Kostas Petrou
Encyclopedia
Kostas Petrou (born 17/04/1959 in London
) is a former British
professional boxer
of Greek Cypriot origin.
He spent much of his childhood in Birkenhead
where he became a renowned amateur
fighter learning his ring craft with Willaston ABC. He later moved to Birmingham
and turned professional
in 1981 with the Lynch brothers (Tommy and Paddy). After losing on his pro debut due to a cut eye, he raced to 15 successive victories. Petrou became Midlands Area Champion after outpointing Lloyd Christie and British Welterweight Champion
on 13 April 1985 after defeating Rocky Kelly by TKO
at 1:09 of the ninth round in Darlington
. He also contested the Commonwealth (British Empire) Championship against Sylvester Mittee and was the Number 1 contender for the European Title
.
Petrou's style was that of a pressure fighter
who incessantly marched forward and eventually wore down his opponents, hence the label "The Greek Tank". He was a regular on ITV's
The Big Fight Live
series hosted by Gary Newbon
and was known as a crowd pleaser. The former World Champion and now Sky Sports
pundit Jim Watt
often said that Petrou breaks the heart of his opponents with his never say die attitude. The war with Rocky Kelly for the famous Lonsdale belt
is still remembered today as one of the great British
fights of the 1980s. Daniel Herbert, Managing Director of Boxing News
, enthused that it was the best fight he had ever been to, with fortunes back and forth until Petrou proved too strong. Boxing
Columnist Clive Bernath stated that Petrou's war with Kelly will live with him forever. Earlier in his career, The Greek Tank fought the future undisputed World Champion Lloyd Honeyghan
, losing only on points. Petrou took the fight with only 24 hours notice.
Petrou lost the British title
on September 18, 1985 when he was outpointed by Sylvester Mittee for the British
and Commonwealth titles, 116-119 for referee Harry Gibbs
. Petrou's last professional bout was an impressive TKO
victory over future British champion
and World Title
challenger Ensley Bingham
in 1988. Petrou retired at the end of 1988 when he was on the verge of fighting Kirkland Laing
for another British title
, with a final record of 30 wins out of 37 fights (12 KO
s). Petrou was stopped
just once in his career, and that was only due to a cut eye in his first professional fight.
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...
) is a former British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
professional 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...
of Greek Cypriot origin.
He spent much of his childhood in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
where he became a renowned amateur
Amateur boxing
Amateur boxing is practised at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring rather...
fighter learning his ring craft with Willaston ABC. He later moved to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and turned professional
Professional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
in 1981 with the Lynch brothers (Tommy and Paddy). After losing on his pro debut due to a cut eye, he raced to 15 successive victories. Petrou became Midlands Area Champion after outpointing Lloyd Christie and British Welterweight Champion
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:...
on 13 April 1985 after defeating Rocky Kelly by TKO
TKO
-In game, music and film:* Three Kingdoms Online, a browser based strategy game* "TKO" , an episode of Babylon 5* "T.K.O. ", a song from Elvis Costello's Punch the Clock album* "TKO", a song from Le Tigre's This Island...
at 1:09 of the ninth round in Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
. He also contested the Commonwealth (British Empire) Championship against Sylvester Mittee and was the Number 1 contender for the European Title
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
.
Petrou's style was that of a pressure fighter
Boxing styles and technique
- Boxing styles :There are three generally accepted boxing styles that are used to define fighters. They are the in-fighter, the out-fighter and the brawler.-Inside-fighter:...
who incessantly marched forward and eventually wore down his opponents, hence the label "The Greek Tank". He was a regular on ITV's
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
The Big Fight Live
The Big Fight Live
The Big Fight Live is a British boxing television programme, broadcast by ITV Sport regularly until 1995 and again since 2005.-History:ITV's boxing coverage had largely been confined to big fights from the USA in the 1970s and early 80s, which were covered as part of World of Sport and as separate...
series hosted by Gary Newbon
Gary Newbon
Gary Newbon is a television sports presenter and executive.He attended Culford School near Bury St Edmunds and upon leaving school he became a junior reporter in Cambridge and then a freelance Fleet Street journalist reporting on tennis and rugby...
and was known as a crowd pleaser. The former World Champion and now Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
pundit Jim Watt
Jim Watt
Jim Watt is a former Scottish boxer, who became world champion in the lightweight division when Roberto Durán left the title vacant in 1979 and the WBC had him fight Alfredo Pitalua. Watt knocked out Pitalua in twelve rounds....
often said that Petrou breaks the heart of his opponents with his never say die attitude. The war with Rocky Kelly for the famous 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:...
is still remembered today as one of the great British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
fights of the 1980s. Daniel Herbert, Managing Director of Boxing News
Boxing News
Boxing News is the longest-running boxing magazine still in publication, dating back to 1909. Owned by Newsquest Specialist Media .-History:Boxing News was founded in 1909 by original editor John Murray as, simply, Boxing...
, enthused that it was the best fight he had ever been to, with fortunes back and forth until Petrou proved too strong. Boxing
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...
Columnist Clive Bernath stated that Petrou's war with Kelly will live with him forever. Earlier in his career, The Greek Tank fought the future undisputed World Champion Lloyd Honeyghan
Lloyd Honeyghan
Lloyd Honeyghan is a retired British boxer. Born in Jamaica, he was WBC/WBA & IBF welterweight champion from 1986 to 1987. and WBC welterweight champion from 1988 to 1989....
, losing only on points. Petrou took the fight with only 24 hours notice.
Petrou lost the British title
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:...
on September 18, 1985 when he was outpointed by Sylvester Mittee for the British
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 :...
and Commonwealth titles, 116-119 for referee Harry Gibbs
Harry Gibbs (referee)
Harry Gibbs OBE was an English boxing referee and judge.In a career spanning four decades, Gibbs took charge of numerous world title fights, and officiated in bouts involving Muhammad Ali, Roberto Durán, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Thomas Hearns, Mike Tyson, Barry McGuigan and Joe Frazier...
. Petrou's last professional bout was an impressive TKO
TKO
-In game, music and film:* Three Kingdoms Online, a browser based strategy game* "TKO" , an episode of Babylon 5* "T.K.O. ", a song from Elvis Costello's Punch the Clock album* "TKO", a song from Le Tigre's This Island...
victory over future British champion
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:...
and World Title
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
challenger Ensley Bingham
Ensley Bingham
Ensley Bingham is a former Manchester Boxer who held both the British and Inter-Continental Light Middle Weight Championships.Bingham also challenged Ronald 'Winky' Wright for the WBO Light Middleweight Title in November 1996, losing a wide unanimous decision.Anthony Ivory, after being knocked...
in 1988. Petrou retired at the end of 1988 when he was on the verge of fighting Kirkland Laing
Kirkland Laing
Kirkland Laing is a retired British Welterweight boxer nicknamed The Gifted One.Laing fought 56 times in a twenty year career, the highlight of which was a shock split decision win over Roberto Durán in September 1982. The fight was selected as Ring Magazine's upset of the year...
for another British title
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:...
, with a final record of 30 wins out of 37 fights (12 KO
Ko
Ko or KO may refer to:* Ko , a Tamil action movie directed by K.V. Anand released in April 2011* Ko , the romanization of the Japanese kana こ and コ* Ko Mountain, the second highest peak in Sikhote-Alin*Ko, Lamphun, Thailand...
s). Petrou was stopped
TKO
-In game, music and film:* Three Kingdoms Online, a browser based strategy game* "TKO" , an episode of Babylon 5* "T.K.O. ", a song from Elvis Costello's Punch the Clock album* "TKO", a song from Le Tigre's This Island...
just once in his career, and that was only due to a cut eye in his first professional fight.