Dave Charnley
| Dave Charnley | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | David Fraser Charnley |
| Nickname(s) | The Dartford Destroyer |
| Rated at | Lightweight |
| Nationality | English |
| Born |
10 October 1935 Dartford, England |
| Died | 3 March 2012 (aged 76) Kent |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 61 |
| Wins | 48 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 12 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
David Fraser Charnley (10 October 1935 – 3 March 2012) 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.
Charnley, who was born in Dartford, England, won bronze in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada, and went on to become undefeated British Lightweight Champion (1957–63), Commonwealth Lightweight Champion (1959–62) and European Lightweight Boxing Champion (1960–61).
Charnley made two unsuccessful world title challenges against his arch-rival Joe 'Old Bones' Brown. 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. [1] 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.
Dave was born in Dartford, Kent, to Scottish parents from Craigneuk, Lanarkshire. 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 southpaw, on 9 April 1957, but in his first attempt later that year to win the Empire title on 9 July he was beaten on points by the brilliant South African, Willie Toweel. 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 Toweel on 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 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.
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Wikipedia