Pending The Ost’s findings I have discovered a bit more about Johnny Morgan. He seems to have been in the Welsh Guards and won the welterweight boxing championship. He fought Jackie Turpin as a pro and must have bulked up over the years.
He was often billed as from NZ and was the ‘Australasian Heavyweight ‘ Champion.
He was billed v Assirati at Seymour Hall on 14 November 1958 for Bert’s title and a side stake of £500 which I think is about £4,000 in today’s money and was the hall’s ‘the greatest programme yet’. This was when the top of the bill was paid about £10+. He also appeared a good deal at Belle Vue and for Jack Taylor and must have been useful because he defeated/ was allowed to defeat Gordienko.
He wrote three books, the third The intruder about a crooked policeman and was described as realistic if devoid of literary merit.
As for producing an expose, at one time, asked whether wrestling was showmanship. He said no more than any other sport.
Anyone know anything more? Mike ?
Great info.
But I have it that Bert did indeed jump into the ring to challenge Thesz after the Dara Singh bout, but Thesz declined. Mind you, you say they escorted him "from the ring" so maybe we actually agree.
All these years on, 60 or 70, and here we are still unearthing great characters like Bolo Hakawa, Georges Geuret and Johnny Morgan.
Makes it all worthwhile, somehow.
Johnny Morgan was born in Wales, I believe Cardiff, and was in the Welsh guards, which gave him discipline, and made him always walk straight and with authority. He was a very handsome man, and women couldn`t resist him. I have his boxing record somewhere, think he had about nine fights, and lost two, something like that. He became the manager at the Astor club in Berkley street, Mayfair which was run by Bertie Green, it was a famous night club, with top international cabaret stars appearing every night, and used by high society members, and high rolling gamblers. It also became the haunt of London`s crime gangs, who soon started to outnumber the regular members. Like all men who wish to become pro wrestlers, you have to learn all the holds first, either by working out with the amateurs, or being sent to take part in the German Tournaments, so Johnny went to Germany, and gained experience, and returned to work on the circuit. A lot of wrestlers became very friendly with Bert on his return from India, and wanted to work with him, because it meant big money, they included Stezycki, Cornelius, Peters, Britton, Verna, Papini, Hunter, Hesselle, Bright, Scott, Benny, etc...........they had long known Bert, and knew how to work with him. Morgan got close to Bert, and said "I can put a big match together, we will make big money, I will challenge you for the Empire Title, and we will state there will be a £500 side-stake, and I will get Bertie Green to put the money up, and we will fully publicize it, and the Seymour Hall will be packed," and that`s what happened, the fact that Morgan had no right to challenge Assirati for his title, was neither here, or there, nothing gets in the way of making money.
Johnny liked the easy life, and was always trying to get money the easy way, always leading the high life, fast cars, expensive holidays, and beautiful women. He got involved with the wrong people, got into gambling debts, and when all the money ran out, and people started looking for him, he saw no way out, and concluding there was nowhere else to go, committed suicide. A very sad end..........his daughter contacted me after his death for info, and it was a very hard conversation to have..........his name was linked to a number of criminal acts, and the police were also closing in. God Rest his Soul.
In Bert`s final years there were many wrestlers that should have not been allowed to enter the same ring as him, they were mostly blown-up middle-weights, who Bert had to carry, and it didn`t look good. To work against Bert, you needed to be 6ft or over, and 18st or over, otherwise the punters were not happy. Bert demanded and got very big money for his matches, and was willing to take part in a blood bath every night, but he could only wrestle the wrestler put in front of him. It was up to the Promoters to find him the top opposition. In 1958 when Seymour Hall re-opened the newspapers, and the Weekly Sporting Review carried a story about Bert, where in large print he challenged any heavy-weight in the country for the sum of £500, this furore came about with the arrival of George Gordienko who was claiming to be a World title challenger. The story also carried the story of Bert going to the Royal Albert Hall in disguise to jump the ring and challenge Lou Thesz, but 12 police officers were instructed to escort him from the ring. So Bert added "what more do I have to do"....
DON`T GET ME STARTED ON BERT ASSIRATI......................Mike...........
That's a fascinating report, thank you. "3,000 bouts a year" run by the Czars....I think they could add a nought to that.
At 14 stones he wouldn't have come over to the punters as much of a threat to Assirati; but I guess that there weren't all that many prepared to go in with Bert at that time.
Here we are, from 1959. He intrigued the NZ sports press, with his NZ billing. Turns out, he had at least visited our shores:
(You can click on the image to make it slightly larger)
The bill that James speaks of in 1958.
Another bill that year against Assirati.
I will have a look about to see what else I can spot
the earliest I can find Johnny Morgan wrestling
Beat Gordienko!!! That list is very short.