).
The
disqualification against Schoeppner came as Henry and his manager Jim
'The Bishop' Wicks celebrated what they thought was a knock out
victory. Schoeppner was being carried out of the ring on a stretcher
when it was announced that Henry had been disqualified for a rabbit
punch. "It was a complete robbery," Sir Henry told The Judge. "He was
out on his feet and turned his back on me as I threw the final punch.
It was as clean a knock out punch as you could wish to see, but they
were not going to let me leave that stadium with a victory over the
local hero. As for the draw against Neuhaus ... I promise you that I
won at least seven of the ten rounds!"
Did Randolph Turpin ever fight Don Cockell and, if so, for which title?
Peter Martin, Worcester
THE
JUDGE: Turpin stopped Cockell in 11 rounds in a British and Empire
light-heavyweight title fight at London's White City on 10 June 1952.
How long did Randolph Turpin hold the world middleweight title?
J. Squires, Hackney
THE
JUDGE: Sixty-four days. He took the championship from Sugar Ray
Robinson with a I5 rounds points victory at Earls Court, London, on 10
July 1951, and was stopped in the last seconds of the 10th round in the return at the Polo Grounds, New York, on 12 September.
Who were the contestants in the first world title fight staged in Las Vegas? Tommy Hargreaves, Leeds
THE JUDGE: It is often misreported
that the Jack Johnson-Jim Flynn contest in 1912 was the first to be
staged in the gambling city of Las Vegas, Nevada. But they actually
fought in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The first world title fight in Las
Vegas, Nevada, was the welterweight contest in which Benny (Kid) Paret
outpointed Don Jordan on 27 May 1960. It has since, of course, taken
over from New York City as the main location for world heavyweight
title fights.
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