Jake Kilrain (British boxer)
| Jake Kilrain | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Henry Owens |
| Rated at | Lightweight, welterweight, middleweight |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 1914 Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
Henry Owens (born 1914), who fought under the name Jake Kilrain (after the American boxer), was a Scottish boxer who was British welterweight champion between 1936 and 1939.
Born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Owens adopted the ring name Jake Kilrain while still an amateur. He began his professional career in 1931 and in his first three years won over thirty fights and suffered only two defeats. After a defeat at the hands of the experienced Boyo Rees in April 1934 he was out of the ring for almost a year due to hand injuries before returning with another loss by disqualification to Fred Lowbridge. He won his next four fights, including a fourth-round knockout of Len Wickwar, before meeting Joe Kerr in an eliminator for the Scottish lightweight title, which ended in a draw.
He moved up to welterweight and beat Jim P Boyle in December 1935 to take the Scottish welterweight title. He followed this with wins over Harry Mason, George Purchase, and Billy Graham, before being beaten on points in March 1936 by Ernie Roderick. He beat Seaman Jim Lawlor a month later and then fought Dave McCleave in June that year for the British welterweight title, winning via an eighth round knockout. Over the next twelve months he had nine fights – seven wins, a draw, and a further defeat to Roderick. He lost to Jimmy Purcell in August 1937, and to Jack Kid Berg in October, before successfully defending his British title in February 1938 against Jack Lord. The second defence of his title was due to take place in July against Roderick, but was twice delayed due to Kilrain's eye injuries and abdominal surgery in November after suffering appendicitis; The fight took place in March 1939 at Anfield, Roderick taking the title with a seventh round knockout. After winning his next two fights, including victory over former European champion Felix Wouters, the next three years saw most of Kilrain's fights ending in defeat.
By the mid-1940s, Kilrain had moved up to middleweight, and in January 1946 won the Scottish Area middleweight title with a points victory over Jock McCusker. He defended the title in September 1946 against the previously undefeated Eddie Starrs, retaining it with a fourth round stoppage.
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