Boxers!

[Burto]

Hi,
There is a story in our family that one of our Swift ancestors who lived in Nottingham was a boxer. Does anyone know if any sports records exist that we could check to confirm this?
Many thanks.

[Mr. MIGKY]

Hi burto, maybe some of these site might help you.

http://www.prewarboxing.co.uk/

http://sportsvl.com/rest/boxing.htm#History

http://www.newsrecreated.com/acatalog/Boxing_Edition.html

http://boxing-forum.co.uk/

http://nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/shows/boxing.php

hope they help
migky

[Garethboxing]

When you talk of ancestors, how far back do you mean?

Wally Swift, of Nottingham, whose professional career went from 1957-69, was a British champion at both welterweight and middleweight. For his record, see:

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=30805

His son, also Wally, also known as Wally Reynolds, boxed pro from 1985-1994 and won the British light-middleweight title. See:

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=26656

    Regards, Gareth

[bev32]

Hi Burto

Just thought i would let you know that the boxer Wally Swift that Gareth has found is my Dad's cousin.

Regards

Bev

[Burto]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your input...it was my Aunty who told me and it was something her Grandfather told her, so it would have been from late 1800's to early 1900's I'm guessing.
Our Swift's arrived in Nottingham around 1840.
Bev, do you happen to know whether Wally Swift's father was a boxer? It would be interesting to see whether there is a connection!
Does anyone know if it is something that would run in families? From what I've read it seemed quite common at fairs or would anyone from any background have taken part in the 19th century?

[Garethboxing]

Boxing definitely runs in families, perhaps more than most sports. A family with a fighting tradition would tend to introduce boys into the game at an early age - and if they liked it, or showed some ability, they would become boxers themselves.

The fairground booth scene was a key part of a boxer's experience (and a way to earn regular money) up until the 1950s or 1960s. It's also connected with the love of boxing common in the travelling community; to this day a disproportionate number of professional boxers in Britain are of gypsy stock.

As for the background of the fighters, they would have been overwhelmingly working class. There might have been the odd toff (like Lord Byron) who would pay for tuition from an old-timer - a bit like white-collar boxers today - but the ones who actually fought in public rings would have been from the bottom rungs of the social ladder.

      Regards, Gareth

[Burto]

Hi Gareth,
That's interesting that you say a lot of the travelling community were into boxing...we have been told that there may be Romany blood in us and this story of a boxer in the family together with my ancestor being a musician who's parents I can't track down makes me wonder!
Thanks for that.

[cire]

I got a bit worried when it was suggested that Wally Swift was one of the ancestors!!! I remember hearing about Wally when he was boxing and that can't be all that long ago surely!!!!!!

When I was a very young plastics technologist in the 1950s I went to the Raleigh factory in Nottingham to try and find where the then new fibreglass reinforced plastics might be used in the cycle industry. I was put to work with a young lady on part of the production process. The foreman quietly warned me to behave myself --- "her husband is Wally Swift" he said.!!!!

Ericv

[Burto]

Hi,
It turns out after speaking to my Aunt that Wally Swift's father was my GGrandfather's cousin!!!!
My GGrandfather would also play "spa" with my Aunt when she was a little girl so it obviously runs in the family!
If anyone out there can help me with Wally Swift's father's name I would be most grateful (PM me) as I think I know who our ancestor must have been, but it would be nice to see which desendant he came from.
My GGrandfather was very proud of Wally by the sounds of it and would talk about him alot.