Richard Coleman (28 September 1908 – 3 March 1943), better known as Dick Corbett, was a two-time British bantamweight champion. He was from

Bethnal Green, London Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...

Boxing career

According to his traceable fight record Corbett remained undefeated between 1926 (the year of his pro debut) and 1927. His first defeat was at the hands of future British flyweight champion,

Bert Kirby Bert Kirby (2 December 1908 – 1975) was an English flyweight boxer, who became British flyweight champion in 1930. Career Born in Birmingham, Kirby made his professional debut in March 1924 with a win over Billy Burns. Unbeaten in his first ...

. Dick fought and beat Willie Smith while defending the Empire bantamweight title. Dick fought and beat

Johnny King Johnny Cecil King (born 2 July 1942) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was ...

for the vacant British bantamweight title and the Commonwealth (British Empire) bantamweight title, and would fight Johnny King a further four times. In their second bout Corbett lost his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles to King, but he regained both titles in their third meeting. Their fourth and fifth fights were both draws and so left Corbett the title holder. Corbett also won the British (Southern Area) Featherweight Title by defeating Dave Crowley.

Personal life

Coleman was son of Henry and Elizabeth Coleman. Coleman was one of 173 who died during the Bethnal Green Disaster during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, leaving a widow Lilian Rose.The hush-hush catastophe
The Guardian, 15 February 2003 He was a younger brother of the British featherweight champion

Harry Corbett Harry Corbett Order of the British Empire, OBE (28 January 1918 – 17 August 1989) was an English Magic (illusion), magician, puppeteer and television presenter. He was best known as the creator of the glove puppet character Sooty in 1952 ...

Championships and accomplishments

British Boxing Board of Control The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. History The British Boxing Board of Control was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff. ...

List of British bantamweight boxing champions The following is a table showing the boxers who have won the British bantamweight title. The title has been sanctioned by the National Sporting Club since 1909, and later by its replacement British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) since 1929. A c ...

(

2 times "2 Times" is the debut single of English singer Ann Lee. It was released in Italy in December 1998 by X-Energy as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999), and was issued worldwide the following year. The single peaked at number tw ...

) **British (Southern Area) Featherweight Title 1 time **Commonwealth (British Empire) bantamweight Title 1 time

References

External links

Dick Corbett (Bethnal Green)
Nipper Pat Daly - British Boxing History * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Dick 1908 births 1943 deaths Flyweight boxers Bantamweight boxers Featherweight boxers English male boxers Boxers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Place of death missing British civilians killed in World War II People from Bethnal Green 20th-century English sportsmen

Boxing career

Personal life

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References

External links