Ronnie James
Encyclopedia
Ronnie James former British Lightweight
boxing
champion. Born in Swansea
, Wales
, James had over 130 professional bouts winning 114 of them, 61 through knockout. In 1946 he challenged Ike Williams
at Cardiff for the NBA Lightweight title, but lost the contest in the ninth round.
and a victory against future NBA World champion Jackie Wilson
.
After the Crowley contest, James began to face more challenging contests on a regular basis. James fought and lost against Spaniard Baltasar Sangchili, but then knocked out fellow Welshman Phineas John in the eighth round in October 1936. These bouts were followed with another points draw with Corbett. The end of 1936 through to 1937 saw James face a derth of experienced challengers, before he met Cuthbert Taylor
at St Helen's in Swansea. The match was won by James, which was followed by another victory, this time against Douglas Kestrell. The Kestrell fight was followed by a surprise loss to Liverpool fighter Tony Butcher who came of a twelve match losing streak to stop James by a technical knockout in the sixth of a twelve round bout in the Market Hall of Haverfordwest
.
James bounced back in 1938 with four straight wins, three by knockout, before being disqualified in a contest in front of his hometown against NBA ex-champion Freddie Miller
of Cincinnati. He then took in ten winning bouts, most notably over Tommy Hyams and Dick Corbett, before two loses, to Dave Finn and another loss to Crowley. After losing to Crowley in April 1939, James didn't lose a fight until May 1942, including wins over both Finn and Crowley. By 1943 James was heading towards a British title fight, which had evaded him before this date. Although losing three bouts on a run on the build up to his championship claim, one to Lefty Satan Flynn
and two to Arthur Danahar, he was still allowed a shot at the title against Eric Boon
. The Boon contest was for the British Lightweight title and took place on 12 August 1944 at the Cardiff Arms Park
in the Welsh capital
. James took the title after a tenth round knockout.
James never defended his British title and relinquished it in 1947, but before retiring he challenged American Ike Williams for the NBA World Lightweight title. The match brought the champion to Wales, the first time a boxing title had been held in the country, where the fight took place on 9 September 1946, which saw James being knocked out in the ninth after suffering six knockdowns during the bout. James retired from boxing in 1947.
Lightweight
Light-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....
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...
champion. Born in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, 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...
, James had over 130 professional bouts winning 114 of them, 61 through knockout. In 1946 he challenged Ike Williams
Ike Williams (boxer)
Ike Williams was a former lightweight world boxing champion. Williams was known for his great right hand, and was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time as well as Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1948.-Professional Career:During his career, Williams faced and...
at Cardiff for the NBA Lightweight title, but lost the contest in the ninth round.
Boxing career
James' first recorded professional fight was on 21 January 1936 against local fighter Sid Williams. James then went on a remarkable unbeaten run of 52 contests before being stopped by Dave Crowley at the Empire Pool on 12 January 1936. Although many if the matches in his early career were against fairly inexperienced fighters, several notable opponents were faced; including wins over Welsh champions Boyo Rees and Terence Morgan; a draw with Southern area champion Dick CorbettDick Corbett
Richard Coleman, better known as Dick Corbett , was a two-time British bantamweight champion. He was from Bethnal Green, London.-Boxing career:...
and a victory against future NBA World champion Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson (Boxer)
Jackie Wilson was an American boxer born in South Carolina but raised and listed from Pittsburgh. He was undefeated in his first 6 fights with a record of 4-0-2....
.
After the Crowley contest, James began to face more challenging contests on a regular basis. James fought and lost against Spaniard Baltasar Sangchili, but then knocked out fellow Welshman Phineas John in the eighth round in October 1936. These bouts were followed with another points draw with Corbett. The end of 1936 through to 1937 saw James face a derth of experienced challengers, before he met Cuthbert Taylor
Cuthbert Taylor
Cuthbert Taylor born John Street was a Welsh boxer who competed for Great Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics. He was Welsh Bantamweight Champion.-Boxing career:...
at St Helen's in Swansea. The match was won by James, which was followed by another victory, this time against Douglas Kestrell. The Kestrell fight was followed by a surprise loss to Liverpool fighter Tony Butcher who came of a twelve match losing streak to stop James by a technical knockout in the sixth of a twelve round bout in the Market Hall of Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
.
James bounced back in 1938 with four straight wins, three by knockout, before being disqualified in a contest in front of his hometown against NBA ex-champion Freddie Miller
Freddie Miller
Freddie G. Miller was a broadcaster and television personality in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Miller worked for Atlanta television station WXIA-TV from the 1950s to the 1970s...
of Cincinnati. He then took in ten winning bouts, most notably over Tommy Hyams and Dick Corbett, before two loses, to Dave Finn and another loss to Crowley. After losing to Crowley in April 1939, James didn't lose a fight until May 1942, including wins over both Finn and Crowley. By 1943 James was heading towards a British title fight, which had evaded him before this date. Although losing three bouts on a run on the build up to his championship claim, one to Lefty Satan Flynn
Lefty Satan Flynn
Lefty 'Satan' Flynn born Selvin Campbell in British Honduras was a professional boxer. Flynn also known as His Satanic Majesty fought out of Jamaica becoming Jamaican featherweight and later welterweight champion...
and two to Arthur Danahar, he was still allowed a shot at the title against Eric Boon
Eric Boon
Eric Boon was a champion British lightweight boxer. Born in Chatteris Cambridgeshire, he was known by the nicknames Boy Boon and the Fen Tiger...
. The Boon contest was for the British Lightweight title and took place on 12 August 1944 at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
in the Welsh capital
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...
. James took the title after a tenth round knockout.
James never defended his British title and relinquished it in 1947, but before retiring he challenged American Ike Williams for the NBA World Lightweight title. The match brought the champion to Wales, the first time a boxing title had been held in the country, where the fight took place on 9 September 1946, which saw James being knocked out in the ninth after suffering six knockdowns during the bout. James retired from boxing in 1947.