Billy Walker (boxer)

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Billy Walker
Born
William Walker

(1939-03-03) 3 March 1939 (age 86)
Stepney, London, England
NationalityEnglish
Statistics
Weight(s) Heavyweight
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights31
Wins21
Wins by KO16
Losses8
Draws2

William Walker (born Stepney, London, 3 March 1939) is a British retired heavyweight boxer and actor. He turned professional in 1961 after 39 amateur bouts. His nickname was "Golden Boy". His professional record was 21 wins (16 by knockout), 8 losses and 2 draws. During 1967, he fought for both the British and European titles, losing to Henry Cooper (Great Britain) and Karl Mildenberger (West Germany) respectively. After he retired from the ring in 1969 he appeared in several British films and TV shows. His autobiography When the Gloves Came Off was published in 2007.

Contents

Early life and family

William Walker is the son of William James Walker, a brewery worker, drayman at Watney's brewery, and wife (Limehouse, April/June 1925) Ellen Louisa Page (Southwark, October/December 1903 – ?). He is the youngest of three brothers.

During World War II, his father served in the Royal Air Force and the boys lived with their mother in Bedfordshire, and later in Ilford, Essex. He left school at 16 and started working in the printing business. Later a friend introduced him to a more highly paid job as a porter in London's historic Billingsgate Fish Market. He was also a bouncer and part-time DJ at the Ilford Palais dance hall which was managed by Jimmy Savile at the time. He joined a West Ham boxing club to keep fit, and was eventually persuaded to spar with other members and found that he had the talent to box competitively.

Amateur career

Walker's older brother George had been a successful light heavyweight boxer and persuaded him to enter the sport, with the ambition eventually to turn professional.

With his natural ability, and George's guidance, within three years he had won the British (ABA) Amateur Heavyweight title. Soon after a first-round knockout of 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) American Cornelius Perry in an international tournament broadcast on national TV, promoters were competing to sign Walker to lucrative contracts. About this time the media started calling him "The Golden Boy" and "The Blond Bomber".

Billy refused a rematch with Derry heavyweight Jim Monaghan after a disputed first-round TKO in a four-nations competition in Dublin 1961. Monaghan had Walker bleeding heavily from the nose from a steady hard jab before the ref prematurely stopped the fight when Monaghan got caught with a right to the body. Monaghan was never knocked out as an amateur or pro.

Professional career

With brother George as his manager, Walker embarked on a professional career that in six years would see him challenging for both the British and European titles. With his curly blond hair, boyish good looks and all action style the public flocked to see his fights. George invested the purses in a string of night clubs and restaurants and soon the brothers were rich. Billy Walker moved to London's West End and mixed with society's elite. On one occasion he was presented to the Queen, who told him that she enjoyed watching his fights.[ citation needed ] This was during London's "swinging sixties" and Walker took full advantage of his wealth, fame and good looks to have fun[ vague ] with a series of beautiful women.[ citation needed ] Although he never fought in the US, during his career he stopped rated American heavyweights Charlie Powell, Bowie Adams, Ray Patterson and Thad Spencer inside the distance. In spite of a few weeks' coaching at Harry's Gym in Harlem, Walker's defensive skills remained marginal, and some of his later fights against world class opponents had to be stopped owing to cuts and excessive bleeding from his nose. In 1969 at the age of 30 he retired from the ring, a very wealthy[ vague ] young man.[ citation needed ]

Business life

When Billy Walker retired from boxing, George Walker continued to run their business empire as though it were his alone. This soon led to disputes and eventually they parted company. [1] Billy Walker retained enough assets to live very comfortably, with various business interests of his own, including Billy's Baked Potato, a chain of fast food outlets. [1] He also played comedy roles in two Frankie Howerd films, Up Pompeii and Up the Chastity Belt in 1971. Changing financial conditions a few years later forced him to look for other income. He moved to Jersey, a tax haven in the Channel Islands and became a successful property developer. George Walker went on to become a tycoon in the UK gambling and film industries with his Brent Walker Group but he too suffered a reversal of fortune, but later developing new business interests in Russia before dying of a heart attack in the south of France in March 2011.

He has been active on the speaking circuit and is an honorary steward for the British Boxing Board of Control. He collaborated with the Kray twins' confidant and writer Robin McGibbon on his autobiography When the Gloves Came Off ( ISBN   978-1-86105-970-3), which was published in 2007. [2]

Marriages and issue

In 1968, Billy Walker married Susan Coleopy and they had two children, Daniel and Clare. They divorced in 1976.

In September 1981 his girlfriend Chrissie gave birth to a son, Warren, but she opted to bring him up on her own. They are still on good terms.

He married Jackie in 1982. They also had two children, Kelly and Thomas (Tom), but divorced in the 1990s.

In 1997 he married Patricia but she died of cancer in 2003.

Walker is married to his fourth wife, Susan, whom he had known from his time in Jersey about thirty years previously. They live in Jersey.

Professional boxing record

21 Wins (16 knockouts, 3 decisions, 2 DQ), 8 Losses (5 knockouts, 2 decisions, 1 DQ), 2 Draws
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
Loss49–9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack Bodell TKO825 March 1969 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London Referee stopped the bout at 1:45 of the eighth round.
Win32–7 Flag of the United States.svg Thad Spencer TKO612 November 1968 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London Referee stopped the bout at 2:04 of the sixth round.
Loss35–13–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Henry Cooper TKO67 November 1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London BBBofC/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
Loss50–3–3 Flag of Germany.svg Karl Mildenberger TKO821 March 1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London EBU Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:43 of the eighth round.
Win40–9–4 Flag of Italy.svg Giulio Rinaldi DQ113 February 1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester Rinaldi disqualified at 2:45 of the first round for headbutting.
Win16–5–2 Flag of the United States.svg Ray PattersonTKO86 December 1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win19–9–2 Flag of Argentina.svg Jose Menno TKO1025 October 1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win18–5–2 Flag of Germany.svg Horst Benedens TKO120 September 1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London Referee stopped the bout at 1:35 of the first round.
Win17–2–1 Flag of the United States.svg Bowie Adams KO32 May 1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Win14–9–4 Flag of Sweden.svg Lars Olaf Norling TKO431 March 1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel, Mayfair, London
Loss10–2–5 Flag of Argentina.svg Hector Eduardo Corletti TKO819 October 1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Draw10–2–4 Flag of Argentina.svg Hector Eduardo Corletti PTS1019 August 1965 Flag of Italy.svg Ariston Theatre, Sanremo, Liguria
Loss32–12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian London PTS1030 March 1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Win25–10–3 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Powell KO226 January 1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Olympia, Kensington, London
Win45–7–1 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Joe Erskine PTS1027 October 1964 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Win20–4–1 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Nielsen KO212 May 1964 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London Nielsen knocked out at 1:30 of the second round.
Loss19–4–1 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Nielsen TKO810 March 1964 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win41–24–2 Flag of Jamaica.svg Joe Bygraves DQ628 January 1964 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Olympia, Kensington, London
Loss22–3–2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Johnny Prescott PTS1012 November 1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Win22–2–2 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Prescott TKO1010 September 1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win8–4–1 Flag of Germany.svg Kurt Stroer TKO224 June 1963 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Market hall, Carmarthen
Win20–22–4 Flag of Spain.svg Jose Mariano Moracia Ibanes PTS811 June 1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
Win13–4–1 Flag of the United States.svg Joe DeGrazio KO326 March 1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Win31–14–4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Peter BatesKO229 January 1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Olympia, Kensington, London Bates knocked out at 2:30 of the second round.
Win31–29–6 Flag of Spain.svg José González Sales PTS826 November 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Belle Vue, Manchester
Loss30–29–6 Flag of Spain.svg José González Sales DQ320 November 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Leicester, Leicestershire
Win14–3 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Phonse LaSaga KO113 November 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London LaSaga knocked out at 1:57 of the first round.
Win3–3 Flag of Ghana.svg Robert Archie Moore KO26 September 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
Win12–25–6 Flag of Germany.svg Erwin Hack TKO114 August 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Blackpool, Lancashire
Draw16–17–2 Flag of Spain.svg Jose Mariano Moracia Ibanes PTS822 May 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Win14–11–1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jose Peyre TKO527 March 1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Empire Pool, Wembley, London

References

  1. 1 2 "Billy Walker: Extraordinary life of the Blond Bomber - Profiles, People - the Independent". www.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. "Book reviews – When the Gloves Come Off". Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2007.