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Birmingham boxers?

There is an article about Johnny Prescott in today's Birmingham Mail, apparently he had suffered from dementia for the last 6 years. He had also been married and divorced four times.
 
I remember seeing him up the Locarno (with Derek Dougan and others) back in the 60s. Don't know if he ever had an interest in a nightclub.
 
Hello Smiler,
My Uncle Joe Nurrish was a Birmingham boxer around the same time as your Billy Cain.
I don't suppose anyone knows of Joe Nurrish but i remember my mother had kept a beautiful clock and 2 iron fire dogs plus other prizes that he had won also his old boxing gloves.I don't know at what weight he boxed at but none of our family were big peoplel so he may have boxed at one of the lower weights. Records show that he was boxing between 1927 to 1931 ish. He had 45 professional bouts. I was told by my mother that he gave up after a kidney punch.
Happy hunting PAM
 
Hi Pamela,

Yes, I think things were much different in the late 20's and early 30's, there were so many young men who entered the boxing game with the hope of making a few quid and other than their names appearing in the local papers and some sports magazine's that's all we know about them, which is where we both seem to be, we know their name's but not much else, sad really but the search goes on.

Smiler
 
it is true, he passed away on saturday night at good hope hospital - rip johnny....

i was in good hope hospital in same side ward with jonny prescott 8 weeks ago.iwas very surprised to see he had passed away. He was a very nice man and all the nurses and staff loved him regards reg morris
 
Why has no one mentioned Bert Kirby?,British flyweight champion.
His lonsdale belt was hung over the back of a chair in a window somewhere in Newtown Row.Of course,he was an Aston boy,in his time that wasn't in Brum.

Yeh I know him, his my grandfathers brother.
I think that fight took place on a Sunday, odd I no, but I think it was one of the first fights to take place on a Sunday.
I've got photo here somewhere, ill dig it out.
Two of his other brothers where good boxers Henry & Jack they both had scrap yards
One off Russell Street & the other on Frankfort street.
But I think Henry spent more time in the nick than he did in the ring lol, which left Henry's
three boys to run the yard, Henry Kïrby, Billy Kirby, & Roy Kirby.
I here young Henry was a good boxer, but more street fighter I think, but if any one has more info please let me know.

All the best Kirb...
 
my dad dan davis and my uncle wally cox both new pardoe and rated him highly wally cox trained boxers for morris comercial on alum rock also at duddeston mill he had a good heavywieght called paul brown he turned pro he was matched with joe bugnerwho was having his first pro fight paul ko him in the return joe beat him
slso there was a boxer from saltley called ernie smith think he was a bantam if anyone has any info on his fights would like to here
danny
wally cox was one of the best trainers in brum, he trained some of the best boxers, billy, danny monoghan,, the gwilliam brothers, i could go on,i was training at the morris, when paul brown joined, i sparred with paul all the time, one of the nicest guys, bugner came to watch paul when we moved down nechells, he underestimated him. the morris was one of the best clubs, if not the best, R,I,P, wally cox,
 
Johnny prescot was my idol , lived just below us in william henry street, of rocky lane, with his aunt and uncle tommy, the relative might have been my mate phil prescots relatives, he lived in or of burlington i think, the night club was the fleur-de-lease, johnny was a great guy, a nice guy, in my opinion very underated in b,ham, by the b,ham, press, i was proud to go to his funeral, the church was packed, R,I,P, Johnny prescot.
 
yes, Johnny Prescot was a hero to us all, but i also think ,perhaps, a lot of people dont appreciate, John was not realy a true heavyweight , he built himself up, and only just made it, hence when he fought cooper, london, walker, they were a fair bit heavier than him, i used to spar and train with billy monahgan, and i hope he dont mind me saying was a bit miffed that john was getting all the money, when he was technically a better boxer, john was a brave warrior, R,I,P
 
Hi Tommy0121 I remember Billy Monogan when he used to train at Kyrle Hall with his mate Johnny Edwards,as you say a great bloke.I used bump into him in the White Swan on Washwood Heath Rd.on Friday nights.I saw Danny Monagon and Des. Gwillam box at Nechells Community Center as amateurs,Danny got disqualified for biting his opponents ear,this was about 1967ish.
 
Hi Tommy0121 I remember Billy Monogan when he used to train at Kyrle Hall with his mate Johnny Edwards,as you say a great bloke.I used bump into him in the White Swan on Washwood Heath Rd.on Friday nights.I saw Danny Monagon and Des. Gwillam box at Nechells Community Center as amateurs,Danny got disqualified for biting his opponents ear,this was about 1967ish.
haha, yes, that sounds about right for danny, he could have been a good pro too like billy but he had a nasty temper, only just calming down, billy used to live by the swan, now he lives not far from me in sutton, dezi was a great, lad, i had,nt seen him for years when i heard about his death in the canaries, tragic, we all grew up together boxing at the morris under wally cox, when we moved to nechells it was,nt the same, wally was eased out, a lot left.
 
HI TOMMY
Just been reading throgh some of the threads ; and i was womdering did you ever come across a couple of guys
from years ago by the name of the burns brothers jack burns and his two brothers whom was also boxers
and the Mcroaty brothers ; i think i have spelt that name correct they was also boxers leo and john both boxers from up around the swan
the main one was big jackie burns he had two brotheres the other one was tommy ; and the older one i think was called seamus burns ;
big jackie used to train the kids at the GKN Boxing Gym along with leo mccroatie he and his brother runs a place called the truck stop in tyseley
and as done for at least thirty years to my knowledge as i used to freqent the old place ;
best wishes tommy astonian;
 
HI TOMMY
Just been reading throgh some of the threads ; and i was womdering did you ever come across a couple of guys
from years ago by the name of the burns brothers jack burns and his two brothers whom was also boxers
and the Mcroaty brothers ; i think i have spelt that name correct they was also boxers leo and john both boxers from up around the swan
the main one was big jackie burns he had two brotheres the other one was tommy ; and the older one i think was called seamus burns ;
big jackie used to train the kids at the GKN Boxing Gym along with leo mccroatie he and his brother runs a place called the truck stop in tyseley
and as done for at least thirty years to my knowledge as i used to freqent the old place ;
best wishes tommy astonian;
hi astonian, nice to hear from you, there are 2--3 families of burns around the inner city area,-or were, the big jacky burns that i remember used to bounce on one or two of the clubs, and yes i,m sure he had a brother , tommy, but i think they were a generation above me, there is also young johnny burns, who i used to box with at sheldon heath, he was from a big family of burns, young john, had lots of bottle, and turned pro with the murry brothers and lloyd hibbert, a brilliant welterwieght, won the lonsdale belt, i had moved down to devon by then so did,nt keep up with them, they all drink over the yew tree the swan? , i used to box with two brothers down nechells, both good, seamus was in demolition i think, and had won the a,b,a, irish title, i keep meaning to go over the yew tree to have a chat, will try this sunday and ask johnny, its a funny old world, when your boxing you build a bond, but then you lose contact, brums getting too big.
 
HI TOMMY ;
You are most certainly elected by me tommy ; you are bang on ; these are the guys i know alright and have known them all for donkeys years ;
seamus burns used to do the door for donleavy over at the ship pub which was across from st martins church along with big jackie ;
but big jackie the ladies man always had an eye on a lady or two he used to sing to them tommy did not do any boxing ;
johny is related to big jackie leo and john 2 brothers they was known in the boxing world and they was all best of mates ;
and i have got calined with them may times in years gone bye some time ago at the red lion jackie,s brother told methat big
jack had diedc quite afew years ago now ; great news knowing that you know them ;i reckon you are like me tom
a kid from th old school our kid ;
speak with you later i hope ; best wishes astonian;;
 
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