Robert Dickie
Encyclopedia
Robert Dickie was a Welsh
professional boxer
, fighting at both featherweight and super-featherweight. He was Scottish champion at featherweight, British champion at both weights and became WBC International super-featherweight champion in 1988. He is one of only four Welshmen to hold a British boxing title at different weights, the others being Johnny Basham, Pat Thomas
and Jack Petersen
.
of his professional career, stopping the Glaswegian in the second round.
After taking the Scottish featherweight belt, Dickie completed 1985 with wins over John Maloney, Mark Reefer and Dean Bramhald, before undertaking his first overseas fight, in South Africa. There he faced future South African lightweight champion Frank Khonkhobe at the De Beers Stadium in Kimberley, the match ended in a points draw.
Returning to Britain, Dickie's next fight was for the vacant British featherweight title. Staged at the Royal Albert Hall
on 9 April 1986, he defeated John Feeney on points to take the belt. He fought just twice more that year, but both were title defences. He stopped Welsh super-featherweight champion Steve Sims
by knockout in the fourth round, and then successfully defended his title in a rematch with Feeney, another points decision.
super-featherweight title held by Indonesian, Hengky Gun in March 1988. Dickie beat Gun by a technical knockdown in the fifth to become the WBC International super-featherweight champion. He only held onto the belt for five months, when he was stopped in the sixth by Tunisia's Kamel Bou-Ali in a title challenge at the Kings Hall in Stoke.
Dickie continued fighting after losing his belt, now chasing the British super-featherweight title. He only fought three time between 1989 and 1990, winning all through technical knockouts. On 30 April 1991 he faced Kevin Pritchard the British super-featherweight champion. The match was fought at the National Sports Centre in Cardiff, Dickie winning the belt in the eighth. He retired after losing his final two fights, including his British super-featherweight title to Sugar Gibiliru.
in 2011, among those attending from the world of boxing included past opponents Feeney and Sims, and Welsh fighters Colin Jones and Enzo Maccarinelli
. Following his death, the Lonsdale Belt
Dickie had sold twelve years before, was returned to his family.
Dickie is one of three Welshmen to have won the British super-featherweight title, alongside Neil Haddock
and Floyd Harvard; and is one of five Welsh boxers to have taken the British featherweight title, the others being Jim Driscoll
, Peter Harris, Steve Sims
and Howard Winstone
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
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...
, fighting at both featherweight and super-featherweight. He was Scottish champion at featherweight, British champion at both weights and became WBC International super-featherweight champion in 1988. He is one of only four Welshmen to hold a British boxing title at different weights, the others being Johnny Basham, Pat Thomas
Pat Thomas (boxer)
Pat Thomas was a Light-middleweight boxer, originally from Saint Kitts and Nevis, who took British citizenship and won two British boxing titles in the 1970s and 80s...
and Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen
Jack Petersen was a Welsh boxer, who held the British heavyweight boxing title on two separate occasions.-Early life and career:...
.
Bantamweight
Dickie turned professional in 1983, and fought his first pro bout, at bantamweight, against Billy Hough in Swindon in March of that year. The six round fight went the distance, and Dickie took the result on a points decision. He won his next three bouts, held in Scotland, England and then Wales, stopping all three opponents via technical knockout. His fifth match, against Danny Flynn at St. Andrew's Sporting Club in Glasgow, ended in a points draw. Just four months later, Dickie was again facing Flynn, this time for the vacant Scottish Area bantamweight title. The ten round match was stopped in the fifth, with Dickie defeated, his only loss in his first five years as a professional.Featherweight
Dickie's next fight was seven months later, against Dave Pratt, but now fighting at featherweight. He beat Pratt by points decision, before dispatching Charlie Coke via technical knockout on 24 October 1984. His next bout, against John Sharkey, ended in his opponent being disqualified for repeated headbutts. A win over journeyman Steve Enwright in a first round stoppage, in December 1984, was followed by a second attempt at a Scottish Area title, this time for the vacant featherweight belt. His opponent on 25 February was Sharkey who he faced just three months earlier. The match was a short affair, with Dickie recording his first clean knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
of his professional career, stopping the Glaswegian in the second round.
After taking the Scottish featherweight belt, Dickie completed 1985 with wins over John Maloney, Mark Reefer and Dean Bramhald, before undertaking his first overseas fight, in South Africa. There he faced future South African lightweight champion Frank Khonkhobe at the De Beers Stadium in Kimberley, the match ended in a points draw.
Returning to Britain, Dickie's next fight was for the vacant British featherweight title. Staged at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on 9 April 1986, he defeated John Feeney on points to take the belt. He fought just twice more that year, but both were title defences. He stopped Welsh super-featherweight champion Steve Sims
Steve Sims (boxer)
Steve "Sammy" Sims is a Welsh former boxer who became Welsh and British featherweight champion.-External links:...
by knockout in the fourth round, and then successfully defended his title in a rematch with Feeney, another points decision.
Super-featherweight
After his two defences Dickie took a year out, relinquishing his titles to move up to super-featherweight. In October 1987 he beat Rocky Lawlor through a disqualification, before taking a points decision over American Arvell Campbell in January of the following year. This led to an attempt at the WBC InternationalWorld 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...
super-featherweight title held by Indonesian, Hengky Gun in March 1988. Dickie beat Gun by a technical knockdown in the fifth to become the WBC International super-featherweight champion. He only held onto the belt for five months, when he was stopped in the sixth by Tunisia's Kamel Bou-Ali in a title challenge at the Kings Hall in Stoke.
Dickie continued fighting after losing his belt, now chasing the British super-featherweight title. He only fought three time between 1989 and 1990, winning all through technical knockouts. On 30 April 1991 he faced Kevin Pritchard the British super-featherweight champion. The match was fought at the National Sports Centre in Cardiff, Dickie winning the belt in the eighth. He retired after losing his final two fights, including his British super-featherweight title to Sugar Gibiliru.
Death and legacy
Dickie died from a heart attack at the age of 46, in October 2010. Following his death, a charitable trust was launched in his memory. A charity dinner was held at Parc y ScarletsParc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets is a rugby union stadium in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, that opened in November 2008 as the new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC. The ground replaced Stradey Park, the home of Llanelli's rugby teams for almost 130 years...
in 2011, among those attending from the world of boxing included past opponents Feeney and Sims, and Welsh fighters Colin Jones and Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli is a Welsh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is a former World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title holder and also held the European title at that weight limit...
. Following his death, the 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:...
Dickie had sold twelve years before, was returned to his family.
Dickie is one of three Welshmen to have won the British super-featherweight title, alongside Neil Haddock
Neil Haddock
Neil Haddock is a Welsh former lightweight and super featherweight boxer. Before turning professional he won a silver medal as a lightweight at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. His early career as a professional lightweight was not very notable, but after a year out from boxing caused by an eye...
and Floyd Harvard; and is one of five Welsh boxers to have taken the British featherweight title, the others being Jim Driscoll
Jim Driscoll
James "Jim" Driscoll commonly known as Peerless Jim was a Welsh boxer who learned his trade in the boxing ring and used it to fight his way out of poverty....
, Peter Harris, Steve Sims
Steve Sims (boxer)
Steve "Sammy" Sims is a Welsh former boxer who became Welsh and British featherweight champion.-External links:...
and Howard Winstone
Howard Winstone
Howard Winstone, MBE was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff-Boxing style:In his early...
.