Phineas John

Phineas John
Statistics
Real name	Phineas Gladney John
Nickname(s)	Smiling Moon
Rated at	Flyweight Bantamweight Featherweight
Nationality	British
Born	Pentre, Wales
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	242
Wins	134
Wins by KO	15
Losses	73
Draws	29
No contests	6

Phineas Gladney John (1910–1985) was a Welsh professional boxer who fought from 1927 and 1940. John ended his career as a Featherweight, but in his early professional bouts, he fought as a flyweight before increasing to bantamweight. Soon after he turned professional John competed for area titles, taking the Welsh flyweight belt in 1928 and then the Welsh bantamweight in 1929. After 1929 John failed to pursue any further titles, but continued fighting across the United Kingdom, ending his career with at least 242 professional fights.

Rhondda born Phineas John, turned professional around 1926, fighting local fighters in the Glamorgan area of south Wales, mainly in Bridgend and Pontypridd. Initially a flyweight fighter, one of his first notable fights was a win over Jack Glover in February 1928 at Milford Haven. A month later he was invited to fight at the National Sporting Club in London, losing on points to Dick Manning. He followed this with two fights in Liverpool in April 1928, before returning to Wales to face Minty Rose in an eliminator for the Welsh Area flyweight title. The fifteen round fight went the full distance with John being given the bout on points decision. Despite the fight being an eliminator, when the vacant title was contended on 11 August 1928 at Merthyr Tydfil, his rival was again Minty Rose, the fighter he had defeated to be given the title shot. The fight was scheduled for fifteen rounds and again went the distance, and as before John was given the points decision, making John the Welsh flyweight champion. John completed 1928 with a string of seven fights without defeat.

1929 started with a loss through disqualification to Billy Clarke, before recording seven straight wins, including a victories over Cuthbert Taylor and Bert Kirby, and a successful defence of his flyweight title to Merthyr fighter Jerry O'Neil. During this period, John and his brother Eddie, who was also fighting at flyweight, were classed as the highest ranked fighters in the Welsh Area and a fight for the title was considered between them. The Welsh Boxing Association wrote to the British Boxing Board of Control who decided the fight should not take place. His winning streak was stopped on 22 April 1929, when he faced Jackie Brown at the National Sporting Club. John lost on points to Brown, who later that year would become British flyweight champion. John faced further disappointment that year when he lost his Welsh flyweight title to Freddy Morgan on 22 July.

...
Wikipedia