James Morton tells us his computer is getting old (aren't we all James?) and struggling to post on the Forum. This is what it would ask if the body was willing
Recently looking at a French article on Andre Bollet I came across a note that Jackie Pallo was to meet Billy Catanzo in Paris for a title bout. Does anyone know anything more and which other wrestlers fought in Europe for titles. And how many actually won?
Norman Walsh may have been recognised as World champion in Britain, but I think that Mannie Maritz was recognised as the same by South African promoters.
There was talk in Newcastle ,when he came back, that he had won a title there by beating Maritz.
You will never sort out the mysteries of who held what title because every promoter had his own version.
Phenomenal subject. Technically (and factically) any English catch wrestler in the 1800s who moved to America claimed championship (English, American or even World) at his own weight class. That happened simply because we didn't have our own catch wrestlers until the times of Evan Lewis "The Strangler" (the original strangler, lol) and Jack Carkeek. All original 'catcheurs of Untied States' were exclusively "Lancashire breed".
And yes, Geo Hack when he beat Jenkins in America for the "world title in American style of catch pro wrestling" he did represent the UK, so I would assume we can call it "English world champion abroad" to be more specific overseas. And yes, it was designed according the same exact scheme "to drop" the title in the future. In case with Hack it didn't happen right away lol, they had to wait for "his second coming" in 1908 lol.
As for the Continental Europe, it's not that simple. In the 1800s it was simply impossible because English pro wrestlers didn't know Greco-Roman style. And after WW1 they always had their own "American style" (lotta libera Americana, American freestyle or simply catch) wrestling champions in Europe among others was Constant Le Marin.
In 1933 Doug Clark became world hwt champion all-in wrestler in the UK, I have a question to everyone: did he ever defend his championship outside the UK? The same principle worked for all other British world and Euro champions, they mostly were champs in the UK and hardly ever did abroad title defenses. But some of them did, quite a few top notch pro wrestlers did Euro, South African tours in which they were defending their world championships in British all-in or Mount Evans styles of pro wrestling.
Since mid 1940s G. Relw was running all "international" (that included euros and worlds) titles in the UK in Mount Evans style. We all know that Tommy Mann of Manchester was long-time world and euro mwt champ in the UK, how often he toured Continental Europe defending his championships? Norman Walsh was who world champ in his weight class did compete in South Africa, I am assuming he was defending his championship. Yes all that was Mount Evans style only meaning the only official (as per Morell) British style of pro wrestling.
Usually, the local lad won, although probably not 100% of the time.
Al Miquet was billed as World Champion, in Spain, so that he could drop the "title", while he was there.
George Kidd (always billed as World Champion here in the UK) was always the challenger in Spain (Modesto Aledo was always the World Champion, when they met).