Contents Author’s Note. .10 . Foreword . 11. Acknowledgements . .12 . Introduction . 13 1. The Incredible Mr Reeve . 15. 2. Indelible Echoes . 17. 3. The Lesser-Known Patterson . 19. 4. ‘Smashing, Dashing, Crashing Kid’ . 21. 5. Empire King . .23 . 6. Once Is Not Enough. .25 . 7. The First Man to KO Cockell . 27. 8. Manchester Memories . 29 9. Craftsman Cullen . 31 10. When Foster Fought Finnegan . 33 11. McAvoy puts ‘Babe’ to Sleep . .35 . 12. ‘Terrible Terence’s’ TV milestone . 37 13. The English Carnera . .39 . 14. The Spectacular Life of John Gully. .41 . 15. Ten Years a Champion . 43 16. How Winstone Got his Cauliflower . 45 17. Like Mother, Like Son . 47. 18. Memorialised . .49 . 19. Floored by Flames. 51. 20. Premierland . .53 . 21. Glencross and ‘the Mini- Ali’. .55 . 22. Unbeatable . 57 23. Boxing Booth Memories . 59 24. Rudkin and the ‘Cold- eyed Killer’ . 61 25. Gloved Dynamite . 63 26. Schooled by a Cuban Legend . 65 27. Sid Nathan, 1922–2016 . 67. 28. Nicky’s Trip to the Top . 69 29. Panama Al Brown in Britain . 71. 30. Memories of a Fairground Legend . 73 31. Happy 80th, Terry Downes . 75 32. The NSC’s Last Hurrah . 77. 33. ‘The Tipton Slasher’ . .79 . 34. Punching Pitman . 81 35. The Last Brit to Face Ali . 83 36. Caldwell Immortalised in Bronze . 85 37. Pompey Boxing Heroes . 87. 38. Mystery Man Sam. 89. 39. Dangerous Dan . 91. 40. ‘Gunboat’ and ‘the Orchid Man’. 93. 41. Richmond Unchained . 95. 42. Only the Brave . 97 43. You Only Fight Twice . .99 . 44. The Forgotten Weights . 101 45. Farewell, Dai Dower . 103. 46. Genuine Sheffield Steel . .105 . 47. Randolph’s Castle . 107 48. Mighty Middles . 109 49. Catford’s Welsh Dragon . .111 . 50. ‘Nippy Needham’ . .113 . 51. Benny’s Hardest Fight . .115 . 52. KO’d by Hitler . 117. 53. Miracle Man . 119 54. ‘Peerless’ Jim’s Last Stand . 121. 55. Globetrotting Great . 123 56. Graveyard of Champions . 125. 57. ‘Smiling’ Sammy. 127. 58. Jimmy Tippett, 1932–2016 . 132. 59. Lancaster’s ‘Toy Bulldog’ . .134 . 60. Lonsdale’s First Belt. 136. 61. Undervalued . 138 62. Campaign for ‘Newport’s Rocky’ . 140 63. The Chalton Ring . 142 64. ‘Inkredible’ Ike . 144. 65. Lennie ‘the Lion’ Williams, RIP. .146 . 66. Portsmouth Plaque . 148 67. The Showbiz Collector Strikes Back . 150 68. The Genius of Jimmy Wilde. 152. 69. Happy 75th, Vic Andreetti. 154. 70. Boxing Booths of the Swinging ’60s . 156 71. The Playwright and the ‘Professor’. 158. 72. Harold’s History . 160 73. Lagos Liverpudlian . 162 74. Danny’s US Invasion . 164. 75. Born Entertainer. .166 . 76. Fighting Greb . 168. 77. Voice of Brighton Boxing. .170 . 78. Greb in Great Britain . 172 79. Gardner vs Sykes . .174 . 80. Undercover Pro . .176 . 81. Hughie Smith, 1923–2017 . 178 82. Teddy’s 90-year Anniversary . 180 83. Turpin in Bournemouth . 182 84. Battling Barbara . .184 . 85. The Promoter who Vanished . .188 . 86. Winstone vs Carroll. 190. 87. ‘Boy’ Done Good. .192 . 88. Mountain Men . 194. 89. Len’s Farewell Fight . 195. 90. Mauled by the ‘Toy Bulldog’. 197. 91. Tommy’s Toon Bar. .199 . 92. Crowd Rage. .201 . 93. Ali in Ireland . .203 . 94. One of a Kind. .205 . 95. Cauliflower Famine. .207 . 96. Fred’s Gym . 209 97. Light-fly Pioneer. .211 . 98. A True Professional . 213 99. Joe’s Belt . 215. 100. Portsmouth Monument. .217 . 101. The Two That Got Away . 218 102. Peter Fallon, 1928–2017 . .219 . 103. From Boxing to Business. .221 . 104. Monocled Mauler . 223 105. A Belting Idea . 225. 106. Vintage Downes . 227 107. ‘Palace of Punch’. 229. 108. Mile End Arena . .231 . 109. Heavyweight Pioneer. 233. 110. Brown’s Belt. .235 . 111. Trailblazer . .237 . 112. Corbett Remembered. 239. 113. Remember the Name . 241 114. Famechon Honoured . 243 115. The Champion and the Child . .245 . 116. Digger’s Sad Tale . .251 . 117. A Remarkable Life. .253 . 118. Liston in Newcastle . 255. 119. Conteh’s Longest Round . 257 120. The KO Queen . 259 121. ‘The Liverpool Dane’ . 261. 122. South Coast Mr Boxing. .263 . 123. Miracle Men . 265. 124. Gangster Tales . 267 125. Long Arm of the Law . 269 126. A Tragic Tale . 271 127. Ricky’s Rocky Road . 274 128. Porter’s Second Act . 276 129. The Tragic Champion. 278. 130. Hollywood Heavyweight. .280 . 131. ‘The Fighting Bus Conductor’ . 282 132. Lost Traditions. 284. Index. .286 . Author’s Note Unwittingly, I began writing this book in September 2015, after receiving an email from Boxing News editor Matt Christie. Matt wanted to reintroduce a regular boxing history column to the magazine, and wondered if I’d like to be the author. I had two boxing books to my name but no real journalistic experience, so Matt was taking a chance on me. For me, though, it was an offer too good to turn down, an opportunity to write for British boxing’s ‘trade magazine’ about a subject I.