Frederick Webster (18 June 1908 – 1971) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: *Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing * Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

who was a three time British amateur champion and competed in the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the IX Olympiad (), was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from 28 July to 12 August 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam had previously bid for ...

. As a professional he held the British lightweight title between 1929 and 1930.

Career

From

Kentish Town Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town, close to Hampstead Heath. Kentish Town likely derives its name from Ken-ditch or Caen-ditch, meaning the "bed of a waterw ...

, Fred Webster was a member of the St. Pancras Boxing Club. Webster was a British amateur champion in three different weight classifications (

bantamweight Bantamweight is a weight class in combat sports and weightlifting. For boxing, the range is above and up to . In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between . In mixed martial arts, MMA, bantamweight is . The name for the class ...

featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, ...

, and

lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing (sport), rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) boxing weight classes, weight class in the spor ...

) in successive years from 1926 to 1928, a feat not matched until

Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe ( ; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified and lineal titles at super-middleweight, and ...

won his third title in 1993. At the 1928 Summer Olympics he was eliminated in the second round of the lightweight class after losing his fight to David Baan of the Netherlands. He subsequently turned professional, winning his first pro fight against Charles Ernst in October 1928. He went on to beat George Rose and British lightweight champion Sam Steward in January 1929. He drew with

Jack Hyams Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, inclu ...

in March before challenging for Steward's title in May, taking a points decision to become British champion in only his sixth pro fight. He defended the British title in May 1930 against Al Foreman, with the British Empire title also at stake; Foreman knocked him out in the first round to take both titles. Webster had some notable wins in the years that followed, including victories over

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 ...

, Len "Tiger" Smith, Harry Mason, Billy Bird, Rose again, and Pat Butler, but never again fought for a title. A defeat to Mason in July 1933 started a run of eight fights of which he won only two, and Webster retired from boxing after losing to Johnny Rust in September 1934. Webster married Grace Lilian Hodgson in February 1932.

References

External links

Career record
at BoxingHistory.org.uk * 1908 births 1971 deaths Lightweight boxers Olympic boxers for Great Britain Boxers at the 1928 Summer Olympics English male boxers Boxers from the London Borough of Camden People from Kentish Town 20th-century English sportsmen {{England-boxing-bio-stub