Brian Verdon McCleary
Encyclopedia
Brian Verdon McCleary was a New Zealand
rugby player. He was a member of the All Blacks
in 1924 and 1925, playing in the Hooker position. He was also a New Zealand and Australasian amateur and professional light-heavyweight and heavyweight boxing champion.
, Otago
, New Zealand
and was educated at Christian Brothers School
where he played rugby.
club and then the Culverden
club and represented Canterbury in 1920 and 1923. He represented the South Island in 1923 and 1924 and was a New Zealand trialist in 1924. He was selected for the All Blacks in 1923 and 1925. He played in Australia and at home for New Zealand before the Invincibles tour, on which he played in nine games. In all he played twelve games for the All Blacks. All his matches for New Zealand were against regional or representative clubs never playing at international level.
On 15 April 1922, McCleary challenged Cyril Whittaker for the vacant New Zealand heavyweight title at King Edward's Barracks in Christchurch. The contest went the full fifteen rounds with McCleary winning by points decision
, making him the heavyweight champion. He successfully defended his title in May 1922 against Albert Pooley, while a June challenge from Paul McQuarie ended in a no contest. On 9 September 1922, McCleary faced Cyril Whittaker again, when both men dropped a weight to contest the vacant light-heavyweight title. McCleary beat Whittaker again on points, giving him his second New Zealand boxing champion title. He successfully defended his title in May 1923, stopping Laurie Cadman by technical knockout in the seventh round; but lost his title a month later when he lost by points to Eddie Parker.
14 August 1923 saw McCleary face his most notable opponent, Tom Heeney
, in a challenge for his heavyweight title. McCleary was beaten by technical knockout in the fourteenth round, losing his title to Heeney who would go on to challenge NBA World heavyweight champion Gene Tunney
in New York. McCleary challenged for the New Zealand light-heavyweight belt again in 1924, but lost by decision, again to Eddie Parker.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby player. He was a member of the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in 1924 and 1925, playing in the Hooker position. He was also a New Zealand and Australasian amateur and professional light-heavyweight and heavyweight boxing champion.
Early life
McCleary was born in DunedinDunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was educated at Christian Brothers School
Kavanagh College
Kavanagh College is a Catholic Secondary school in Dunedin, New Zealand. The school in its present form dates from 1989 but its origins as a secondary school go back to 1871....
where he played rugby.
Rugby career
McCleary played for the MaristMarist
Marist is an adjectival noun, the word is derived from the name Mary - in particular Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ. The term Marist refers to organisations that are linked to the religious orders that began as the Society of Mary, The Marist Fathers and Brothers and the Marist Brothers of the...
club and then the Culverden
Culverden
Culverden is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings had a usually-resident population of 420. This represented an increase of 7% or 27 people from the previous census in 2001.Culverden is located on State Highway...
club and represented Canterbury in 1920 and 1923. He represented the South Island in 1923 and 1924 and was a New Zealand trialist in 1924. He was selected for the All Blacks in 1923 and 1925. He played in Australia and at home for New Zealand before the Invincibles tour, on which he played in nine games. In all he played twelve games for the All Blacks. All his matches for New Zealand were against regional or representative clubs never playing at international level.
Boxing career
McCleary began his boxing career as an orthodox heavyweight. After an unbeaten amateur record of 32 fights he turned professional.On 15 April 1922, McCleary challenged Cyril Whittaker for the vacant New Zealand heavyweight title at King Edward's Barracks in Christchurch. The contest went the full fifteen rounds with McCleary winning by points decision
Points decision
A points decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking unlike normal decisions where there is three judges that agree on which fighter won the match the fight is scored by the...
, making him the heavyweight champion. He successfully defended his title in May 1922 against Albert Pooley, while a June challenge from Paul McQuarie ended in a no contest. On 9 September 1922, McCleary faced Cyril Whittaker again, when both men dropped a weight to contest the vacant light-heavyweight title. McCleary beat Whittaker again on points, giving him his second New Zealand boxing champion title. He successfully defended his title in May 1923, stopping Laurie Cadman by technical knockout in the seventh round; but lost his title a month later when he lost by points to Eddie Parker.
14 August 1923 saw McCleary face his most notable opponent, Tom Heeney
Tom Heeney
Thomas Heeney , commonly called Tom Heeney, was a professional heavyweight boxer from New Zealand, best known for unsuccessfully challenging champion Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship of the world in New York City on 26 July 1928.Heeney was born in Gisborne, New Zealand, and worked as a...
, in a challenge for his heavyweight title. McCleary was beaten by technical knockout in the fourteenth round, losing his title to Heeney who would go on to challenge NBA World heavyweight champion Gene Tunney
Gene Tunney
James Joseph "Gene" Tunney was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight...
in New York. McCleary challenged for the New Zealand light-heavyweight belt again in 1924, but lost by decision, again to Eddie Parker.
Sources
- Ron Polanski, The All Blackography, Hodder Moa, 2007.