Phil Edwards (boxer)
| Phil Edwards | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Philip Cilia |
| Weight(s) | Middleweight |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Born |
12 May 1936 Cardiff, Wales |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 72 |
| Wins | 60 |
| Wins by KO | 20 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 3 |
| No contests | 0 |
Philip Cilia (born 12 May 1936) was a Welsh Middleweight boxer who fought under the name Phil Edwards. Edwards was Wales middleweight champion from 1957 until his retirement in 1962. One of the best British fighters at his weight, Edwards was unfortunate to box during the reign of Terry Downes, and he twice failed in a challenge for the British title against Downes.
Edwards was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1962 as Philip Cilia to a Maltese father and Welsh mother. He was orphaned at the age of 11, but was looked after by an older brother. Edwards showed promise as a young amateur boxer, winning many competitions and in 1951 he was awarded a watch by Field Marshal Montgomery after being named as best boxer at the annual British Schools Championship. Edwards was seen as a real British title challenger, and whilst an amateur, boxing writer Nat Fleischer described him as the ...best prospect I've seen since Sugar Ray Robinson.
Edwards turned professional at the age of 16, taking on his mother's maiden name. His first fight as a pro was against Fred Leek at the Drill Hall in Willenhall on 28 October 1952, and Edwards stopped his opponent in the second round via a knockout. Over the next two years Edwards was a regular at both Willenhall and the town hall at Walsall, with infrequent bouts in Cardiff and Birmingham. During this period he fought on 30 occasions, winning 25 of them. Then in 1956 Edwards took a forced break from fighting to complete his National Service, posted to Brecon with the South Wales Borderers.
Edwards returned to the ring in May 1956 against Fred Jeacock at the Embassy Sportsdrome in Birmingham. He stopped Jeacock in the third round through a technical knoskout, and this victory began a string of 14 winning fights. This run, which included a win over Welsh light heavyweight champion, Noel Trigg, culminated in a title challenge against Freddie Cross for his Welsh middleweight belt. Cross and Edwards met at Pandy Park in Crosskeys on 21 August 1957, in a twelve-round contest. In the early stages of the fight, Cross appeared ahead on points but was knocked down in the eighth. Despite this, Edwards continued to chase the fight in the later rounds in an attempt to catch up on his poor early performance. When the referee made his decision to award the fight and the Welsh title to Edwards, after the bout went the full distance, there was uproar from the crowd. Chairs were thrown into the ring and the police were called to settle the 5,000 strong crowd. In the fray, Edward's manager Benny Jacobs, was injured by a member of the public who was attempting to take a kick at the new champion.
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