Continuing my Mini-Series of Great MOUNTEVANS Title Holders-I'm next looking at one of My Own
Favourites-A Great Wrestler Who pretty much Dominated the WELTERWEIGHT Scene in this Country
for a Dozen or so Years!-Not Flambuoyant-Not Colourful-with No Gimmicks-JACK DEMPSEY was a
Solid-even Dour Rugged and Skilful Fighter Who was Tough as they come and made a Great Champion!
From his First Arrival in BRITISH Rings in the Late 1940's-JACK made an Impact and Showed he was
Destined for Championship Runs to come!-His Fights were often Hard Affairs and while not really a
Villain-He gave No Quarter!-Below is a Snapshot Look at his Wrestling Career starting with an Early
Appearance at SHREWSBURY in 1949 complete with Photo!
Billed from WIGAN-He Takes-On JOHNNY PETERS at WELTERWEIGHT!!
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Jack Dempsey - Martin Conroy, Welterweight Title Change 1953-54.
I'm with you Bernard. Wrestlers were the weight class they looked at some point. It's a generalisation, and there were exceptions such as the St Clairs and Joynson, but these weights often didnt change, as with Dempsey above. When was McManus last under 11.11?
Good picture of Jack. Thank you.
Am I the only one who thinks that wrestlers were often probably over the weight for the weight class that they represented.?
It seems to me that often wrestlers were left (and matched) in the weight class that they had a long run in and no-one altered the billing.
Jack, above , looked heavier than a Welter to me.
And please no-one try to tell me that wrestlers were officially weighed in before fights, even title ones.
Thanks all for your descriptions.
Alkaya could be the man mentioned in this article. Or was it a copy.
https://ebrunayimhighschooletwinning.wordpress.com/
I only saw Jack Dempsey once and I think it was in 1971 when Count Bartelli tried his hand at promoting at The Regal Ballroom in Alderley Edge ( now The Assembly Rooms). Bartelli fought Alf Cadman in the main event and Paul Carpentier fought Kurt Stein (Carl Shultz/Fred Hill) in the main support. Jack Dempsey was in the opener against Bob Sherry.
It seems Ali Capraz was Ali Bey
http://www.luchawiki.com/index.php/Ali_Bey
The strange thing is Capraz and Alkava had been billed originally to be on against one another.
Both first timers at Newcastle.
And yet Ali Bey had been billed there the week before.
I enjoyed looking at these reminders of Jack Dempsey, a gritty wrestler, not a villain but not a favourite. He was one of our original tributes, written back in April, 2007.
I find him first in Edunburgh in November, 1945. The Horseshoe Bar is on Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Bobby Barron put on shows there. I went to a few Blackpool venues but not this one. You're right though Anglo Italian it wouldn't be any RAH or Belle Vue. At least Jack got top of the bill, which was a rarity even when he was at his best.
I saw him three times after he left Joint and went to the opposition (or retired as Kent would tell us). The first two were very good matches - against Fred Woolley, who he would have worked with lots of times but not for a few years, and Maurice Hunter, who was then using the name Ian McKenzie. They were both good matches where Jack showed his skill and looked as good as ever. The third match, only a year or so later was against Sean Doyle (Rasputin Johnny Howard) and he seemed to have aged a lifetime, a shadow of his former greatness.
Al Capraz sounds like a play on words with the prison, Alcatraz.
One other thing. When Felix Kerschitz beat Ernie Baldwin to defend his EUROPEAN heavyweight title, no belt was on show.
Whilst looking for Jack Dempsey's visits to Newcastle, I came across a few things that people might be interested in.
First of all,Jack dempsey fought at Newcastle 6 times between 4/2/50 and end of 1951 , generally with wins after his first appearance against Danny Flynn.
He was a hard rugged man who certainly knew the ropes and did not lose many fights.
In a way his manner and Alan Colbeck's were very similar. Both quite dour , not showing a lot of emotion, either of them.
George Busfield , mentioned on another thread, had 5 visits to Newcastle during this time and lost them all! Not a popular place for a champion.
One other titbit- I came across a bill Dated 15./5/1948, with 2 people I had never heard of.
Hussane Alkawa beat Ken Davies.
Norman Walsh beat Al Capraz.
Anyone know anything about Alkawa or Capraz?
Thanks, another great share.
Garfield in a "fight to a finish" - they must have had a lot of fun prior to that.
Even by wrestling standards, this latest title is a bit loose: Central European Heavyweight Champion. I don't think we'll be seeing a belt for this one!
Jack rather resembled Billy Joyce, I wonder if they were related?
On paper, seeing a great champ ending up wrestling in a Horseshoe Bar seems rather sad after his exploits at RAH, Seymour Hall, Brighton Sports Stadium, Rochester and Belle Vue. Does anyone know that venue?
On to 1953 at the VICTORIA BATHS NOTTINGHAM-where JACK Challenges TONY LAWRENCE for his BRITISH Title on THURSDAY 26TH MARCH and
DEMPSEY becomes the BRITISH Champion for the First Time!!
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