Jimmy Walsh (boxer)

Jimmy Walsh (1 January 1913 – 1 January 1964) was a British boxer who was British lightweight champion between 1936 and 1938. He should not be confused with the American World Bantamweight Champion, Jimmy Walsh.

Jimmy Walsh
Statistics
Weight(s)Featherweight, lightweight
NationalityBritish
Born(1913-01-01)1 January 1913
Chester, England
Died1 January 1964(1964-01-01) (aged 51)
Boxing record
Total fights94
Wins71
Wins by KO17
Losses20
Draws2
No contests1

Career

Born in Chester, Walsh made his professional debut in January 1931, a win over Young Curley at Wrexham. After winning his first three fights he suffered his first loss to Frankie Brown in December 1931, losing on points over 10 rounds. Five straight wins followed in 1932, including a points win over Joe Baldersara. He had mixed results over the next year but his fights included a fifth-round knockout of Len Wickwar and a win over Welsh champion Billy Quinlan. In the latter half of 1933 he twice beat Dave Crowley and took a points decision over Aine Gyde, although he ended the year with his second defeat to Sonny Lee.

His first fight of 1934 was a non-title fight in March against British lightweight champion Harry Mizler; Walsh took a 12-round points decision.[1] His next fight was a 15-round points loss to British featherweight champion Seaman Tommy Watson in April.[2] He won his next six fights, including two victories over French (and future European and IBU World) champion Maurice Holtzer.[3] He was beaten on points in October 1934 by NBA World featherweight champion Freddie Miller,[4] but won his next three fights, leading to a British title eliminator against Jimmy Stewart in February 1935; Walsh won on points but would have to wait for his title shot.[5]

He was beaten by George Daly in another eliminator in July 1935 but three months later beat Belgian champion Francois Machtens.[6][7] He won three and lost three of his next six fights, one of the defeats to Nel Tarleton,[8] but in April 1936 finally got his British title shot against defending champion Jack Kid Berg at The Stadium, Liverpool. Walsh had Berg down twice in the first round, and after Berg sprained an ankle in the eighth, the fight was stopped in the ninth with Berg unable to continue.[9][10]

Walsh won his next seven fights in 1936 before making the first defence of his British title against Mizler in October at the Empress Stadium, Earl's Court. The fight went the full 15 rounds, with Walsh retaining the title on points.[11][12] He finished the year with wins over Benny Caplan, Aldo Linz, and George Daly.[13][14]

In November 1936 a fight was agreed between Walsh and defending British Empire champion Laurie Stevens in Johannesburg, with a £1,000 stake, but the fight didn't receive BBBofC sanction and was cancelled.[15][16] In December 1936 Walsh was offered a World title fight by defending champion Lou Ambers, but the fight never took place, with Ambers' demanded terms to fight in the UK described as "ridiculous" by Johnny Best of the National Sporting Club.[17][18]

He fought 14 times in 1937, winning 9 (including a victories over future British welterweight champion Ernie Roderick, Dutch champion Robert Disch, and German champion Albert Esser) and losing 5 (to Wickwar, Mizler, Crowley, Phil Zwick, and George Odwell).[19][20][21][22][23] He won his first 5 fights of 1938 before losing to Eric Boon. He made a second defence of his title in June to Crowley in June, losing it on points.[24] Three months later he announced his retirement from boxing, although it proved to be only a temporary break.[24]

Walsh was out of the ring until March 1939, winning on his return against Johnny Softley.[25] He was unbeaten in four further fights, before retiring for good in 1940. A second fight against Roderick, which had been scheduled for August 1939 was postponed after Roderick suffered a cut eyelid in training.[26]

Walsh married Mary Eileen Jones in Chester in July 1936.[27]

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References
  1. "Mizler Beaten:Chester Featherweight's Surprise". Hull Daily Mail. 23 March 1934. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  2. "Watson Wins Again: Jimmy Walsh Outpointed at Liverpool". Portsmouth Evening News. 27 April 1934. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  3. "Jimmy Walsh: Chester Lad Beats Holtzer on a Foul". Sheffield Independent. 6 September 1934. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  4. "Miller Scores Easy Win: Gains Points Verdict Over Jimmy Walsh". Aberdeen Journal. 19 October 1934. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  5. "Jimmy Walsh, Chester...". Hull Daily Mail. 15 February 1935. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  6. "George Daly...". Western Daily Press. 9 July 1935. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  7. "Jimmy Walsh Hard Pressed: Belgian Champion Fights Well at Sheffield". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 25 October 1935. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  8. "Nel Tarleton...". Western Daily Press. 8 November 1935. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  9. "Kid Berg Defeated: Jimmy Walsh New Lightweight Champion", Sunday Times, 26 April 1936, p. 7S. Retrieved 25 December 2015 via trove.nla.gov.au
  10. Blady, Ken (1990) Jewish Boxer's Hall of Fame, Specialist Press International, ISBN 978-0933503878, p. 282
  11. "Jimmy Walsh: Plans for World and Empire Title Bouts". Gloucestershire Echo. 20 October 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  12. "Jimmy Walsh Retains the Light Weight Title". Sheffield Independent. 20 October 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  13. "Walsh's Quick Win". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 28 November 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  14. "Jimmy Walsh...". Western Daily Press. 8 December 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  15. "Jimmy Walsh to Meet Laurie Stevens". Aberdeen Journal. 2 November 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  16. "Jimmy Walsh Gives Up Idea of a Trip to South Africa". Sheffield Independent. 7 August 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  17. "World Title Fight Offer To Jimmy Walsh". Portsmouth Evening News. 23 December 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  18. "Jimmy Walsh Wants Title Fight: American Champion's "Ridiculous Terms"". Dundee Courier. 26 October 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  19. "Jimmy Walsh: British Champion Beats German Title Holder". Sheffield Independent. 30 November 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  20. "Jimmy Walsh Gets Decision". Aberdeen Journal. 17 September 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  21. "Jimmy Walsh: Win Over Dutch Champion". Sheffield Independent. 26 January 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  22. "Jimmy Walsh Returns". Hull Daily Mail. 17 November 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  23. "Jimmy Walsh Beaten". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 9 July 1937. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  24. "Jimmy Walsh Retires". Gloucestershire Echo. 24 September 1928. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  25. "Jimmy Walsh's Return". British Newspaper Archive. Leicester Daily Mercury. 7 March 1939. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  26. "Big Fight Postponed". Bristol Evening Post. 21 August 1939. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  27. "Jimmy Walsh...". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 27 July 1936. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
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