Brian London
I was sad to learn of the death of Brian London.
He epitomised the British post-War heavyweight pug – good but was not good enough.
He had a powerful dig – as Ingemar Johanson found out – but was slow and ranked second in the popularity stakes to Henry Cooper.
He was a bit of rascal in the ring and contributed to one of the most enjoyable free-for-alls after he lost to Dick Richardson in Porthcawl.
He did have the better of “our Enery” post-boxing as he opened up a night club in Blackpool and did very nicely thank you.
Henry lost his money at Lloyds and was forced to sell off his Lonsdale belt.
The message to the anti-boxing lobby and those that consider pugs brain-dead thickos that London was not the first in the Noble Art to make his fortune.
Dave Charnley, the Dartford Destroyer, after a lightweight career that earned him £400,000 moved into hair salons and then property, becoming a multi- millionaire.
I had a pal Terry J who had a modest career but built up a substantial meat business.
Barney Eastwood was another.
He was not a fighter but a Gaelic footballer, bookmaker and boxing promoter.
I was present in 1985 when in QPR’s stadium Barry McGuigan, whom he managed beat Eusebio Pedroza for the world lightweight crown – the last world title fight of 15 rounds.
Eastwood also had a fine artistic eye and Alice Mansfield passed me the Christies catalogue of their auction of Eastwood’s collection which includes many horse paintings by Sir Alfred Munnings.