Johnny Famechon
Encyclopedia
Johnny Famechon, born 28 March 1945, is a former Australia
n featherweight
boxer
, who was born as Jean-Pierre Famechon in Paris, France.
He moved to Australia in 1950 at the age of five. Over his twenty-year career he developed a reputation for being a skilled boxer whose strength was his defence. His career record of 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses.
His first major win was over Les Dunn to become Victorian Featherweight champion in 1964, then he was Commonwealth
featherweight
champion in 1967 after defeating the Scot, Johnny O'Brien
. He became WBC
featherweight
champion on 21 January 1969 after he defeated the Cuban Jose Legra
on points at the Albert Hall
in London.
He defended his WBC featherweight title against Fighting Harada
of Japan and won in a controversial points decision.
In the rematch for the world title, against Harada in Japan six months later, Famechon decisively won the fight by knocking Harada out in the fourteenth round.
He defended his WBC title on 9 May 1970 in Rome to Mexican icente Saldivar) and after losing the fight in a close points decision, he retired soon afterwards.
He was trained by Ambrose Palmer
throughout his professional career and never fought as an amateur.
He lives in Melbourne
, Australia - part of the time in the suburb of Aspendale
.
In 1971, he wrote an autobiography
called Fammo.
Famechon was the first Melburnian to become King of Moomba in 1970 when appointed by the Moomba
festival committee.
In 1991 he was badly injured when hit by a car whilst jogging outside Sydney's arwick Farm racecourse], which resulted in horrific injuries.
In December 1993 Ragnar Purje introduced himself to John and his fiance Glenys Bussey. Ragnar informed John and Glenys that he had a theory pertaining to Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation. Ragnar explained that his theory was formulated through his extensive Goju Karate studies and training as well as his academic training in psychology, counselling, physical education and sport science.
With encouragement from John, Glenys and John's personal physician, Ragnar began applying his theory and his Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation almost immediately.
The program was intense and demanding. After three months of this program John took his first steps. From there John has never looked back. John now walks with the aid of a walking stick and his speech and memory have improved. Following his accident, John informed Glenys that he would not marry her until he could walk her down the aisle. John walked down the aisle with Glenys when he married her in June 1997.
John Famechon was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame
in Los Angeles
in 1997.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, who was born as Jean-Pierre Famechon in Paris, France.
He moved to Australia in 1950 at the age of five. Over his twenty-year career he developed a reputation for being a skilled boxer whose strength was his defence. His career record of 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses.
His first major win was over Les Dunn to become Victorian Featherweight champion in 1964, then he was Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion in 1967 after defeating the Scot, Johnny O'Brien
Johnny O'Brien
John Thomas O'Brien is a former backup second baseman and pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves . O'Brien batted and threw right-handed...
. He became WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion on 21 January 1969 after he defeated the Cuban Jose Legra
José Legrá
Jose Legrá is a former professional boxer in the Featherweight division.Legrá is a former two time WBC World Featherweight Champion.-Professional career:...
on points at the Albert Hall
Albert Hall
Albert P. Hall is an American actor.Born in Brighton, Alabama, Hall graduated from the Columbia University School of the Arts in 1971. That same year he appeared Off-Broadway in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and on Broadway in the Melvin Van Peebles musical Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death...
in London.
He defended his WBC featherweight title against Fighting Harada
Fighting Harada
Masahiko Harada , better known as Fighting Harada, is a former world boxing champion. He is currently the president of the Japanese boxing commission....
of Japan and won in a controversial points decision.
In the rematch for the world title, against Harada in Japan six months later, Famechon decisively won the fight by knocking Harada out in the fourteenth round.
He defended his WBC title on 9 May 1970 in Rome to Mexican icente Saldivar) and after losing the fight in a close points decision, he retired soon afterwards.
He was trained by Ambrose Palmer
Ambrose Palmer
Ambrose Palmer was an Australian rules footballer who played for Footscray in the VFL, making his debut as a rover for Footscray in the 1933 season....
throughout his professional career and never fought as an amateur.
He lives in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia - part of the time in the suburb of Aspendale
Aspendale
Aspendale may refer to*Aspendale, Victoria in Australia*Aspendale in Delaware, U.S.A....
.
In 1971, he wrote an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
called Fammo.
Famechon was the first Melburnian to become King of Moomba in 1970 when appointed by the Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
festival committee.
In 1991 he was badly injured when hit by a car whilst jogging outside Sydney's arwick Farm racecourse], which resulted in horrific injuries.
In December 1993 Ragnar Purje introduced himself to John and his fiance Glenys Bussey. Ragnar informed John and Glenys that he had a theory pertaining to Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation. Ragnar explained that his theory was formulated through his extensive Goju Karate studies and training as well as his academic training in psychology, counselling, physical education and sport science.
With encouragement from John, Glenys and John's personal physician, Ragnar began applying his theory and his Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation almost immediately.
The program was intense and demanding. After three months of this program John took his first steps. From there John has never looked back. John now walks with the aid of a walking stick and his speech and memory have improved. Following his accident, John informed Glenys that he would not marry her until he could walk her down the aisle. John walked down the aisle with Glenys when he married her in June 1997.
John Famechon was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame
World Boxing Hall of Fame
The World Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Riverside, California, United States, in Southern California. The WBHF is one of two recognized international boxing halls of fame with the other being the International Boxing Hall of Fame , with the IBHOF being the more widely recognized...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1997.
Reference sources
- Talk to Johnny Famechon / Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame