Boxing in Wales
Encyclopedia
Boxing
is a popular sport in Wales
, and since the early 20th century Wales has produced a notable number of professional boxers including several World Champions. The most notable boxers include Wales' first World Champion Percy Jones
; Jimmy Wilde
, who is seen as pound-for-pound one of the World's finest boxers and Joe Calzaghe
, who ended his career an undefeated World Champion.
visited Swansea and 1819 saw exhibition bouts stage by two of England's greatest bare-knuckle boxers
, Tom Cribb
and Tom Spring
.
The opening of the South Wales Valleys to industrialisation in the 1800s saw a large influx of commercial immigration. This was followed by an improved transport network, which in turn allowed larger crowds, and larger wagers, to be brought to the sport of boxing. When the Taff Vale Railway
was extended to Merthyr Tydfil
in 1840, the locals celebrated by a contest between Cyfarthfa
champion John Nash, and Merthyr hardman Shoni Sguborfawr.
In 1867, Wales made its first major contribution to boxing, when Llanelli
born sportsman and sport organiser John Graham Chambers
devised and drafted the Queensbury Rules
, the basic code to which boxing still practices under to this day. Although boxing now had its legitimate code of laws, Wales would often be the location of illegal bare-knuckled fights, and there would be known mountainside locations where locals would meet to watch fights. By the early 20th century, boxing had not advanced to a great degree in Wales, and many of the country's early professional boxers began their career fighting in booths at fairgrounds. With the popularity of the sport increasing, a scale of weights and titles evolved, which allowed the emergence of working-class local heroes.
produced more champions during this period than any region of a comparable size in the world. The champions included three boxers from the Rhondda
; Tom Thomas
of Penygraig
, Percy Jones
of Porth
and Jimmy Wilde
from Tylorstown
, and Pontypridd's own Freddie Welsh
and Frank Moody
. All these boxers fought with a particular 'Welsh' stance, upright, and using a combination of fast two-fisted attacks. Of these fighters, Jimmy Wilde stands out as a true great of World boxing, whose diminutive stature and light frame hid an incredible punching power, that was reflected in one of his nicknames, 'The Ghost with the Hammer in his Hand'. Wilde fought over 150 professional bouts, losing just five, and achieved 99 knockouts. Although the coalfields and ironworks of South Wales produced notable fighters, other areas of South Wales also produced memorable fighters. The darling of Cardiff
was 'Peerless' Jim Driscoll
, who took the featherweight Lonsdale belt in 1910. Other boxers who were able to translate success in Britain abroad, included Gipsy Daniels
who fought at Madison Square Garden
and Bill Beynon
who took the Empire Bantamweight title.
In April 1928 the Welsh Boxing Association and Control Board was set up to regulate championships and ensure the safety of the boxers in Wales. It initially attempted to remain independent of the British Boxing Board of Control
(BBBC), with whom it had had some disputes, but by 1929 it had amalgamated with the newly reconstituted BBBC, and after that Welsh boxing was managed by the Welsh Area Council. The Welsh Board set about forming a championship for each weight division, and by 1929 all eight weights had a recognised Welsh champion. With the championship formed, the titles could now only be won in a Board of Control designated contest. Although Wales was now recognised within the BBBC as one of the eight areas of their control, the Welsh champions were regarded as representing their country rather than just an administrative area.
Despite the popularity of team sports in Wales such as rugby union
and football, boxing as a solo sport was integral to regional culture in Wales and extremely popular with the working classes. Even when Welsh economics fortunes slumped during the depression in the 1930s, boxing retained popular support, even though the number of world championship titles faded. Two Welsh boxers of note emerged during this period, Jack Petersen
, who won the British Heavyweight Championship on two occasions and the 'Tonypandy Terror', Tommy Farr
, who took the Empire heavyweight crown. Although Farr never achieved the success of previous Welsh boxers, his struggle as a professional fighter, especially his 1937 15 round defeat to Joe Louis
, was seen to mirror the struggle of the Welsh workers.
Post World War II, Wales produced another round of championship contenders, though as with the previous decade they failed to emulate the Welsh boxers of the 1920s. Ronnie James
of Pontardawe
, Dai Dower
of Abercynon
and Colin Jones of Gorseinon
. The later half of the 20th century saw a string of Welsh boxers who engaged the Welsh psyche, with a centred group of fighters coming from the Merthyr area. These Merthyr boxers included welterweight Eddie Thomas
, featherweight Howard Winstone
and bantamweight Johnny Owen
, who lost his life in a fight against Lupe Pintor
in 1980.
Welsh boxing in the twentieth century produced a number of notable light and middle weight boxers, but failed to have a similar impact on the heavyweight categories, which was not reflective of the rest of the United Kingdom. The notable exceptions to this were the Dick Richardson
of Newport and Joe Erskine from Cardiff, who, along with England's Henry Cooper
and Brian London
formed a quartet of promising British heavyweights during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The final decade of the twentieth century saw four Welshmen take World Championship titles. Steve Robinson became the WBO Featherweight Champion in 1993, followed by Robbie Regan
(WBO World Bantamweight) in 1996, Barry Jones
(WBO World Super-Featherweight) and Joe Calzaghe (WBO Super Middleweight), both in 1997.
. Although Calzaghe came to note after beating former Middleweight World Champion Chris Eubank
on points in 1997 to win the WBO title, it was during the 2000s that he came to prominence. Calzaghe finished his career with 46 bouts and no losses, one of the few World Champions to retire undefeated.
Other boxers of note to emerge during the early 21st century include, Jason Cook
who became European Lightweight Champion in 2002, Nathan Cleverly
the European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight title holder, Gavin Rees
former WBA light-welterweight champion and Enzo Maccarinelli
former WBO and WBU cruiserweight champion.
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...
is a popular sport in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and since the early 20th century Wales has produced a notable number of professional boxers including several World Champions. The most notable boxers include Wales' first World Champion Percy Jones
Percy Jones (boxer)
Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914...
; Jimmy Wilde
Jimmy Wilde
Jimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest...
, who is seen as pound-for-pound one of the World's finest boxers and Joe Calzaghe
Joe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
, who ended his career an undefeated World Champion.
The early history of boxing in Wales
Despite the sport of boxing being heavily identified with the industrial South Wales, it was a common past-time in pre-industrial Wales; and was patronized by the local gentry. In the late 18th century, boxing became more commercialised with promoters and publicans organising paid matches that attracted spectators, and with them heavy betting. In the 1790s Daniel MendozaDaniel Mendoza
Daniel Mendoza was an English prizefighter, who was boxing champion of England 1792–95.-Success:...
visited Swansea and 1819 saw exhibition bouts stage by two of England's greatest bare-knuckle boxers
Bare-knuckle boxing
Bare-knuckle boxing is the original form of boxing, closely related to ancient combat sports...
, Tom Cribb
Tom Cribb
Tom Cribb was an English bare-knuckle boxer of the 19th century, so successful that he became world champion. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.-Life:...
and Tom Spring
Tom Spring
Tom Spring was an English bare-knuckle fighter. He was heavyweight champion of England in 1821 until his retirement in 1824...
.
The opening of the South Wales Valleys to industrialisation in the 1800s saw a large influx of commercial immigration. This was followed by an improved transport network, which in turn allowed larger crowds, and larger wagers, to be brought to the sport of boxing. When the Taff Vale Railway
Taff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
was extended to Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
in 1840, the locals celebrated by a contest between Cyfarthfa
Cyfarthfa
Cyfarthfa is a community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 6141. Cyfartha mainly consists of the settlements of Gellideg and Heolgerrig....
champion John Nash, and Merthyr hardman Shoni Sguborfawr.
In 1867, Wales made its first major contribution to boxing, when Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
born sportsman and sport organiser John Graham Chambers
John Graham Chambers
John Graham Chambers was a Welsh sportsman. He rowed for Cambridge, founded inter-varsity sports, became English Champion walker, coached four winning Boat-Race crews, devised the Queensberry Rules, staged the Cup Final and the Thames Regatta, instituted championships for billiards, boxing,...
devised and drafted the Queensbury Rules
Marquess of Queensberry rules
The Marquess of Queensberry rules is a code of generally accepted rules in the sport of boxing. They were named so because John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry publicly endorsed the code, although they were written by a sportsman named John Graham Chambers. The code of rules on which modern...
, the basic code to which boxing still practices under to this day. Although boxing now had its legitimate code of laws, Wales would often be the location of illegal bare-knuckled fights, and there would be known mountainside locations where locals would meet to watch fights. By the early 20th century, boxing had not advanced to a great degree in Wales, and many of the country's early professional boxers began their career fighting in booths at fairgrounds. With the popularity of the sport increasing, a scale of weights and titles evolved, which allowed the emergence of working-class local heroes.
20th century boxing in Wales
In the first third of the 20th century the South Wales valleys produced a prolific stream of boxing champions. The valleys area around PontypriddPontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
produced more champions during this period than any region of a comparable size in the world. The champions included three boxers from the Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
; Tom Thomas
Thomas Thomas (boxer)
Thomas Thomas , was a Welsh boxer, the first British middleweight boxing champion.-Early years:He was born at Glynarthen, Cardiganshire but moved to Carncelyn Farm, Penygraig, in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales at an early age.-Learning the noble art:He began boxing in a sideshow, touring with...
of Penygraig
Penygraig
Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales...
, Percy Jones
Percy Jones (boxer)
Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914...
of Porth
Porth
Porth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth...
and Jimmy Wilde
Jimmy Wilde
Jimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest...
from Tylorstown
Tylorstown
Tylorstown is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid-19th century....
, and Pontypridd's own Freddie Welsh
Freddie Welsh
Freddie Welsh was a Welsh lightweight boxing champion. Born in Pontypridd, Wales, and christened Frederick Hall Thomas, he was nicknamed the "Welsh Wizard". Brought up in a tough mining community, Welsh left a middle-class background to make a name for himself in America...
and Frank Moody
Frank Moody
Frank Moody was a Welsh boxer who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929....
. All these boxers fought with a particular 'Welsh' stance, upright, and using a combination of fast two-fisted attacks. Of these fighters, Jimmy Wilde stands out as a true great of World boxing, whose diminutive stature and light frame hid an incredible punching power, that was reflected in one of his nicknames, 'The Ghost with the Hammer in his Hand'. Wilde fought over 150 professional bouts, losing just five, and achieved 99 knockouts. Although the coalfields and ironworks of South Wales produced notable fighters, other areas of South Wales also produced memorable fighters. The darling of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
was 'Peerless' Jim Driscoll
Jim Driscoll
James "Jim" Driscoll commonly known as Peerless Jim was a Welsh boxer who learned his trade in the boxing ring and used it to fight his way out of poverty....
, who took the featherweight Lonsdale belt in 1910. Other boxers who were able to translate success in Britain abroad, included Gipsy Daniels
Gipsy Daniels
William "Gipsy" Daniels , was a Welsh Light-heavyweight boxing champion of Britain who, in an eighteen-year career, took in 141 contests, including eight fights in New York, and notably knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of a 1928 encounter.There is some confusion as to Daniels' actual...
who fought at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
and Bill Beynon
Bill Beynon
Bill Beynon was a Welsh boxer who fought professionally between 1909 and 1931. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire bantamweight boxing championship in 1913.-Boxing career:...
who took the Empire Bantamweight title.
In April 1928 the Welsh Boxing Association and Control Board was set up to regulate championships and ensure the safety of the boxers in Wales. It initially attempted to remain independent of the British Boxing Board of Control
British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff.- Councils :...
(BBBC), with whom it had had some disputes, but by 1929 it had amalgamated with the newly reconstituted BBBC, and after that Welsh boxing was managed by the Welsh Area Council. The Welsh Board set about forming a championship for each weight division, and by 1929 all eight weights had a recognised Welsh champion. With the championship formed, the titles could now only be won in a Board of Control designated contest. Although Wales was now recognised within the BBBC as one of the eight areas of their control, the Welsh champions were regarded as representing their country rather than just an administrative area.
Despite the popularity of team sports in Wales such as rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and football, boxing as a solo sport was integral to regional culture in Wales and extremely popular with the working classes. Even when Welsh economics fortunes slumped during the depression in the 1930s, boxing retained popular support, even though the number of world championship titles faded. Two Welsh boxers of note emerged during this period, Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen was a Welsh boxer, who held the British heavyweight boxing title on two separate occasions.-Early life and career:...
, who won the British Heavyweight Championship on two occasions and the 'Tonypandy Terror', Tommy Farr
Tommy Farr
Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was...
, who took the Empire heavyweight crown. Although Farr never achieved the success of previous Welsh boxers, his struggle as a professional fighter, especially his 1937 15 round defeat to Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, was seen to mirror the struggle of the Welsh workers.
Post World War II, Wales produced another round of championship contenders, though as with the previous decade they failed to emulate the Welsh boxers of the 1920s. Ronnie James
Ronnie James
Ronnie James , former British Lightweight boxing champion. Born in Swansea, Wales, James had over 130 professional bouts winning 114 of them, 61 through knockout...
of Pontardawe
Pontardawe
Pontardawe is a town of some 5,000 inhabitants in the Swansea Valley in south Wales...
, Dai Dower
Dai Dower
David William "Dai" Dower MBE , former British, Empire and European Flyweight boxing champion, is one of the most successful Welsh boxers of all time.-Amateur career:...
of Abercynon
Abercynon
Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering...
and Colin Jones of Gorseinon
Gorseinon
Gorseinon is a town in southwest Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is situated in the north west of Swansea, around north west of the city centre...
. The later half of the 20th century saw a string of Welsh boxers who engaged the Welsh psyche, with a centred group of fighters coming from the Merthyr area. These Merthyr boxers included welterweight Eddie Thomas
Eddie Thomas
Eddie Thomas MBE , was a Welsh boxing champion and boxing manager.Thomas was born in Merthyr Tydfil. After a highly successful amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 1946. He won the Welsh welterweight title in 1948, the British welterweight title in 1949, and the European welterweight...
, featherweight Howard Winstone
Howard Winstone
Howard Winstone, MBE was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff-Boxing style:In his early...
and bantamweight Johnny Owen
Johnny Owen
Johnny Owen was a professional boxer from Wales. His fragile appearance earned him many epithets, including ‘the Bionic Bantam’ and ‘the Merthyr Matchstick’. During his brief career, he held the Bantamweight Championships of Great Britain and Europe and became the first ever Welsh holder of the...
, who lost his life in a fight against Lupe Pintor
Lupe Pintor
Jose Guadalupe Pintor Guzman , better known as Lupe Pintor, is a former world boxing champion from Cuajimalpa, Mexico. Nicknamed El Indio De Cuajimalpa or The Indian From Cuajimalpa, he started boxing professionally in 1974...
in 1980.
Welsh boxing in the twentieth century produced a number of notable light and middle weight boxers, but failed to have a similar impact on the heavyweight categories, which was not reflective of the rest of the United Kingdom. The notable exceptions to this were the Dick Richardson
Dick Richardson (boxer)
Dick Richardson was a heavyweight boxer from the Maesglas area of Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales. He held the European heavyweight title from March 1960 to June 1962. In all, he won 31 of his 47 professional bouts, losing 14, with two drawn. He was 6 ft 3ins tall and weighed about 200 lbs...
of Newport and Joe Erskine from Cardiff, who, along with England's Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper (boxer)
Sir Henry Cooper OBE KSG was an English heavyweight boxer known for the effectiveness of his left hook, "Enry's 'Ammer", and his knockdown of the young Muhammad Ali...
and Brian London
Brian London
Brian London, born Brian Sidney Harper, 19 June 1934, in West Hartlepool, is a retired English heavyweight boxer. He was British and Commonwealth Heavyweight champion from 1958 to 1959, and had two world heavyweight title fights...
formed a quartet of promising British heavyweights during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The final decade of the twentieth century saw four Welshmen take World Championship titles. Steve Robinson became the WBO Featherweight Champion in 1993, followed by Robbie Regan
Robbie Regan
Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan (born 30 August 1968 in Caerphilly, Wales is a Welsh former professional boxer.-Pro career:Regan is a former WBO World Bantamweight champion and former interim IBF World Flyweight champion. In 1995 he captured the interim IBF flyweight title with a KO win...
(WBO World Bantamweight) in 1996, Barry Jones
Barry Jones (boxer)
Barry Jones was a professional boxer from Cardiff, Wales. Jones was WBO super featherweight champion, but lost his title when his license was revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control after an anomaly was discovered during a brain scan....
(WBO World Super-Featherweight) and Joe Calzaghe (WBO Super Middleweight), both in 1997.
21st century boxing in Wales
The first decade of the 21st century of boxing in Wales was dominated by a single fighter, Joe CalzagheJoe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
. Although Calzaghe came to note after beating former Middleweight World Champion Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
on points in 1997 to win the WBO title, it was during the 2000s that he came to prominence. Calzaghe finished his career with 46 bouts and no losses, one of the few World Champions to retire undefeated.
Other boxers of note to emerge during the early 21st century include, Jason Cook
Jason Cook (boxer)
Jason Cook is a professional boxer, who fights under the nickname "The Power". As an amateur, he won a silver medal for Wales at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. As a professional, he has fought as a lightweight, and has won both the European and IBO championships at the weight...
who became European Lightweight Champion in 2002, Nathan Cleverly
Nathan Cleverly
Nathan Cleverly is a British professional boxer from Wales and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He is also the former European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion...
the European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight title holder, Gavin Rees
Gavin Rees
Gavin Rees is a Welsh professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Rock", Rees is the current EBU Lightweight Champion, and former WBA super-lightweight World Champion...
former WBA light-welterweight champion and Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli is a Welsh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is a former World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title holder and also held the European title at that weight limit...
former WBO and WBU cruiserweight champion.
flyweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Jones Johnny Jones (boxer) Johnny Jones was a Welsh boxer who held the Welsh flyweight title in 1924. His village of residence was Pentre in the Rhondda Valley.-Boxing career:... |
Pentre Pentre Pentre is a village and community, near Treorchy in Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the... |
20 December 1924 — ? | 0 |
| Terence Morgan | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
7 April 1928 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Phineas John | Pentre Pentre Pentre is a village and community, near Treorchy in Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the... |
11 August 1928 — 22 July 1929 | 1 |
| Freddy Morgan | Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch is a small former coal mining village in Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail in the Ogmore Valley.... |
22 July 1929 — 12 July 1930 | 1 |
| Jerry O'Neill | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
12 July 1930 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Freddy Morgan | Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch is a small former coal mining village in Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail in the Ogmore Valley.... |
7 March 1931 — 6 February 1932 | 0 |
| Bob Fielding | Wrexham Wrexham Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England... |
6 February 1932 — ? | 0 |
| Billy Hughes | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
4 March 1933 — 29 July 1933 | 0 |
| Bobby Morgan | Ammanford | 29 July 1933 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Jack Kiley | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
7 November 1938 — July 1939 | 0 |
| Ronnie Bishop | Markham, Caerphilly | 10 July 1939 — 13 May 1940 | 0 |
| Jack Kiley | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
13 May 1940 — ? | 0 |
| Billy Davies | Nantyglo Nantyglo Nantyglo is a village in the ancient parish of Aberystruth and county of Monmouth situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent.- Places of interest in Nantyglo :... |
21 April 1947 — 14 June 1948 | 0 |
| George Sutton | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
14 June 1948 — 28 March 1949 | 0 |
| Norman Lewis | Nantymoel Nantymoel Nantymoel is a village and includes the formerly separate village of Pricetown in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales on the River Ogmore, and is one of the constituent villages of the Ogmore Valley... |
28 March 1949 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Glyn David | Caerau Caerau Caerau may refer to:*Caerau, Bridgend, near Maesteg in the River Llynfi valley, south Wales*Caerau, Cardiff, a district of the city of Cardiff, Wales... |
23 August 1950 — 4 October 1951 | 0 |
| George Sutton | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
4 October 1951 — ? | 0 |
| David Afan Jones | Port Talbot Port Talbot Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan... |
6 February 1989 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan (born 30 August 1968 in Caerphilly, Wales is a Welsh former professional boxer.-Pro career:Regan is a former WBO World Bantamweight champion and former interim IBF World Flyweight champion. In 1995 he captured the interim IBF flyweight title with a KO win... |
Caerphilly Caerphilly Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively... |
12 February 1991 — ? | 0 |
bantamweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Colcombe | Tylorstown Tylorstown Tylorstown is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid-19th century.... |
20 May 1922 — 7 March 1925 | 0 |
| Sammy Jones | Gelli Gelli, Rhondda Gelli is a village in the Rhondda Fawr valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, situated on the southern bank of the Rhondda Fawr River... |
7 March 1925 —> 1 June 1925 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Johhny Edmunds | Treharris Treharris Treharris is a small town and community in the Taff Bargoed Valley in the south of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. It is located around 1 km west of Trelewis, from which it is separated by the Taff Bargoed river, and 1.5 km from Nelson in Caerphilly county borough and... |
20 December 1926 — 9 July 1927 | 0 |
| Tosh Powell Tosh Powell Thomas Morgan "Tosh" Powell was a professional boxer from Wales. Based in Aberdare, Powell was notable for becoming the Welsh bantamweight champion and the matter of his death, caused by injuries sustained in the boxing ring.... |
Aberdare Aberdare Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705... |
9 July 1927 — 31 May 1928 | 2 |
| Dan Dando | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
2 February 1929 — 29 July 1929 | 0 |
| Cuthbert Taylor Cuthbert Taylor Cuthbert Taylor born John Street was a Welsh boxer who competed for Great Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics. He was Welsh Bantamweight Champion.-Boxing career:... |
Merthyr Vale Merthyr Vale Merthyr Vale is a linear village in the Welsh county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. Lying on the A4054 road it is on the east bank of the River Taff opposite Aberfan.-Ynys Owen:... |
29 July 1929 — 2 September 1929 | 0 |
| Phineas John | Pentre Pentre Pentre is a village and community, near Treorchy in Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the... |
2 September 1929 — (relinquished) | 0 |
| Stanley Jehu | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
24 February 1930 — 22 June 1931 | 1 |
| Terence Morgan Terence Morgan Terence Ivor Grant Morgan was an English actor in theatre, cinema and television. He was the nephew of British character actor Verne Morgan... |
Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
22 June 1931 — 6 June 1932 | 0 |
| Len Beynon | Barry, Vale of Glamorgan | 6 June 1932 — 4 November 1933 | 0 |
| George Williams | Treherbert Treherbert Treherbert is a village and community situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Treherbert is a former industrial coal mining village which was at its economic peak between 1850 and 1920... |
4 November 1933 — 12 June 1934 | 0 |
| Len Beynon | Barry, Vale of Glamorgan | 12 June 1934 — 24 November 1934 | 0 |
| Mog Mason | Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch is a small former coal mining village in Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail in the Ogmore Valley.... |
24 November 1934 — 6 February 1936 | 0 |
| Len Beynon | Barry, Vale of Glamorgan | 6 February 1936 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Mog Mason | Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch is a small former coal mining village in Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail in the Ogmore Valley.... |
20 October 1937 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Norman Lewis | Nantymoel Nantymoel Nantymoel is a village and includes the formerly separate village of Pricetown in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales on the River Ogmore, and is one of the constituent villages of the Ogmore Valley... |
21 February 1944 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Jackie Sutton | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
28 November 1949 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Hughie Thomas | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
26 May 1952 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Terry Gale | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
28 June 1965 — 12 July 1966 | 1 |
| Gerald Jones | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
12 July 1966 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Steve Curtis | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
2 July 1969 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Colin Miles | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
22 June 1970 — 22 February 1971 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Johnny Owen Johnny Owen Johnny Owen was a professional boxer from Wales. His fragile appearance earned him many epithets, including ‘the Bionic Bantam’ and ‘the Merthyr Matchstick’. During his brief career, he held the Bantamweight Championships of Great Britain and Europe and became the first ever Welsh holder of the... |
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
29 March 1977 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Glynne Davies | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
4 October 1979 — 1 October 1980 | 0 |
| Pip Coleman | Neath Neath Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001... |
1 October 1980 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Ian Turner | Tredegar Tredegar Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales... |
2 December 1997 (relinquished) | 0 |
featherweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Evans | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
16 March 1929 — 21 September 1929 | 0 |
| Ginger Jones Ginger Jones Bryn "Ginger" Jones was a professional boxer from Wales. Born in Ferndale, but later based in Ammanford, Jones was notable for becoming the Welsh featherweight champion in 1929.-Personal history:... |
Ammanford | 21 September 1929 —> 3 September 1932 (relinquished) | 5 |
| Stanley Jehu | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
9 December 1933 — 14 July 1934 | 0 |
| George Morgan | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
14 July 1934 — 25 May 1935 | 0 |
| Stanley Jehu | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
25 May 1935 — 8 June 1936 | 0 |
| Len Beynon | Barry | 8 June 1936 —> 24 January 1938 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Syd Worgan Syd Worgan Syd Worgan was a professional boxer from Wales. Born in Llanharan Worgan was notable for becoming the Welsh featherweight champion in 1944.-Personal history:... |
Llanharan Llanharan Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents... |
11 September 1944 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Jackie Hughes Jackie Hughes Jackie Hughes was a professional boxer from Wales. Born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Hughes was notable for becoming the Welsh featherweight champion in 1949, defending the title successfully twice.-External links:... |
Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
28 February 1949 —> 23 August 1950 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Dai Davies | Skewen Skewen Skewen is a village within the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, in Wales.The village is served by Skewen railway station.-History:Skewen was once an industrial village. There were a number of collieries around the village . The Crown and Mines Royal Copper Works and the Cheadle and Neath... |
24 September 1951 —> 1 June 1953 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Haydn Jones | Tiryberth | 16 February 1953 —> 26 October 1953 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Lennie Williams | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
30 June 1964 —> 12 September 1966 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Colin Miles | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
26 March 1974 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Les Pickett | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
10 November 1975 —> 17 November 1976 | 1 |
| Don George | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
19 November 1981 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Peter Harris | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
18 November 1986 —> 18 July 1991 | 0 |
| Steve Robinson | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
18 July 1991 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Peter Harris | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
20 May 1994 (relinquished) | 0 |
| David Morris | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
23 February 1999 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Dai Davies | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
5 June 2009 — 30 October 2010 | 0 |
| Lee Selby Lee Selby Lee Selby is a Welsh boxer from Barry who fights in the featherweight division. He won the British and Commonwealth sfeatherweight title on 17 September 2011 with a 8th round stoppage victory over Stephen Smith. He also previously held the Welsh Area featherweight title and the Celtic Area... |
Barry | 30 October 2010 | 0 |
super-featherweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Sims Steve Sims (boxer) Steve "Sammy" Sims is a Welsh former boxer who became Welsh and British featherweight champion.-External links:... |
Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
25 September 1985 - >23 June 1986 | 1 |
| Russell Jones | Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch Gilfach Goch is a small former coal mining village in Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail in the Ogmore Valley.... |
29 October 1986 (vacated) | 0 |
| James Hunter | Port Talbot Port Talbot Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan... |
12 April 1989 - 1 March 1990 | 0 |
| Andy DeAbreu | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
1 March 1990 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Neil Haddock Neil Haddock Neil Haddock is a Welsh former lightweight and super featherweight boxer. Before turning professional he won a silver medal as a lightweight at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. His early career as a professional lightweight was not very notable, but after a year out from boxing caused by an eye... |
Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
11 May 1992 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Barrie Kelley | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
19 January 1993 - 10 November 1993 | 0 |
| John T Williams | Cwmbran Cwmbran Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow... |
10 November 1993 - (vacated) | 1 |
| Chrissie Williams | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
24 September 1999 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Dai Davies | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
8 October 2006 - 12 July 2008 | 0 |
| Jamie Arthur Jamie Arthur Jamie Arthur is a boxer from Cwmbran, Wales, who won the gold medal in the men's lightweight division at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, United Kingdom. Arthur turned professional in 2003, and since then has had some limited success, winning the Welsh super featherweight title in 2008... |
Cwmbran Cwmbran Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow... |
12 July 2008 - | 0 |
lightweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Fry | Blaenllechau Blaenllechau Blaenllechau is a small village located in the Rhondda Fach valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Neighbouring villages are Ferndale, Maerdy and Tylorstown. The population of Blaenllechau is far less than 1000.-History:... |
12 February 1921 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Billy Moore | Penycraig | 31 March 1924 — 28 November 1925 | 1 |
| Billy ward | Llwynypia Llwynypia Llwynypia , is a village in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. Before 1850 a lightly populated rural farming area, Llwynypia experienced a population boom between 1860 and 1920 with the sinking of several coal mines after the discovery of large coal deposits... |
28 November 1925 — 5 March 1927 | 0 |
| Edgar Evans | Crumlin | 5 March 1927 — 28 July 1928 | 0 |
| Gordon Cook | Penygraig Penygraig Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales... |
28 July 1928 — 22 July 1929 | 1 |
| Haydn Williams | Waltham Cross Waltham Cross Waltham Cross is the most southeasterly town in Hertfordshire, England. It is 12 miles from the City of London and immediately north of the M25 motorway, forming part of the Greater London Urban Area and London commuter belt. Part of Waltham Cross is located within Greater London.-Geography:It is... |
22 July 1929 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Gordon Cook | Penygraig Penygraig Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales... |
1 February 1930 —> 22 September 1930 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Alby Kestrell | Pentre Pentre Pentre is a village and community, near Treorchy in Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the... |
31 August 1931 — 7 May 1932 | 0 |
| Billy Quinlan | Ammanford | 7 May 1932 — 29 October 1934 | 2 |
| Boyo Rees | Abercwmboi Abercwmboi Abercwmboi is a village in the Welsh county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Abercwmboi is one of the last remaining villages in the Cynon Valley. It has retained its identity and not been developed as many other Cynon Valley villages. As a result is a very close... |
29 October 1934 — 11 January 1937 | 2 |
| George Reynolds George Reynolds (boxer) George Reynolds was a professional boxer from Wales. Born in Swansea Reynolds was notable for becoming the Welsh lightweight champion in 1937.-Boxing career:... |
Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
11 January 1937 — 4 April 1938 | 1 |
| Boyo Rees | Abercwmboi Abercwmboi Abercwmboi is a village in the Welsh county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Abercwmboi is one of the last remaining villages in the Cynon Valley. It has retained its identity and not been developed as many other Cynon Valley villages. As a result is a very close... |
4 April 1938 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Warren Kendall | Tonyrefail Tonyrefail Tonyrefail is a village and community in Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough, Wales. It is situated north west of Llantrisant at the head of the Ely Valley, south of the Rhondda, being around from Trebanog and around from Williamstown. It is also around from the village of Gilfach Goch... |
7 August 1944 — 16 November 1949 | 1 |
| Reg Quinlan | Ammanford | 16 November 1949 —> 4 December 1950 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Selwyn Evans | Newbridge | 22 August 1951 — 1 June 1953 | 2 |
| Dai Davies | Skewen Skewen Skewen is a village within the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, in Wales.The village is served by Skewen railway station.-History:Skewen was once an industrial village. There were a number of collieries around the village . The Crown and Mines Royal Copper Works and the Cheadle and Neath... |
1 June 1953 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Willie Lloyd | Brecon Brecon Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre... |
24 May 1954 — 26 September 1955 | 0 |
| Emrys Jones | Four Crosses Four Crosses Four Crosses is the name of several places:*Four Crosses, Denbighshire, Wales*Four Crosses, Flintshire, Wales*Four Crosses, Isle of Anglesey, Wales*Four Crosses, Powys, Wales*Four Crosses, Staffordshire, England*Four Crosses, Wrexham, Wales... |
26 September 1955 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Willie Lloyd | Brecon Brecon Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre... |
16 July 1956 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Teddy Best | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
21 August 1957 —> 10 August 1963 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Bryn Lewis | Porthcawl Porthcawl Porthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea... |
22 May 1968 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Martyn Galleozzie | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
13 December 1976 — 15 February 1977 | 0 |
| Johnny Wall | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
15 February 1977 — 20 March 1978 | 2 |
| Kelvin Webber | Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
20 March 1978 — 10 July 1978 | 0 |
| Martyn Galleozzie | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
10 July 1978 —> 21 September 1978 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Ray Hood | Queensferry Queensferry, Flintshire Queensferry is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying on the River Dee near the border with England.Queensferry lies along the B5441 and B5129 roads, and is bypassed by the A494 dual carriageway. It is contiguous with Deeside... |
4 March 1983 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Andy Williams | Garndiffaith Garndiffaith Garndiffaith is a village located in Torfaen, south east Wales. It is a small rural area situated between Talywain and Varteg, three miles north of the town of Pontypool and 3.5 miles south of the town of Blaenavon... |
28 April 1986 — 28 October 1987 | 1 |
| Keith Parry | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
28 October 1987 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Mervyn Bennett | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
27 January 1993 —> 25 October 1995 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Damien Owen | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
2 March 2007 | 0 |
welterweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Thomas | Deri Deri, Caerphilly Deri is a village in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. Deri along with Pentwyn and Fochriw make up the community of Darran Valley. The village grew around the Industrial Age to serve the collieries of Fochriw, Pencarreg and Groesfaen.-Sport:... |
26 August 1926 — 21 March 1927 | 0 |
| Ben Marshall | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
21 March 1927 —> 6 October 1928 (relinquished) | 3 |
| Billy Fry | Blaenllechau Blaenllechau Blaenllechau is a small village located in the Rhondda Fach valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Neighbouring villages are Ferndale, Maerdy and Tylorstown. The population of Blaenllechau is far less than 1000.-History:... |
10 November 1930 — 19 September 1931 | 0 |
| Danny Evans | Ammanford | 19 September 1931 — 19 March 1932 | 0 |
| Tiger Ellis | Ystradgynlais Ystradgynlais Ystradgynlais is a town on the River Tawe in south west Powys; it is the second largest town in Powys, Wales. The town grew around the iron-making, coal-mining and watch-making industries.... |
19 March 1932 — 30 July 1932 | 0 |
| Danny Evans | Ammanford | 30 July 1932 — 7 July 1934 | 0 |
| Ivor Perkins | Caerau Caerau Caerau may refer to:*Caerau, Bridgend, near Maesteg in the River Llynfi valley, south Wales*Caerau, Cardiff, a district of the city of Cardiff, Wales... |
7 July 1934 — 20 October 1937 | 4 |
| Jack Moody | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
20 October 1937 — 25 July 1938 | 0 |
| Taffy Williams | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
4 December 1939 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Gwyn Williams | Pontycymmer | 15 January 1945 — 21 September 1948 | 0 |
| Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas MBE , was a Welsh boxing champion and boxing manager.Thomas was born in Merthyr Tydfil. After a highly successful amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 1946. He won the Welsh welterweight title in 1948, the British welterweight title in 1949, and the European welterweight... |
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
21 September 1948 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Rees Moore | Maerdy Maerdy Maerdy is a village and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying at the head of the Rhondda Fach Valley.- History :... |
26 October 1953 — 18 February 1957 | 2 |
| Les Morgan | 18 February 1957 (relinquished) | 0 | |
| Terry Phillips Terry Phillips Terry Phillips is a journalist, author and media consultant. As a foreign correspondent, he covered events around the world for CBS News, and reported regularly for NPR, MonitoRadio and the NBC/Mutual Broadcasting System.... |
Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
29 June 1965 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Horace McKenzie | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
10 July 1978 —> 11 March 1980 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Billy Waith | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
7 June 1982 —> 10 December 1983 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Geoff Pegler | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
14 March 1986 (relinquished) | 0 |
| John Davies | Ammanford | 26 April 1990 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Michael Smyth | Barry | 24 September 1999 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Keith Jones | Cefn Hengoed Cefn Hengoed Cefn Hengoed is a small village in the centre of Caerphilly borough, within the historic boundaries of Glamorganshire. Bordering the larger village of Hengoed, Cefn Hengoed contains the local Derwendeg primary school.... |
15 September 2002 — 23 February 2003 | 0 |
| Bradley Price | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
3 July 2004 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Tony Doherty | Pontypool Pontypool Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales.... |
22 March 2008 (relinquished) | 0 |
middleweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Green | Taffs Well | 26 August 1926 — 7 December 1929 | 1 |
| Jerry Daley | Penygraig Penygraig Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales... |
7 December 1929 — 30 March 1931 | 2 |
| Glen Moody | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
30 March 1931 —> 6 March 1933 (relinquished) | 3 |
| Billy Thomas | Deri Deri, Caerphilly Deri is a village in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. Deri along with Pentwyn and Fochriw make up the community of Darran Valley. The village grew around the Industrial Age to serve the collieries of Fochriw, Pencarreg and Groesfaen.-Sport:... |
24 January 1934 — 29 April 1935 | 0 |
| Danny Evans | Ammanford | 29 April 1935 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Billy Thomas | Deri Deri, Caerphilly Deri is a village in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. Deri along with Pentwyn and Fochriw make up the community of Darran Valley. The village grew around the Industrial Age to serve the collieries of Fochriw, Pencarreg and Groesfaen.-Sport:... |
11 November 1935 — 24 February 1936 | 0 |
| Dai Jones | Ammanford | 24 February 1936 —> 1 August 1938 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Tommy Davies | Ammanford | 31 July 1943 —> 23 May 1949 (relinquished) | 4 |
| Ron Cooper | Pyle Pyle Pyle is a village and community in Bridgend county borough, Wales. Pyle railway station is on the Cardiff - Swansea section of the London - South Wales main line.... |
11 June 1952 — 20 August 1952 | 0 |
| Jimmy Roberts | Newbridge | 20 August 1952 — 1 December 1952 | 0 |
| Roy Agland | Tir-y-berth | 1 December 1952 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Freddie Cross | Abertillery Abertillery Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in South Wales, north-west of Newport, originally on the Great Western Railway. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in South Wales, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later... |
16 January 1957 — 21 August 1957 | 0 |
| Phil Edwards | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
21 August 1957 —> 23 April 1958 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Carl Thomas | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
27 November 1968 —> 2 July 1969 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Mike McCluskie | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
27 June 1973 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Doug James Doug James Doug James is a former American football player for the University of Michigan Wolverines under coach Bo Schembechler... |
Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
28 January 1983 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Dennis Cronin | Caerphilly Caerphilly Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively... |
20 January 1987 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Wayne Ellis | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
11 February 1992 —> 14 July 1992 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Barry Thorogood | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
11 February 1992 —> 12 April 1995 (relinquished) | 1 |
light heavyweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Jones | Ammanford | 11 March 1933 — 22 July 1933 | 0 |
| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was... |
Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
22 July 1933 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Randy Jones | Ammanford | 17 February 1934 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was... |
Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
14 September 1934 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Glen Moody | Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
27 March 1939 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Jack Farr Jack Farr Colonel Jack Farr was a reserve officer, specializing in military intelligence, who was posted to Camp Delta at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.... |
Abertillery Abertillery Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in South Wales, north-west of Newport, originally on the Great Western Railway. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in South Wales, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later... |
28 April 1948 - 9 July 1949 | 1 |
| Dennis Powell | Llandewi | 9 July 1949 -> 26 November 1949 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Ken Rowlands | Mardy Mardy, Monmouthshire Mardy is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom.- Location :Mardy is located immediately to the north of the market town of Abergavenny. On old maps Mardy has the Welsh spelling Maerdy.- History & Amenities :... |
27 April 1953 - 26 August 1953 | 1 |
| Dave Williams | Barry | 26 August 1953 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Noel Trigg | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
7 May 1956 - 23 April 1958 | 2 |
| Redvers Sangoe | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
23 April 1958 - 21 March 1960 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Derek Richards | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
28 July 1964 - 12 July 1966 (relinquished) | 1 |
| Chris Lawson | Cardigan Cardigan, Ceredigion Cardigan is a town in the county of Ceredigion in Mid Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Teifi at the point where Ceredigion meets Pembrokeshire. It was the county town of the pre-1974 county of Cardiganshire. It is the second largest town in Ceredigion. The town's population was 4,203... |
29 November 1978 - 12 August 1980 | 2 |
| Kenny Jones | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
12 August 1980 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Bonny McKenzie | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
21 September 1981 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Aneurin Williams | Gilwern Gilwern Gilwern is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. The name is translated from the Welsh language as "the nook near the alder grove". It is within the Llanelly parish ward of Monmouthshire County Council, west of market town of Abergavenny.-Attractions:... |
27 October 1983 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Shon Davies | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
30 March 2008 | 0 |
| Jeff Evans | Pontypool Pontypool Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales.... |
7 May 2011 | 0 |
heavyweight
| Name | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Llewellyn Trevor Llewellyn Trevor Llewellyn was a Welsh professional heavyweight boxer. Born in Newport in Monmouthshire, Llewellyn became the Welsh heavyweight champion in 1922. A police officer by profession, he often fought under the name PC Trevor Llewellyn.-Personal history:... |
Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
19 August 1922 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Tom Norris Tom Norris Tom Norris was a Welsh professional heavyweight boxer. Born in Clydach Vale in the Rhondda, Norris became the Welsh heavyweight champion in 1925.-Boxing career:... |
Clydach Vale Clydach Vale Clydach Vale is a village adjoining Tonypandy in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the Rhondda Valley, Wales. It is named for its situation on the Nant Clydach, a tributary of the River Taff.-Integration of villages:... |
26 December 1925 — 5 April 1926 | 1 |
| Dick Power Dick Power Dick Power was a Welsh professional heavyweight boxer. Born in Crumlin in Monmouthshire, Power became the Welsh heavyweight champion in 1926.-Boxing career:... |
Risca Risca Risca is a town of approximately 11,500 people in South Wales, within the Caerphilly County Borough and the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is today part of the Newport conurbation , though it is not a Ward of Newport City Council... |
5 April 1926 — 3 February 1932 | 0 |
| Jack Peterson | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
3 February 1932 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Jim Wilde | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
8 June 1935 — 24 September 1936 | 1 |
| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was... |
Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
24 September 1936 (relinquished) | 0 |
| George James | Cwm | 21 February 1938 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Dennis Powell | Llandewi | 6 August 1949 — 7 July 1951 | 1 |
| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was... |
Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
7 July 1951 (relinquished) | 0 |
| Carl Gizzi | Rhyl Rhyl Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south... |
28 June 1965 — 11 October 1971 | 1 |
| Dennis Avoth | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
11 October 1971 — 27 June 1973 | 2 |
| Neville Meade Neville Meade Neville Meade was a Jamaica-born boxer who emigrated to the United Kingdom settling in Swansea in south Wales. He rose to prominence when he won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand... |
Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
29 March 1976 —> 1 October 1980 (relinquished) | 2 |
| Chris Jacobs | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
29 March 1985 —> 8 June 1989 (relinquished) | 1 |
Welsh British boxing champions
| Name | Weight | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Driscoll Jim Driscoll James "Jim" Driscoll commonly known as Peerless Jim was a Welsh boxer who learned his trade in the boxing ring and used it to fight his way out of poverty.... |
Featherweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
May 1906 - Dec 1919 | 5 |
| Tom Thomas Thomas Thomas (boxer) Thomas Thomas , was a Welsh boxer, the first British middleweight boxing champion.-Early years:He was born at Glynarthen, Cardiganshire but moved to Carncelyn Farm, Penygraig, in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales at an early age.-Learning the noble art:He began boxing in a sideshow, touring with... |
Middleweight | Penygraig Penygraig Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales... |
Oct 1909 - Nov 1910 | 1 |
| Freddie Welsh Freddie Welsh Freddie Welsh was a Welsh lightweight boxing champion. Born in Pontypridd, Wales, and christened Frederick Hall Thomas, he was nicknamed the "Welsh Wizard". Brought up in a tough mining community, Welsh left a middle-class background to make a name for himself in America... |
Lightweight | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
Nov 1909 - Feb 1911 Nov 1912 -> Dec 1912 |
0 1 |
| Bill Beynon Bill Beynon Bill Beynon was a Welsh boxer who fought professionally between 1909 and 1931. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire bantamweight boxing championship in 1913.-Boxing career:... |
Bantamweight | Taibach Taibach Taibach or Tai-Bach is a suburban district of Port Talbot, Wales. It is a settlement centered around the main A48 road, sandwiched between The river Ffrwdwyllt and Margam.- History :... |
Jun 1913 - Oct 1913 | 0 |
| Percy Jones Percy Jones (boxer) Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914... |
Flyweight | Porth Porth Porth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth... |
Jan 1914 - Mar 1914 | 0 |
| Johnny Basham | Welterweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Dec 1914 - Jun 1920 | 3 |
| Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest... |
Flyweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Feb 1916 - Feb 1921 | 1 |
| Johnny Basham | Middleweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
May 1921 - Oct 1921 | 0 |
| Gipsy Daniels Gipsy Daniels William "Gipsy" Daniels , was a Welsh Light-heavyweight boxing champion of Britain who, in an eighteen-year career, took in 141 contests, including eight fights in New York, and notably knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of a 1928 encounter.There is some confusion as to Daniels' actual... |
Light-heavyweight | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
Apr 1927 - Feb 1921 | 0 |
| Frank Moody Frank Moody Frank Moody was a Welsh boxer who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929.... |
Light-heavyweight | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
Nov 1927 | 0 |
| Frank Moody Frank Moody Frank Moody was a Welsh boxer who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929.... |
Middleweight | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
Aug 1928 - Sep 1928 | 0 |
| Jack Petersen Jack Petersen Jack Petersen was a Welsh boxer, who held the British heavyweight boxing title on two separate occasions.-Early life and career:... |
Light-heavyweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
May 1932 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Jack Petersen Jack Petersen Jack Petersen was a Welsh boxer, who held the British heavyweight boxing title on two separate occasions.-Early life and career:... |
Heavyweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Jul 1932 - Nov 1933 Jun 1934 - Aug 1936 |
2 3 |
| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was... |
Heavyweight | Tonypandy Tonypandy Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots.... |
Mar 1937 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Ronnie James Ronnie James Ronnie James , former British Lightweight boxing champion. Born in Swansea, Wales, James had over 130 professional bouts winning 114 of them, 61 through knockout... |
Lightweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Aug 1944 - | 0 |
| Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas MBE , was a Welsh boxing champion and boxing manager.Thomas was born in Merthyr Tydfil. After a highly successful amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 1946. He won the Welsh welterweight title in 1948, the British welterweight title in 1949, and the European welterweight... |
Welterweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Nov 1949 - Oct 1951 | 1 |
| Johnny Williams | Heavyweight | Barmouth Barmouth Barmouth ; Y Bermo ) is a town in the county of Gwynedd, north-western Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Mawddach and Cardigan Bay.The town is served by Barmouth railway station.- History :... |
Mar 1952 - May 1953 | 1 |
| Cliff Curvis | Welterweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Jul 1952 - Dec 1952 | 0 |
| Dennis Powell | Light-heavyweight | Llandewi | Mar 1953 - Oct 1953 | 0 |
| Dai Dower Dai Dower David William "Dai" Dower MBE , former British, Empire and European Flyweight boxing champion, is one of the most successful Welsh boxers of all time.-Amateur career:... |
Flyweight | Abercynon Abercynon Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering... |
Feb 1955 - > Dec 1955 | 1 |
| Joe Erskine | Heavyweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Aug 1956 - Jun 1958 | 2 |
| Brian Curvis Brian Curvis Brian Nancurvis , who fought under the name Brian Curvis as a professional, was a boxer from Swansea, Wales who was active from 1959 to 1966. He fought as a Welterweight, becoming British welterweight champion in 1960. He retired as undefeated champion and is the only welterweight to have won two... |
Welterweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Nov 1960 - Feb 1962 Feb 1963 - Sep 1966 |
2 2 |
| Howard Winstone Howard Winstone Howard Winstone, MBE was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff-Boxing style:In his early... |
Featherweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
May 1961 - Jul 1968 | 6 |
| Eddie Avoth Eddie Avoth Eddie Avoth is a former boxer and actor.He was British and Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion, with a record which reads: Fights Won 53 , Lost 9, Drawn 0.Eddie Avoth was born in Cardiff, Wales... |
Light-heavyweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Jan 1969 - Jan 1971 | 1 |
| Pat Thomas Pat Thomas (boxer) Pat Thomas was a Light-middleweight boxer, originally from Saint Kitts and Nevis, who took British citizenship and won two British boxing titles in the 1970s and 80s... |
Bantamweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Dec 1975 - Dec 1976 | 1 |
| Pat Thomas Pat Thomas (boxer) Pat Thomas was a Light-middleweight boxer, originally from Saint Kitts and Nevis, who took British citizenship and won two British boxing titles in the 1970s and 80s... |
Light-Middleweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Sep 1979 - Mar 1981 | 2 |
| Johnny Owen Johnny Owen Johnny Owen was a professional boxer from Wales. His fragile appearance earned him many epithets, including ‘the Bionic Bantam’ and ‘the Merthyr Matchstick’. During his brief career, he held the Bantamweight Championships of Great Britain and Europe and became the first ever Welsh holder of the... |
Bantamweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Nov 1977 - 1980 | 3 |
| Colin Jones | Welterweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Apr 1980 - Apr 1981 | 1 |
| Neville Meade Neville Meade Neville Meade was a Jamaica-born boxer who emigrated to the United Kingdom settling in Swansea in south Wales. He rose to prominence when he won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand... |
Heavyweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Nov 1981 - Sep 1983 | 0 |
| Kelvin Smart | Flyweight | Caerphilly Caerphilly Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively... |
Sep 1982 - Jan 1984 | 0 |
| Steve Sims Steve Sims (boxer) Steve "Sammy" Sims is a Welsh former boxer who became Welsh and British featherweight champion.-External links:... |
Featherweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Sep 1982 - Jul 1986 | 0 |
| David Pearce David Pearce (boxer) David 'Bomber' Pearce was a British heavyweight boxing champion.-Early years:He was born in Newport, Monmouthshire... |
Heavyweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Sep 1983 - 1984 | 0 |
| Robert Dickie Robert Dickie Robert Dickie was a Welsh professional boxer, fighting at both featherweight and super-featherweight. He was Scottish champion at featherweight, British champion at both weights and became WBC International super-featherweight champion in 1988... |
Featherweight | Cefneithin Cefneithin Cefneithin is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales, in the Carmarthenshire coalfield area. It lies just off the A48 road, 7 miles north west of Ammanford and 9 miles north of Llanelli . The Gwendraeth Fawr river flows nearby... |
Apr 1986 - Oct 1986 | 2 |
| Peter Harris | Featherweight | Cefneithin Cefneithin Cefneithin is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales, in the Carmarthenshire coalfield area. It lies just off the A48 road, 7 miles north west of Ammanford and 9 miles north of Llanelli . The Gwendraeth Fawr river flows nearby... |
Feb 1988 - Apr 1988 | 0 |
| Floyd Havard Floyd Havard Floyd Havard is a Welsh former super featherweight boxer. He was twice British super featherweight champion, from 1988–1989 and 1994-1996. In 1994 he made an unsuccessful bid for the IBF super featherweight title against John John Molina.... |
Super-featherweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
May 1988 - Sep 1989 Mar 1994 - 1996 |
0 1 |
| Robert Dickie Robert Dickie Robert Dickie was a Welsh professional boxer, fighting at both featherweight and super-featherweight. He was Scottish champion at featherweight, British champion at both weights and became WBC International super-featherweight champion in 1988... |
Super-featherweight | Cefneithin Cefneithin Cefneithin is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales, in the Carmarthenshire coalfield area. It lies just off the A48 road, 7 miles north west of Ammanford and 9 miles north of Llanelli . The Gwendraeth Fawr river flows nearby... |
Mar 1991 - Apr 1991 | 0 |
| Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan (born 30 August 1968 in Caerphilly, Wales is a Welsh former professional boxer.-Pro career:Regan is a former WBO World Bantamweight champion and former interim IBF World Flyweight champion. In 1995 he captured the interim IBF flyweight title with a KO win... |
Flyweight | Bargoed Bargoed Bargoed is a town in the Rhymney Valley, Wales, one of the South Wales Valleys. It lies on the Rhymney River in the county borough of Caerphilly and straddles ancient boundary of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. 'Greater Bargoed', as defined by the local authority Caerphilly County Borough Council,... |
Dec 1991 - > 1996 | 0 |
| Neil Haddock Neil Haddock Neil Haddock is a Welsh former lightweight and super featherweight boxer. Before turning professional he won a silver medal as a lightweight at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. His early career as a professional lightweight was not very notable, but after a year out from boxing caused by an eye... |
Super-featherweight | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
Oct 1992 - Mar 1994 | 1 |
| Joe Calzaghe Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion.... |
Super-middleweight | Newbridge | Oct 1995 - Nov 2007 | 1 |
| Scott Gammer Scott Gammer Scott Gammer is a British boxer, based in Wales he is a former holder of the British heavyweight title.-Professional career:... |
Heavyweight | Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard... |
Jun 2006 -> Mar 2007 | 1 |
| Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly is a British professional boxer from Wales and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He is also the former European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion... |
Light-heavyweight | Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest is a Community in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. A wholly urbanised community, it forms the western fringes of the town of Blackwood. By area, it is the smallest of all of the communities of Wales.... |
Jul 2009 -> 2011 | 1 |
| Gavin Rees Gavin Rees Gavin Rees is a Welsh professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Rock", Rees is the current EBU Lightweight Champion, and former WBA super-lightweight World Champion... |
Lightweight | Newbridge | Nov 2010 | 0 |
Welsh European boxing champions
| Name | Weight | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Driscoll Jim Driscoll James "Jim" Driscoll commonly known as Peerless Jim was a Welsh boxer who learned his trade in the boxing ring and used it to fight his way out of poverty.... |
Featherweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Jun 1912 - > Dec 1919 | |
| Percy Jones Percy Jones (boxer) Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914... |
Flyweight | Porth Porth Porth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth... |
Jan 1914 - > Mar 1914 | |
| Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest... |
Lightweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Feb 1916 - Mar 1917 | 0 |
| Johnny Basham | Welterweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Sep 1919 - Jun 1920 | 0 |
| Johnny Basham | Middleweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
May 1921 - Oct 1921 | 0 |
| Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas Eddie Thomas MBE , was a Welsh boxing champion and boxing manager.Thomas was born in Merthyr Tydfil. After a highly successful amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 1946. He won the Welsh welterweight title in 1948, the British welterweight title in 1949, and the European welterweight... |
Welterweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Feb 1951 - Jun 1951 | 0 |
| Dai Dower Dai Dower David William "Dai" Dower MBE , former British, Empire and European Flyweight boxing champion, is one of the most successful Welsh boxers of all time.-Amateur career:... |
Flyweight | Abercynon Abercynon Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering... |
Mar 1955 - Oct 1955 | 0 |
| Dick Richardson Dick Richardson (boxer) Dick Richardson was a heavyweight boxer from the Maesglas area of Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales. He held the European heavyweight title from March 1960 to June 1962. In all, he won 31 of his 47 professional bouts, losing 14, with two drawn. He was 6 ft 3ins tall and weighed about 200 lbs... |
Heavyweight | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Mar 1960 - Jun 1962 | 3 |
| Howard Winstone Howard Winstone Howard Winstone, MBE was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff-Boxing style:In his early... |
Featherweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Jan 1968 - Jul 1968 | 0 |
| Johnny Owen Johnny Owen Johnny Owen was a professional boxer from Wales. His fragile appearance earned him many epithets, including ‘the Bionic Bantam’ and ‘the Merthyr Matchstick’. During his brief career, he held the Bantamweight Championships of Great Britain and Europe and became the first ever Welsh holder of the... |
Bantamweight | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Feb 1980 | 0 |
| Colin Jones | Welterweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Nov 1982 - (vacated) | 0 |
| Steve Robinson | Featherweight | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Dec 1999 - Jun 2000 | 0 |
| Jason Cook Jason Cook (boxer) Jason Cook is a professional boxer, who fights under the nickname "The Power". As an amateur, he won a silver medal for Wales at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. As a professional, he has fought as a lightweight, and has won both the European and IBO championships at the weight... |
Lightweight | Maesteg Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2001, Maesteg had a population of 17,859, but it is now at an estimate of 20,000.... |
Aug 2002 - Jan 2003 | 0 |
| Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly is a British professional boxer from Wales and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He is also the former European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion... |
Light-Heavyweight | Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest is a Community in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. A wholly urbanised community, it forms the western fringes of the town of Blackwood. By area, it is the smallest of all of the communities of Wales.... |
Feb 2010 - | 0 |
| Enzo Maccarinelli Enzo Maccarinelli Enzo Maccarinelli is a Welsh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is a former World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title holder and also held the European title at that weight limit... |
Cruiserweight | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Apr 2010 - Sep 2010 | 0 |
| Gavin Rees Gavin Rees Gavin Rees is a Welsh professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Rock", Rees is the current EBU Lightweight Champion, and former WBA super-lightweight World Champion... |
Lightweight | Newbridge Newbridge -Ireland:*Newbridge, County Kildare — sometimes known by its Irish name, Droichead Nua*Newbridge, County Galway*Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland-United Kingdom:*Newbridge, Bath, electoral ward... |
June 2011 - | 0 |
Welsh world boxing champions
| Name | Weight | Belt | From | Duration of reign | Successful defences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Jones Percy Jones (boxer) Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914... |
Flyweight | World | Porth Porth Porth is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth... |
Jan 1914 | |
| Freddie Welsh Freddie Welsh Freddie Welsh was a Welsh lightweight boxing champion. Born in Pontypridd, Wales, and christened Frederick Hall Thomas, he was nicknamed the "Welsh Wizard". Brought up in a tough mining community, Welsh left a middle-class background to make a name for himself in America... |
Lightweight | World | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... |
Jul 1914 - May 1917 | |
| Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde Jimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest... |
Flyweight | World | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Dec 1916 - Jun 1923 | |
| Howard Winstone Howard Winstone Howard Winstone, MBE was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff-Boxing style:In his early... |
Featherweight | World | Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
Jan 1968 - Jul 1968 | 0 |
| Steve Robinson | Featherweight | WBO | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Apr 1993 - Sep 1995 | 7 |
| Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan Robbie Regan (born 30 August 1968 in Caerphilly, Wales is a Welsh former professional boxer.-Pro career:Regan is a former WBO World Bantamweight champion and former interim IBF World Flyweight champion. In 1995 he captured the interim IBF flyweight title with a KO win... |
Bantamweight | WBO | Caerphilly Caerphilly Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively... |
Apr 1996 - 1996 | 0 |
| Joe Calzaghe Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion.... |
Super-Middleweight | WBO IBF WBA WBC |
Newbridge | Oct 1997 - Sep 2008 Mar 2006 - Nov 2006 Nov 2007 - Jun 2008 Nov 2007 - Jun 2008 |
21 1 0 0 |
| Barry Jones Barry Jones (boxer) Barry Jones was a professional boxer from Cardiff, Wales. Jones was WBO super featherweight champion, but lost his title when his license was revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control after an anomaly was discovered during a brain scan.... |
Super-Featherweight | WBO | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Dec 1997 - 1998 | 0 |
| Enzo Maccarinelli Enzo Maccarinelli Enzo Maccarinelli is a Welsh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is a former World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title holder and also held the European title at that weight limit... |
Cruiserweight | WBO | Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
Sep 2006 - Mar 2008 | 4 |
| Gavin Rees Gavin Rees Gavin Rees is a Welsh professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Rock", Rees is the current EBU Lightweight Champion, and former WBA super-lightweight World Champion... |
Light-Welterweight | WBA | Newbridge | Jul 2007 - Mar 2008 | 0 |
| Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly is a British professional boxer from Wales and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He is also the former European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion... |
Light-Heavyweight | WBO | Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest Cefn Fforest is a Community in Caerphilly County Borough, Wales. A wholly urbanised community, it forms the western fringes of the town of Blackwood. By area, it is the smallest of all of the communities of Wales.... |
May 2011 - | 2 |