Johnny Williams (boxer)

Johnny Williams (25 December 1926 in Barmouth – 28 January 2007) was a Welsh professional boxer in the 1940s and 1950s and was at one time both the British and Empire heavyweight champion.

This article is about the British professional boxer. For other people with the same name, see John Williams (disambiguation).
Johnny Williams
Statistics
Real nameJohnny Williams
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Nationality Welsh
Born(1926-12-25)25 December 1926
Barmouth, Wales
Died28 January 2007(2007-01-28) (aged 80)
Boxing record
Total fights75
Wins60
Wins by KO38
Losses11
Draws4
No contests0

Life and career

Born in Barmouth, Wales, Williams grew up in Rugby, England, his family having moved there when he was a toddler. He started to box from the age of 10.[1] He turned professional in 1946 and was known for his scientific approach in the ring, with one of his greatest fights being a bout with Jack Gardner on 17 July 1950 in Leicester. It was a Commonwealth title eliminator fight and he lost on points, and according to the BBC it was rated as one of the most grueling bouts ever staged in Britain and left both boxers requiring a night in hospital.[2]

Two years later on March 11 1952, Williams had his finest hour, when in a rematch with Gardner, he won the 15 round fight, claiming both the British and Empire Heavyweight titles. However the following year he lost these titles to Don Cockell.[3]

Williams made an attempt at winning back the titles in 1955, but was defeated in a fifth-round knockout by Gardner.[4][3]

Williams retired in 1956 with 60 wins, 38 by knockout, 11 losses and 4 draws, and began a career as a farmer at Newton near Rugby.[3]

He died on 28 January 2007 survived by his wife and daughter.[3]

Professional boxing record
60 Wins (38 knockouts, 22 decisions), 11 Losses (6 knockouts, 5 decisions), 4 Draws
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 33-9 Joe Bygraves TKO 6 16/11/1956 Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Loss 28-0-1 Joe Erskine PTS 15 27/08/1956 Maindy Stadium, Cardiff BBBofC Heavyweight Title.
Loss 26-4-1 Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson TKO 4 13/04/1956 Uline Arena, Washington, District of Columbia Referee stopped the bout at 2:49 of the fourth round.
Draw 45-5-1 Willi Hoepner PTS 10 04/02/1956 Festhalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hesse
Win 23-3-2 Kitione Lave TKO 1 26/07/1955 Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, West Midlands
Loss 26-5 Jack Gardner KO 5 06/06/1955 Nottingham Ice Stadium, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title Eliminators.
Win 7-4-1 Lucien Touzard TKO 3 18/04/1955 Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
Win 13-2-1 Hennie Quentemeijer KO 2 05/03/1955 Newtown, Powys
Win 12-3-1 Roger Francis Coeuret TKO 4 10/12/1954 Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Win 15-2 "Miracle" Jack Hobbs TKO 7 14/09/1954 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London BBBofC Heavyweight Title Eliminator.
Win 14-3-10 Hugo Salfeld PTS 10 04/04/1954 Stadion Rote Erde, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 42-4-6 Gerhard Hecht KO 2 22/01/1954 Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Berlin
Win 4-4-1 Bernard Verdoolaeghe PTS 10 10/11/1953 Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London
Win 28-7 Fred Powell KO 2 05/10/1953 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 59-11-1 Don Cockell PTS 15 12/05/1953 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
Win 15-11-1 Ansell Adams PTS 10 13/04/1953 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 25-1-4 Heinz Neuhaus KO 9 15/02/1953 Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 23-2-4 Werner Wiegand KO 5 10/12/1952 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 20-2 John Duncan Arthur TKO 7 13/10/1952 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire Commonwealth Heavyweight Title.
Win 13-13-7 Jimmy Rouse TKO 7 22/07/1952 Meadowbrook Bowl, Newark, New Jersey
Win 22-4 Jack Gardner PTS 15 11/03/1952 Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
Win 46-15 Omelio Agramonte PTS 10 04/12/1951 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Draw 21-0-3 Heinz Neuhaus PTS 10 14/10/1951 Stadion Rote Erde, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia
Win 28-8-1 Jo Weidin TKO 6 05/06/1951 White City Stadium, White City, London
Win 17-3 Aaron Wilson PTS 8 27/03/1951 Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London
Win 29-5-4 Reg Andrews KO 2 19/03/1951 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Loss 42-21-5 Bill Weinberg TKO 6 12/12/1950 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 19-2 George Kaplan TKO 7 14/11/1950 Earls Court Arena, Kensington, London
Loss 19-2 Jack Gardner PTS 12 17/07/1950 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title Eliminators.
Loss 72-11-2 Pat Comiskey TKO 6 06/06/1950 White City Stadium, White City, London
Win 23-11 Vern Escoe PTS 10 28/02/1950 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London Commonwealth Heavyweight Title Eliminator.
Win 18-8 Lloyd Barnett PTS 10 20/02/1950 Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 18-10 Piet Wilde KO 4 24/01/1950 Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London
Win 19-8-1 Stephane Olek PTS 8 06/09/1949 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 17-8 Piet Wilde PTS 10 17/08/1949 Coney Beach Pleasure Park, Porthcawl
Win 11-4 Paddy Slavin TKO 3 20/06/1949 St Andrew's Stadium, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 10-5-1 Nils Andersson PTS 8 02/06/1949 White City Stadium, White City, London
Win 23-8-4 Ken Shaw TKO 8 19/04/1949 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win 14-6-2 Nick Wolmarans TKO 4 29/01/1949 Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Win 3-3-1 Billy Wood KO 4 16/12/1948 City Hall, Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal
Win 10-6 Fred Vorster PTS 8 06/11/1948 Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Win 17-9-3 Jock Frederick Taylor PTS 6 21/09/1948 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 22-13-7 Reg Spring TKO 6 02/09/1948 Exeter Civic Hall, Exeter, Devon
Win 32-4-1 Don Cockell TKO 2 27/07/1948 Embassy Rink, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 7-12 Gene "KO" Fowler KO 3 22/06/1948 St James Park, Exeter, Devon
Loss 28-4-1 Don Cockell PTS 8 18/05/1948 Highfield Road, Coventry, West Midlands
Win 6-0 Bobby Ogg PTS 6 20/04/1948 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 1-0 Sid Falconer RTD 3 11/03/1948 Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands
Win 1-0 Billy Phillips TKO 3 17/02/1948 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 21-3 Allan Cooke TKO 1 12/02/1948 Hull Arena, Hull, Yorkshire
Win 12-12-3 Matt Locke KO 1 26/01/1948 Coventry Drill Hall, Coventry, West Midlands
Win 13-13-1 Des Jones PTS 8 15/01/1948 Rink Market, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands
Loss 14-10-6 Reg Spring PTS 8 02/12/1947 Co-op Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win 4-1 Doug Richards PTS 8 24/11/1947 Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Win 7-7 George Barratt TKO 3 10/11/1947 Coventry, West Midlands
Win 9-7-1 Jimmy Carroll KO 5 03/11/1947 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 27-27-7 Trevor Burt KO 2 16/09/1947 Battery Drill Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win 7-6 Jimmy Carroll TKO 5 12/08/1947 Wembley Town Hall, Wembley, London
Win -- Bernard O'Neill TKO 2 07/07/1947 Wembley Town Hall, Wembley, London
Draw 26-7-5 Johnny Houlston PTS 8 16/06/1947 Corporation Bus Depot, Newport
Win 41-59-5 Paddy Roche TKO 7 03/04/1947 Leamington, Warwickshire
Win 2-1 Jock Kerry TKO 5 24/03/1947 Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 2-2 Wally With PTS 8 19/03/1947 Caledonian Road Baths, Islington, London
Win 2-3 Art Owen TKO 6 24/02/1947 Kettering, Northamptonshire
Win 19-42-6 Ted Barter KO 3 10/02/1947 Oxford Town Hall, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Win 2-2-2 Tommy Bostock TKO 4 09/12/1946 Assembly Rooms, Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Win 0-1 Joe Burt PTS 8 04/11/1946 Birmingham, West Midlands
Draw 12-3-4 Jim Greaves PTS 8 21/10/1946 Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 7-2-1 Jim Hollis PTS 6 24/09/1946 Embassy Rink, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 12-17-2 Harry O'Grady KO 4 04/06/1946 Battery Drill Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire
Win -- Joe Williams PTS 8 15/04/1946 Birmingham, West Midlands
Win 5-4 "Seaman" Tom Smith TKO 5 01/04/1946 Birmingham, West Midlands
Win -- Michael Guerin KO 1 26/02/1946 Co-op Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire Guerin knocked out at 1:40 of the first round.
Win 2-3 "Seaman" Tom Smith PTS 6 15/02/1946 Crossington Street Baths, Leicester, Leicestershire
Win 1-0 Billy Rhodes PTS 6 12/02/1946 Crossington Street Baths, Leicester, Leicestershire

See also

References
  1. "Johnny Williams". Welsh Boxers. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. "Ex-British champion Williams dies". BBC.co.uk. 6 February 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  3. "Obituaries: Johnny Williams". The Telegraph. 5 February 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  4. "Uk: Boxing: Gardner V Williams: 1955". British Pathé. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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