Dick Richardson (boxer)
Encyclopedia
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. He was one of a quartet of outstanding British heavyweights in the 1950s and early '60s, along with Henry Cooper
, Joe Erskine and Brian London
, who held out the possibility of a British heavyweight world champion.
Richardson defeated a number of top heavyweights in his career, including; Ezzard Charles
, Karl Mildenberger
, Bob Baker
, Brian London
and Hans Kalbfell.
in 1953. He served in the Royal Army Service Corps
where he became boxing champion. However he was beaten in the inter-services boxing championships by Brian London
, later to become British heavyweight boxing champion, and fighting under his real name of Harper. He turned professional in 1954, being managed by Wally Lesley and trained by Johnny Lewis at a gym in Blackfriars, London
. In September 1954, he lost his first professional bout on points against Henry Cooper
’s twin brother, George, fighting under the ring name of Jim Cooper. He avenged this defeat in March 1955 with a technical knockout in the second round.
Richardson began to build up an impressive list of victories, many of them inside the distance. In May 1956 he fought fellow Welsh heavyweight, Joe Erskine, in the Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
, in front of 35,000 fans. Despite knocking Erskine down in round five, Richardson lost on points. Richardson continued to look for higher-class opponents and in October 1956, he fought the ex-world champion Ezzard Charles
in a fight that became a farce when the American was disqualified in round two for persistent holding. He next fought the world-class Cuba
n, Nino Valdes in December 1956, but was forced to retire in the eighth round.
Richardson’s first title fight was for the Commonwealth (British Empire
) Heavyweight Title against the holder, the Jamaica
n, Joe Bygraves, in Cardiff
in May 1957. The fight, over fifteen rounds was a draw and Bygraves retained his title.
In October 1957, Richardson, was easily out-pointed in a bout against the future world light-heavyweight
champion, Willie Pastrano
. His career appeared to be faltering when he was beaten by Henry Cooper
in September 1958, on a technical knockout in the fifth round, and also lost to Joe Erskine on points in June 1959.
boxer Hans Kalbfell, for the vacant European heavyweight title. He had previously beaten Kalbfell in four rounds, in Porthcawl
, and he won this bout, held in Dortmund
, Germany
, by a technical knockout in the thirteenth round. The defeat of Kalbfell provoked a riot amongst the German fans, and Richardson needed a police escort to reach his dressing room.
Richardson defended his European title in August 1960, against Brian London
, in Porthcawl
, winning by a technical knockout in the eighth round. This result provoked a brawl
, when London’s father and brother, with Richardson's brothers coming in to defend as the London's invaded the ring to protest that Richardson had used his head to open a cut on his opponent.
Richardson also won a return bout against Hans Kalbfell in Dortmund in February 1961, gaining a points decision.
Richardson won the next defence of his title, in February 1962, against the German, Karl Mildenberger
, by an astonishing first-round knockout. The bout was held in Dortmund. Mildenberger would fight Muhammad Ali
for the world title several years later.
Richardson’s fourth defence of his title was in June 1962, against the hard-punching Swede
, Ingemar Johansson
. Johansson had been world heavyweight champion after beating Floyd Patterson
, but had subsequently lost the title to Patterson in June 1960. The bout was held in Gothenburg
, Sweden
in front of 50,000 spectators, and Richardson was knocked out in the eighth round.
Richardson’s last fight was in March 1963, when Henry Cooper defended his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles against him at Wembley
. Richardson was knocked out in the fifth round.
. He died from cancer on 14 July, 1999, aged 65. He was married to Betty Richardson with one son, Gary and one daughter Lyn, from which he has six grandchildren.
In his 47 professional bouts, he won 31 (24 on knock-outs), and lost 14 (4 on knock-outs). Two of his bouts were drawn.
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from the Maesglas
Maesglas
Maesglas is a neighbourhood in the south west of the city of Newport, South Wales. In the 16th century it was known as Greenfield but in later years the Welsh language Maesglas has come to be more widely used....
area of 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...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, 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...
. 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. He was one of a quartet of outstanding British heavyweights in the 1950s and early '60s, along with Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper may refer to:*Sir Henry Cooper , British Heavyweight boxer*Henry Cooper from Tennessee*Henry Cooper , English recipient of the Victoria Cross...
, Joe Erskine 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...
, who held out the possibility of a British heavyweight world champion.
Richardson defeated a number of top heavyweights in his career, including; Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
, Karl Mildenberger
Karl Mildenberger
Karl Mildenberger is a retired German heavyweight boxer. He was the European Heavyweight Champion from 1964 to 1968...
, Bob Baker
Bob Baker
-External links:...
, 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...
and Hans Kalbfell.
Career
He was born Richard Alexander Richardson but was known as Dick. He had a few amateur bouts before being called up for his national serviceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in 1953. He served in the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
where he became boxing champion. However he was beaten in the inter-services boxing championships by 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...
, later to become British heavyweight boxing champion, and fighting under his real name of Harper. He turned professional in 1954, being managed by Wally Lesley and trained by Johnny Lewis at a gym in Blackfriars, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In September 1954, he lost his first professional bout on points against Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper may refer to:*Sir Henry Cooper , British Heavyweight boxer*Henry Cooper from Tennessee*Henry Cooper , English recipient of the Victoria Cross...
’s twin brother, George, fighting under the ring name of Jim Cooper. He avenged this defeat in March 1955 with a technical knockout in the second round.
Richardson began to build up an impressive list of victories, many of them inside the distance. In May 1956 he fought fellow Welsh heavyweight, Joe Erskine, in the Maindy Stadium, 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...
, in front of 35,000 fans. Despite knocking Erskine down in round five, Richardson lost on points. Richardson continued to look for higher-class opponents and in October 1956, he fought the ex-world champion Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
in a fight that became a farce when the American was disqualified in round two for persistent holding. He next fought the world-class Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n, Nino Valdes in December 1956, but was forced to retire in the eighth round.
Richardson’s first title fight was for the Commonwealth (British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
) Heavyweight Title against the holder, the Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n, Joe Bygraves, in 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...
in May 1957. The fight, over fifteen rounds was a draw and Bygraves retained his title.
In October 1957, Richardson, was easily out-pointed in a bout against the future world light-heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
champion, Willie Pastrano
Willie Pastrano
Wilfred Raleigh Pastrano was a light heavyweight boxer who held the world crown from 1963 until 1965.-Early life:...
. His career appeared to be faltering when he was beaten by Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper
Henry Cooper may refer to:*Sir Henry Cooper , British Heavyweight boxer*Henry Cooper from Tennessee*Henry Cooper , English recipient of the Victoria Cross...
in September 1958, on a technical knockout in the fifth round, and also lost to Joe Erskine on points in June 1959.
European title
However, in March 1960, he was matched against the GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
boxer Hans Kalbfell, for the vacant European heavyweight title. He had previously beaten Kalbfell in four rounds, in 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 he won this bout, held in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, by a technical knockout in the thirteenth round. The defeat of Kalbfell provoked a riot amongst the German fans, and Richardson needed a police escort to reach his dressing room.
Richardson defended his European title in August 1960, against 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...
, in 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...
, winning by a technical knockout in the eighth round. This result provoked a brawl
BRAWL
Brawl is a real-time card game designed by James Ernest and released in 1999 by Cheapass Games.-Gameplay:Like Spit or Icehouse, players in Brawl do not take turns, instead either making a move or staying inactive as best suits their strategy at that moment...
, when London’s father and brother, with Richardson's brothers coming in to defend as the London's invaded the ring to protest that Richardson had used his head to open a cut on his opponent.
Richardson also won a return bout against Hans Kalbfell in Dortmund in February 1961, gaining a points decision.
Richardson won the next defence of his title, in February 1962, against the German, Karl Mildenberger
Karl Mildenberger
Karl Mildenberger is a retired German heavyweight boxer. He was the European Heavyweight Champion from 1964 to 1968...
, by an astonishing first-round knockout. The bout was held in Dortmund. Mildenberger would fight Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
for the world title several years later.
Richardson’s fourth defence of his title was in June 1962, against the hard-punching Swede
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Ingemar Johansson
Ingemar Johansson
Jens Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world. Johansson was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. In 1959 he defeated Floyd Patterson by TKO in the third round, after flooring Patterson seven times in that round, to win the World...
. Johansson had been world heavyweight champion after beating Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
, but had subsequently lost the title to Patterson in June 1960. The bout was held in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in front of 50,000 spectators, and Richardson was knocked out in the eighth round.
Richardson’s last fight was in March 1963, when Henry Cooper defended his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles against him at Wembley
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
. Richardson was knocked out in the fifth round.
Retirement and death
Richardson retired at the relatively early age of 28, and ran a small chain of butcher's shops in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He died from cancer on 14 July, 1999, aged 65. He was married to Betty Richardson with one son, Gary and one daughter Lyn, from which he has six grandchildren.
In his 47 professional bouts, he won 31 (24 on knock-outs), and lost 14 (4 on knock-outs). Two of his bouts were drawn.
Sources & external links
- Obituary: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990716/ai_n14258636
- Obit from the Guardian