Brian Curvis
Encyclopedia
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 Lonsdale Belts outright. The four defeats in his professional career were all to foreign boxers; he was never beaten by a British boxer.
, winning by technical knockout against Harry Haydock.
He won all of his first thirteen fights, and then fought the Australian, George Barnes for the Commonwealth welterweight title that he held. The fight was held at the Vetch Field
, Swansea in May 1960, and Curvis won on points over fifteen rounds.
Three fights later in November 1960, he fought Wally Swift holder of the British welterweight title, at the same time defending his own Commonwealth title. The fight was in Nottingham
, and Curvis continued his winning run by taking a fifteen-round points decision.
In May 1961, he had a re-match with Swift in Nottingham for the two titles, and again won on points.
In October 1961, he defended both titles against Mick Leahy
at the old Empire Pool, winning by a knockout in the eighth round.
In February 1962, he defended his titles against Tony Mancini at the Royal Albert Hall
, winning by a technical knockout in the fifth round.
In his next fight, his twenty-fourth, Curvis suffered his first defeat, losing to the American
, Guy Sumlin by a technical knockout in the eighth round. However he gained revenge over Sumlin with a points victory two fights later.
In February 1963, he defended his titles against Tony Smith, at the Royal Albert Hall, scoring a technical knockout in the ninth round.
In July 1964, he defended his titles against Johnny Cook, at Porthcawl
, and won by a technical knockout in the fifth round.
and WBC
, world welterweight champion, American, Emile Griffith
, for his title. The fight was held at the Empire Pool, Wembley
. Although it went the full distance, Curvis was knocked down in the sixth, tenth and thirteenth rounds by body punches, and lost a unanimous points decision.
In November 1965, he defended his British and Commonwealth titles for the sixth time, against the Scot
, Sammy McSpadden in Cardiff, winning by a technical knockout in the twelfth round.
In April 1966, he challenged for the vacant European welterweight title, fighting the Frenchman, Jean Josselin in the Palais des Sports, Paris
. He was forced to retire in the fourteenth round.
Curvis fought one more fight defeating Des Rea in Carmarthen
in September 1966, before retiring from the ring as undefeated British and Commonwealth welterweight champion. For his six successful title defences he won two Lonsdale Belt
s outright, the only welterweight to do so.
In 1960, he was named as BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
.
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...
from 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...
, 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...
who was active from 1959 to 1966. He fought as a Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
, becoming British welterweight champion in 1960. He retired as undefeated champion and is the only welterweight to have won two Lonsdale Belts outright. The four defeats in his professional career were all to foreign boxers; he was never beaten by a British boxer.
Professional career
He had his first professional fight on 2 June 1959 at the Empire Pool, WembleyWembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, winning by technical knockout against Harry Haydock.
He won all of his first thirteen fights, and then fought the Australian, George Barnes for the Commonwealth welterweight title that he held. The fight was held at the Vetch Field
Vetch Field
The Vetch Field was a multi-purpose stadium in Swansea, Wales. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home ground of Swansea City until the Liberty Stadium opened in 2005. Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak...
, Swansea in May 1960, and Curvis won on points over fifteen rounds.
Three fights later in November 1960, he fought Wally Swift holder of the British welterweight title, at the same time defending his own Commonwealth title. The fight was in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, and Curvis continued his winning run by taking a fifteen-round points decision.
In May 1961, he had a re-match with Swift in Nottingham for the two titles, and again won on points.
In October 1961, he defended both titles against Mick Leahy
Mick Leahy (boxer)
Mick Leahy was an Irish born professional boxer who became a British citizen in 1961. In a career which spanned from 1956 to 1965, Leahy won the British Middleweight title and fought such names as Laszlo Papp and Nino Benvenuti...
at the old Empire Pool, winning by a knockout in the eighth round.
In February 1962, he defended his titles against Tony Mancini at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, winning by a technical knockout in the fifth round.
In his next fight, his twenty-fourth, Curvis suffered his first defeat, losing to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Guy Sumlin by a technical knockout in the eighth round. However he gained revenge over Sumlin with a points victory two fights later.
In February 1963, he defended his titles against Tony Smith, at the Royal Albert Hall, scoring a technical knockout in the ninth round.
In July 1964, he defended his titles against Johnny Cook, at 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...
, and won by a technical knockout in the fifth round.
World title attempt
In September 1964, Curvis, who had only been beaten once, fought the WBAWorld Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
and WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, world welterweight champion, American, Emile Griffith
Emile Griffith
Emile Alphonse Griffith is a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion. He is perhaps best known for his controversial third fight with Benny Paret in 1962 for the welterweight world championship...
, for his title. The fight was held at the Empire Pool, Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
. Although it went the full distance, Curvis was knocked down in the sixth, tenth and thirteenth rounds by body punches, and lost a unanimous points decision.
Remaining career
Curvis continued to fight, suffering a defeat against Willie Ludick in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
In November 1965, he defended his British and Commonwealth titles for the sixth time, against the Scot
Scot
A Scot is a member of an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland, derived from the Latin name of Irish raiders, the Scoti.Scot may also refer to:People with the given name Scot:* Scot Brantley , American football linebacker...
, Sammy McSpadden in Cardiff, winning by a technical knockout in the twelfth round.
In April 1966, he challenged for the vacant European welterweight title, fighting the Frenchman, Jean Josselin in the Palais des Sports, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was forced to retire in the fourteenth round.
Curvis fought one more fight defeating Des Rea in Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
in September 1966, before retiring from the ring as undefeated British and Commonwealth welterweight champion. For his six successful title defences he won two Lonsdale Belt
Lonsdale belt
The Lonsdale Belt was a boxing prize introduced by Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, to be awarded to British boxing champions. It is still awarded to British champions today.-National Sporting Club:...
s outright, the only welterweight to do so.
In 1960, he was named as BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year is a televised sporting competition, broadcast on BBC Two every year; and the most prestigious annual sport award in Wales. It was first awarded in 1954, and is currently organised by BBC Cymru Wales...
.