Dave Charnley
Encyclopedia
Dave Charnley was an English lightweight boxer considered to be one of the greatest British fighters in his weight class. Known as The Dartford Destroyer the left-handed Charnley had a 10 year career lasting from 1954 to 1964.
He won bronze in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada and went on to become:
. He was stopped by Brown on a cut eye in Houston, Texas, in 1959 and was narrowly out-pointed in a controversial 15 round bout in London on 18 April 1961. Ring Magazine called this second bout "Fight of the Year." Many say Charnley should have won. http://www.secondsout.com/Legends/bios.cfm?ccs=235&cs=8624 The decision is still contested by Charnley and most British writers.
He eventually defeated Brown in six rounds in a non-title fight in Manchester on 25 February 1963.
He became British Lightweight Champion at 21 by out pointing Joe Lucy, another south paw, on the 9 April 1957, but in his first attempt later that year to win the Empire title on the 9 July he was beaten on points by the brilliant South African, Willie Towel. In 1958 he met future world champion, Puerto Rican Carlos Ortiz
at Harringay Arena
where he lost on a 10 round decision.
In a return match against Willie Towel on the 12 May 1959, Dave Charnley punched with such authority that the championship changed hands in the 10th round, when Dave won by a knockout.
Dave challenged for the World Title at Houston, Texas on 2 December 1959, against Joe Brown but was forced to retire in the fifth round with a badly damaged eye. He fought Brown again, this time in London on the 18 April 1961, and lost a bitterly contested duel that many fans thought he had won. By way of consolation Dave knocked out Brown in six rounds in a third meeting, but only after the American had lost his World title.
Before his second bout with Brown, Dave added the European Lightweight Title to his British and Empire Titles, when he met Mario Vecchiatto of Italy on the 29 March 1960. He forced Vecchiatto to retire in the 10th round.
On 20 November 1961 Dave Charnley met challenger David "Darkie" Hughes of Wales for his third title and stopped the Welshman in 40 seconds, including the count, a record win in the British Lightweight class.
In 1962 Dave went to Jamaica, losing his Empire title on a close point verdict to Bunny Grant, but he won his Lonsdale Belt outright by defeating Maurice Cullen
in Manchester on the 20 May 1963. That year he also forfeited his European title.
As there were no worthy challengers in the Lightweight division, to continue boxing, it was necessary for Dave to move up to the Welterweight division. He was then game enough to challenge the World Champion, Emile Griffith, but took a bad beating and the fight was stopped in round eight.
Dave retired from the ring in 1964 as unbeaten British Lightweight Champion.
His trademark was an aggressive attacking style. Inside the ring he was a furious brawler who gave and took brutal punishment. He fought everyone, even much heavier men and always held his own.
Only Joe Brown stopped him on cuts and until his last fight, only welterweight great Emile Griffiths stopped him from going the distance. Charnley ended his career fighting welterweights and was a really tough opponent for anyone.
He won bronze in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada and went on to become:
- Undefeated British LightweightLightweightLight-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
Champion (1957-63) - Commonwealth Lightweight Champion (1959-62) and
- European Lightweight Boxing Champion (1960-61)
World Champion title fights
Charnley made two unsuccessful world title challenges against his arch-rival Joe 'Old Bones' BrownJoe Brown (boxer)
Joe Brown was an accomplished boxer who won the undisputed Lightweight Championship of the World in 1956, making 11 successful defences before losing his crown in his old age to Carlos Ortiz in 1962. Brown was a classic boxer and a knockout puncher...
. He was stopped by Brown on a cut eye in Houston, Texas, in 1959 and was narrowly out-pointed in a controversial 15 round bout in London on 18 April 1961. Ring Magazine called this second bout "Fight of the Year." Many say Charnley should have won. http://www.secondsout.com/Legends/bios.cfm?ccs=235&cs=8624 The decision is still contested by Charnley and most British writers.
He eventually defeated Brown in six rounds in a non-title fight in Manchester on 25 February 1963.
Early life and career
Before he became a boxer, Charnley worked at Vickers Engineering Crayford as a boilermaker. He began pro-boxing on 19 October 1954 and his strong punching won him the 1954 A.B.A. Featherweight championship. He turned professional the same year.He became British Lightweight Champion at 21 by out pointing Joe Lucy, another south paw, on the 9 April 1957, but in his first attempt later that year to win the Empire title on the 9 July he was beaten on points by the brilliant South African, Willie Towel. In 1958 he met future world champion, Puerto Rican Carlos Ortiz
Carlos Ortiz
For the Cuban wrestler with the same name see Carlos Julian OrtízCarlos Ortiz is a Puerto Rican who was a three time world boxing champion, twice in the lightweight division and once in the Jr. Welterweights....
at Harringay Arena
Harringay Arena
Harringay Arena was a sporting and events venue on Green Lanes in Harringay, North London, England. Built in 1936, it lasted as a venue until 1958.-Construction:...
where he lost on a 10 round decision.
In a return match against Willie Towel on the 12 May 1959, Dave Charnley punched with such authority that the championship changed hands in the 10th round, when Dave won by a knockout.
Dave challenged for the World Title at Houston, Texas on 2 December 1959, against Joe Brown but was forced to retire in the fifth round with a badly damaged eye. He fought Brown again, this time in London on the 18 April 1961, and lost a bitterly contested duel that many fans thought he had won. By way of consolation Dave knocked out Brown in six rounds in a third meeting, but only after the American had lost his World title.
Before his second bout with Brown, Dave added the European Lightweight Title to his British and Empire Titles, when he met Mario Vecchiatto of Italy on the 29 March 1960. He forced Vecchiatto to retire in the 10th round.
On 20 November 1961 Dave Charnley met challenger David "Darkie" Hughes of Wales for his third title and stopped the Welshman in 40 seconds, including the count, a record win in the British Lightweight class.
In 1962 Dave went to Jamaica, losing his Empire title on a close point verdict to Bunny Grant, but he won his Lonsdale Belt outright by defeating Maurice Cullen
Maurice Cullen (boxer)
Maurice Cullen was an English lightweight boxer, who held the British Lightweight Title, defending it four times.-Boxing style:...
in Manchester on the 20 May 1963. That year he also forfeited his European title.
As there were no worthy challengers in the Lightweight division, to continue boxing, it was necessary for Dave to move up to the Welterweight division. He was then game enough to challenge the World Champion, Emile Griffith, but took a bad beating and the fight was stopped in round eight.
Dave retired from the ring in 1964 as unbeaten British Lightweight Champion.
Aggressive fighting style
Charnley had a powerful build and large forearms and was often compared to the "Toy Bulldog" Mickey Walker, but he also had good tools. He had double and triple hooks and was a true scrapper with plenty of bottle.His trademark was an aggressive attacking style. Inside the ring he was a furious brawler who gave and took brutal punishment. He fought everyone, even much heavier men and always held his own.
Only Joe Brown stopped him on cuts and until his last fight, only welterweight great Emile Griffiths stopped him from going the distance. Charnley ended his career fighting welterweights and was a really tough opponent for anyone.
After the ring
When he retired from boxing, Charnley took a completely different direction in his life and for a few years opened and operated hair salons, which became quite profitable for him. He also moved into building and property refurbishments in which he is still involved. His various business interests have seen him enter old age a very wealthy man.See also
- List of British lightweight boxing champions
- The Dartford Destroyer: The Life and Career of Dave Charnley by James Kirkwood; Dalcumly Press (August 10, 2011); ISBN-10: 0956925308; ISBN-13: 978-0956925305
- Interview with Dave Charnley http://www.videosurf.com/video/ringside-dave-charnley-interview-1327514894
Sources
- Henry Cooper’s 100 Greatest Boxers (Henry Cooper, Queen Anne Press, 1990) page 32
- The Ring Record Book & Boxing Encyclopaedia 1959 (Nat FleischerNat FleischerNathaniel Stanley Fleischer was a noted American boxing writer and collector. Fleischer inaugurated in 1922, encouraged by Tex Rickard, the Ring Magazine publication...
, The Ring Book Shop Inc., 1959) page 5
External links
- http://www.britishboxing.net/boxers_10856-Dave-Charnley.html
- http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=011390
- http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/finbarr/btcp10.htm
- http://www.boxing-records.com/palm/voirpalma.phtml?boxeur=charnlda.html
- http://www.secondsout.com/Legends/bios.cfm?ccs=235&cs=8624
- http://www.thesportsjudge.co.uk/nextboxi.htm
- http://www.ironlife.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43031
- http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/archive/index.php/index.php?t-10620.html