Jack London (boxer)
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Jack London (born John George Harper; 23 June 191319 December 1963) was an English
heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...
boxer. He was
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 ...
and
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...
champion from 1944 to 1945. His son, who fought as
Brian London Brian Sidney Harper (19 June 1934 – 23 June 2021), better known by the ring name Brian London, was an English professional boxer who competed from 1955 to 1970. He held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight title from 1958 to 1959, and twi ...
, also became
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 ...
and
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...
champion from 1958 to 1959.


Early career

London was born in Stranton,
West Hartlepool West Hartlepool was a predecessor of Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It developed in the Victorian era and took the name from its western position in the parish of what is now known as the Headland. The former town was originally formed ...
,
County Durham County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England.UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne an ...
. He made his professional debut in January 1931, in West Hartlepool, winning by a knockout in the first round. He took the ring name of
Jack London John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...
, after the American author, who also covered fights for American boxing magazines. London was six feet tall and big framed, with a style that some regarded as crude and cumbersome. He fought most of his early fights in his native North East, whilst continuing to work as a lorry driver. He did not fight in the capital until October 1932, losing at Blackfriars against Jack O’Malley, an
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n heavyweight due to an injured hand. In November 1933, he fought Ben Foord, later to become British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion himself. London lost on points over ten rounds at the Crystal Palace. In December 1933, he also fought the Commonwealth (Empire) champion, Larry Gains, being knocked out by the
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in the second round. In February 1935, he lost another points decision against Ben Foord. In March 1936 London fought the American ex-world-light-heavyweight champion, Tommy Loughran, losing on points over ten rounds. London next had a points win against another American, Obie Walker, and then went to fight in
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against Hans Schonrath, gaining another points decision. London's recent successes against good quality opponents appeared to have put him in line for a title challenge against British heavyweight champion,
Tommy Farr Thomas George Farr (12 March 1913 – 1 March 1986) was a Welsh boxer from Clydach Vale, Rhondda, nicknamed "The Tonypandy Terror". Prior to 1936, Farr boxed in the light heavyweight division, in which he was the Welsh champion. He became Br ...
, but Farr seemed reluctant to fight him, perhaps because he was not a draw for crowds. In May 1937 London fought the American, Buddy Baer, brother of Max Baer, losing on points over ten rounds. Baer was later to fight
Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...
twice for the world heavyweight title, losing both fights. When Farr relinquished his heavyweight title, London was ignored and Len Harvey beat Eddie Phillips to take the vacant British heavyweight title in December 1938.


War

War interrupted London's boxing career, and he joined the
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, being stationed near
Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
. London so liked the place that he would later relocate his family there. London continued to fight during the war years but managed only twelve bouts. Len Harvey was still heavyweight champion but decided to challenge for the vacant British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles, beating Jock McAvoy on points. He then defended his light-heavyweight titles against
Freddie Mills Frederick Percival Mills (26 June 1919 – 25 July 1965) was an English boxer, and the world light heavyweight champion from 1948 to 1950. Mills was tall and did not have a sophisticated boxing style; he relied on two-fisted aggression, relen ...
in June 1942 being knocked out in the second round. Harvey promptly retired leaving his heavyweight tiles vacant. London now had his chance. London fought a 3-round exhibition match for the RAF on 6 March 1940 at RAF Station Hednesford. He fought under his service rank of Corporal Harper against Corporal George James, and autographed programmes as Jack London.contemporary programme


Heavyweight title

London fought an eliminator for the British heavyweight title in March 1943, against Al Robinson, winning by a knockout in the eighth round. The path was open for a title fight between London and Freddie Mills, for the British and Commonwealth titles. The fight was finally arranged for September 1944 at Belle Vue, in Manchester. Mills conceded about three stones in weight but was still 3-1 favourite. Neither of the two was a stylish boxer, and the two men slugged it out over fifteen rounds with London getting a narrow points decision. Mills was to go on to be world light-heavyweight champion. London had one more non-title fight which he won by a knockout, before defending his titles against Bruce Woodcock. The fight was arranged for July 1945 at
White Hart Lane White Hart Lane was a Association football, football stadium in Tottenham, North London and the home of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 1899 to 2017. Its capacity varied over the years; when changed to all-seater i ...
,
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, London. Woodcock was about two stones lighter than London, but was more nimble and was able to evade many of London's attacks, building up an early points lead. London started to come back at him with body punches, but in the sixth round Woodcock caught him with a left to put him down. He got up but was put down twice more, finally being counted out.


Subsequent career

London lost his next fight after losing his titles and briefly retired. However a failed business venture forced him back into the ring. He travelled to
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where he was beaten by Olle Tandberg, then won two fights in
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. In 1947 he was beaten in an eliminator for the British heavyweight title. He continued to fight in the North East, then in 1949 lost an eliminator for the Commonwealth heavyweight title. His last fight was against American, Aaron Wilson at Earls Court in November 1949. He was knocked out in the first round and realised that it was time to retire in earnest.


Retirement

London tried his hand at wrestling for a while, and then became a nightclub manager. He took a great interest in the boxing careers of his two sons John and Brian, and was proud to see Brian become British and Commonwealth champion as he had been. He saw Brian unsuccessfully fight
Floyd Patterson Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in his ...
for the world heavyweight title in 1959, but died before Brian fought
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
for the same title in 1966.


See also

*
List of British heavyweight boxing champions List of British heavyweight boxing champions is a table showing the Boxing, boxers who have won the British heavyweight title, which has been sanctioned by the National Sporting Club since 1891, and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) sin ...


References


Sources

* http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Jack_London * Ronnie Wharton (2005), ''Fighting Men of the North'', Tempus Publishing Limited, {{DEFAULTSORT:London, Jack English male boxers Heavyweight boxers 1913 births 1964 deaths People from West Hartlepool Sportspeople from Hartlepool Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Air Force officers 20th-century English sportsmen