Billy Walker (boxer)
| Billy Walker | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | William Walker |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Nationality | English |
| Born |
3 March 1939 Stepney, London, England |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 31 |
| Wins | 21 |
| Wins by KO | 16 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 2 |
William (Billy) Walker (Stepney, London, 3 March 1939) is a British, retired heavyweight boxer and actor. He was born in London in 1939 and 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.
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.
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 6'4" (1.93m) 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 Walker had two other brothers, one named Ernest Walker, also a boxer, and Charlie.
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