Chic Calderwood
Encyclopedia
Chic Calderwood was a Scottish light-heavyweight boxer
from Craigneuk
in North Lanarkshire
, Scotland
who was active from 1957 to 1966. He was 6 ft 3ins tall and had a venomous punch, winning many of his fights by knockouts. His career was cut short when he was killed in an automobile accident.
, winning by a knockout in the second round.
Over the next two years he built up a record of 23 straight wins, 17 of them by knockout. In January 1960 he fought for the vacant British light-heavyweight title, vacated by Randolph Turpin. The fight, against Arthur Howard, was held in Paisley
, Scotland
, and Calderwood won by a technical knockout in the thirteenth round. He was the first Scottish boxer to hold the British light-heavyweight title.
In his next fight, in June 1960, he met the Tonga
n, John Halafihi at Firhill Park, Glasgow, for the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title. Calderwood won by a technical knockout in the twelfth, to gain his second title.
Calderwood continued his winning record and in September 1960 he gained a ten-round points victory over American, Willie Pastrano
, later to become world light-heavyweight champion. The fight, over ten rounds was at the Kelvin Hall
, Glasgow
.
After building up a record of 29 straight wins, he lost his first fight in March 1961 when he was beaten on points over ten rounds by the American, Von Clay, at the Empire Pool, Wembley
. In December 1961, he suffered a second points defeat, against the American, Henry Hank, in Detroit.
In February 1962 he defended both his titles against Stan Cullis, winning by a knockout in the fourth round.
In June 1962 he had a re-match against John Halafihi for his Commonwealth title, beating him on points over fifteen rounds at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
In his next fight, in September 1962, he fought for the European light-heavyweight title, against the holder Giulio Rinaldi. The fight was held in Rome and ended with a fifteen-round points victory for the Italian.
In July 1963, he fought in Blackpool
, defending his British and Commonwealth titles against Ron Redrup. Calderwood retained his tiles when Redrup retired at the end of the eleventh round with a badly cut eye.
Later in 1963, Calderwood was charged with assault and served a prison sentence. As a result he was stripped of his titles in November 1963
In November 1964, he regained his British title in Paisley by beating Bob Nicholson, by a knockout in the seventh round.
In August 1966, he again challenged for the European light-heavyweight title, this time against another Italian, Piero Del Papa. The fight was held in Lignano, Italy, and was declared no contest after six rounds because of heavy rain.
By now Calderwood's record had earned him a shot at the World title, and in October 1966, he fought the WBA
and WBC
light-heavyweight champion José Torres
, in San Juan, Puerto Rico
. Unfortunately Calderwood was knocked out in the second round of, what proved to be, his last fight.
A month later, on 12 November 1966, he was killed in an automobile accident in Scotland.
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 Craigneuk
Craigneuk
Craigneuk is a suburb of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The original village of Craigneuk was located in the area where Meadowhead Road meets Glasgow Road. It was originally part of Dalziel parish along with the other rural weaving villages of Flemington, Windmillhill and Motherwell....
in North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
who was active from 1957 to 1966. He was 6 ft 3ins tall and had a venomous punch, winning many of his fights by knockouts. His career was cut short when he was killed in an automobile accident.
Professional career
He had his first professional fight in September 1957 when he fought Jimmy Teasdale in FalkirkFalkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, winning by a knockout in the second round.
Over the next two years he built up a record of 23 straight wins, 17 of them by knockout. In January 1960 he fought for the vacant British light-heavyweight title, vacated by Randolph Turpin. The fight, against Arthur Howard, was held in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and Calderwood won by a technical knockout in the thirteenth round. He was the first Scottish boxer to hold the British light-heavyweight title.
In his next fight, in June 1960, he met the Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n, John Halafihi at Firhill Park, Glasgow, for the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title. Calderwood won by a technical knockout in the twelfth, to gain his second title.
Calderwood continued his winning record and in September 1960 he gained a ten-round points victory over American, Willie Pastrano
Willie Pastrano
Wilfred Raleigh Pastrano was a light heavyweight boxer who held the world crown from 1963 until 1965.-Early life:...
, later to become world light-heavyweight champion. The fight, over ten rounds was at the Kelvin Hall
Kelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
After building up a record of 29 straight wins, he lost his first fight in March 1961 when he was beaten on points over ten rounds by the American, Von Clay, 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...
. In December 1961, he suffered a second points defeat, against the American, Henry Hank, in Detroit.
In February 1962 he defended both his titles against Stan Cullis, winning by a knockout in the fourth round.
In June 1962 he had a re-match against John Halafihi for his Commonwealth title, beating him on points over fifteen rounds at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
In his next fight, in September 1962, he fought for the European light-heavyweight title, against the holder Giulio Rinaldi. The fight was held in Rome and ended with a fifteen-round points victory for the Italian.
In July 1963, he fought in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, defending his British and Commonwealth titles against Ron Redrup. Calderwood retained his tiles when Redrup retired at the end of the eleventh round with a badly cut eye.
Later in 1963, Calderwood was charged with assault and served a prison sentence. As a result he was stripped of his titles in November 1963
In November 1964, he regained his British title in Paisley by beating Bob Nicholson, by a knockout in the seventh round.
In August 1966, he again challenged for the European light-heavyweight title, this time against another Italian, Piero Del Papa. The fight was held in Lignano, Italy, and was declared no contest after six rounds because of heavy rain.
By now Calderwood's record had earned him a shot at the World title, and in October 1966, he fought the WBA
World 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...
light-heavyweight champion José Torres
José Torres
José Torres , was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur boxer, he won a silver medal in the junior middleweight at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. In 1965, he defeated Willie Pastrano to win the WBC and WBA light heavyweight championships...
, in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. Unfortunately Calderwood was knocked out in the second round of, what proved to be, his last fight.
A month later, on 12 November 1966, he was killed in an automobile accident in Scotland.
External links
- Fight stats
- Scots Boxing Hall of Fame
- Maurice Golesworthy, Encyclopaedia of Boxing (Eighth Edition) (1988), Robert Hale Limited, ISBN 0-7090-3323-0