I remember watching a Billy Walker fight on the tv sometime in the 60s when I was a little kid with my dad and older brothers . Things weren’t quite going Billy’s way in this particular round when suddenly somebody in the crowd shouted out quite loudly , “ Hit him with your handbag Billy “. There was a lot of chuckles from others in the crowd too and my Dad and brothers rolled up with laughter . I then remember my dad saying , “ I bet he wouldn’t say that to his face “. I cant remember which particular fight it was now or even if Billy won or lost . It was so long ago and I was only a young kid , but those were great times . We loved Billy Walker in our family , maybe because we lived in Hackney and then Bethnal Green and Billy was a local boy perhaps . It always seemed to me then that Billy had a lot of charisma and a big personality . Plus he seemed different to most of the fighters around at the time . Not your typical stereotyped broken nosed brawler . He had a touch of class and flamboyance about him and his fights were always exciting . Much better than the boxing bouts of today I think .
My late dad was good mates with billy walker when they used to go to the ilford Palais in the fifties , they bumped into each other at a car boot sale late 90s and rekindled their friendship , the three of us used to go to boot sales in dads van me and billy in the back , lovely man and his mrs at the time Pat
Billy Walker was one of my favourite fighters. After a series of knockout wins as an amateur, most of them shown on TV, everyone predicted that Walker would go straight to the top as a professional. Unfortunately, he never fulfilled his promise. He could punch hard, was durable and very brave but always found difficulty with an opponent who jabbed, moved and wouldn't present an immobile target on which to unleash his bombs. Both Johnny Prescott and Brian London exposed his limited skills. But Walker was always good value and he was involved in a lot of memorable battles. His best wins were over Bill Nielsen, Joe Erskine and former world no 1 contender Thad Spencer (though Spencer was well on the way down by then). Billy was one of the few fighters to make a fortune and hold onto it post-retirement. Thanks for the memories.
@@terrymurphy2032 I remember Dave 'Boy' Green well (from the TV, that is), a great ring warrior, very much like that other Fen Tiger from before the War, Eric Boon, who was also from Chatteris.
@@terrymurphy2032 Dave's best victory was his win over John H Stracey in 1977. Stracey was our greatest post-war welterweight before Lloyd Honeyghan and I expected him to easily beat Green. But Green was all over him from the first bell and never let up till the ref stopped it in the 11th: it's on UA-cam (I think).
@@terrymurphy2032 Yes, though at the time Stracey's loss to Palomino was (I thought) unexpected especially after his two great wins over Napoles and Hedgmon Lewis. I thought Stracey was going to hold the title for some time but he was never the same after Palomino. I remember Jim Watt ko'ing Stracey in one round in 1968 in the ABA semi-finals: one of the best punches thrown. A shame it isn't on UA-cam.
Thank you for this great slice of 1960's social history. I am old enough to remember Billy Walker. He was never going to be world champion, but he could have gone much further if he had been trained properly. Just look at the different attitude of the american trainers that he worked all too briefly with. All poor Billy had was his brother who frankly didn't have a clue. The most telling part is the clip where George says "i didn't expect him to come back from America as a stylist" when in fact greater boxing skills were exactly what he needed! Any top trainer will tell you that the most important (and most expensive) part of a fighters training is to provide high quality sparring partners. Just watch him training. No head movement, no moving around the heavy bag looking for angles. no slipping punches. He could have done with a solid year training in the states and maybe he could have even got a couple of rounds in with Ali. That would have taught him to move his head!
I agree that Walker could have done with some proper coaching especially when an amateur. One problem was that he didn't turn pro till he was 23 and that, with the huge expectations placed on him by the boxing public and Harry Levene (who was paying him a record sum), he was thrown in at the deep end and facing experienced opponents from the start. They expected him to be the finished article such was his reputation.
@@billt1954 An interesting comparison with Walker would be Joe Bugner who was genuinely world-class. Bugner had a very short amateur career and was knocked out twice in the first round during his only season as a senior (actually, at 17, he was technically still a junior). But he turned pro before his 18th birthday and was taken in hand by his manager Andy Smith. He was brought on slowly and given good sparring (even with Ali once), building an impressive record before going in with Cooper. By the time he was 23 (the age Walker turned pro) Bugner had gone the distance with both Ali and Frazier and was European champion. Bugner was better than Walker in every department but had he had Walker's fighting heart he might have gone all the way. He coasted to points wins against men he should have ko'd and lost to several men he should have beaten.
a truly excellent documentary, and for me, something of a trip down memory lane. it's in the vein of those understated yet highly informative 'quiet' sports documentaries such as the 1964 Tōkyō Olympics official film, dir. Ichikawa Kon, and cycling videos such as 'Eddy Merckx. The Greatest Show on Earth', and 'A Sunday in Hell' dir. Jorgen Leth. (all of those are on YT). this however, is certainly the most interesting and agreeable boxing documentary I've seen. so thank you much B of BB. (tip of the hat also, to Woodddddddya, who appears to have been the previous uploader)
I saw Billy Walker several times when I was a boy,he used to have a mooch around Harold Bowyers Junk yard at "Row Farm" Winkfield Row ,Berkshire. He used to walk about clenching and un clenching his fists.
I saw many of Billy's fights, Amateur and Pro. I still have the flyer of Billy's first pro fight at Wembley Pool, Versus v Jose Peyre. A mainly West Ham bill with Terry Spinks v Billy Davis and Johnny Kramer v Wally Swift.
maximus Maxwell Roy Shaw was a bully...knew him from my school days at Erkenwald School from 1949...my "big brother" sorted him out...he left me alone after...LOL!! He wouldn't have wanted to have tangled with Billy...Roy was around four years older than Billy, I reckon. Roy was a cocky nasty bastard...ps...O have a LONG memory!! :)
I spent the day photographing Billy Walker in training for his fight with Henry Cooper. The last time I saw him and Terry Spinks was at a West Ham Boxing Club dinner at the Savoy. I often look at the photographs and remember what I nice guy he was.
Most of the old guys in the crowd would have spent time in the trenches no doubt,not much money around then but no little scumbags like today,bring them days back anytime.
I like to start of what you said. But i don't agree with the scumbags from today's era, part. Not everyone's a scumbag maybe you need to put it in context. Oh shut the fuck up
My dad sparred with walkers opponent Billy Nielsen when he came over to fight Billy first time put him on the floor Mickey duff asked how walker would get with him my dad said well I put him on the floor with big gloves on walker lost on cuts my dad was Peter rocky nelson had a terrible manager Benny huntman couldn't get a fight with anyone as all the other promoters didn't like huntman so had to earn money sparring with George chuvalo Zora folley Henry cooper etc got 6 fights in 5 years terrible and was ranked 8 th in the UK
I remember watching a Billy Walker fight on the tv sometime in the 60s when I was a little kid with my dad and older brothers . Things weren’t quite going Billy’s way in this particular round when suddenly somebody in the crowd shouted out quite loudly , “ Hit him with your handbag Billy “. There was a lot of chuckles from others in the crowd too and my Dad and brothers rolled up with laughter . I then remember my dad saying , “ I bet he wouldn’t say that to his face “. I cant remember which particular fight it was now or even if Billy won or lost . It was so long ago and I was only a young kid , but those were great times . We loved Billy Walker in our family , maybe because we lived in Hackney and then Bethnal Green and Billy was a local boy perhaps . It always seemed to me then that Billy had a lot of charisma and a big personality . Plus he seemed different to most of the fighters around at the time . Not your typical stereotyped broken nosed brawler . He had a touch of class and flamboyance about him and his fights were always exciting . Much better than the boxing bouts of today I think .
This is a true gem of a documentary. The footage is so crisp, great bit of boxing history. Great upload. 👍
My late dad was good mates with billy walker when they used to go to the ilford Palais in the fifties , they bumped into each other at a car boot sale late 90s and rekindled their friendship , the three of us used to go to boot sales in dads van me and billy in the back , lovely man and his mrs at the time Pat
Yes and i remember his nightclub in forest gate called "The upper cut"-----
@@rowdyyates4273 that was it ,
Did billy walker fight a man called Dave in his amateur times
Billy Walker was one of my favourite fighters. After a series of knockout wins as an amateur, most of them shown on TV, everyone predicted that Walker would go straight to the top as a professional. Unfortunately, he never fulfilled his promise. He could punch hard, was durable and very brave but always found difficulty with an opponent who jabbed, moved and wouldn't present an
immobile target on which to unleash his bombs. Both Johnny Prescott and Brian London exposed his limited skills. But Walker was always good value and he was involved in a lot of memorable battles. His best wins were over Bill Nielsen, Joe Erskine and former world no 1 contender Thad Spencer (though Spencer was well on the way down by then). Billy was one of the few fighters to make a fortune and hold onto it post-retirement. Thanks for the memories.
@@terrymurphy2032 I remember Dave 'Boy' Green well (from the TV, that is), a great ring warrior, very much like that other Fen Tiger from before the War, Eric Boon, who was also from Chatteris.
@@terrymurphy2032 Dave's best victory was his win over John H Stracey in 1977. Stracey was our greatest post-war welterweight before Lloyd Honeyghan and I expected him to easily beat Green. But Green was all over him from the first bell and never let up till the ref stopped it in the 11th: it's on UA-cam (I think).
@@terrymurphy2032 Yes, though at the time Stracey's loss to Palomino was (I thought) unexpected especially after his two great wins over Napoles and Hedgmon Lewis. I thought Stracey was going to hold the title for some time but he was never the same after Palomino. I remember Jim Watt ko'ing Stracey in one round in 1968 in the ABA semi-finals: one of the best punches thrown. A shame it isn't on UA-cam.
thanks so much for contributing this fascinating piece. my grandfather was boxing manager benny jacobs from cardiff one of the contributors.
Thank you for this great slice of 1960's social history. I am old enough to remember Billy Walker. He was never going to be world champion, but he could have gone much further if he had been trained properly. Just look at the different attitude of the american trainers that he worked all too briefly with. All poor Billy had was his brother who frankly didn't have a clue. The most telling part is the clip where George says "i didn't expect him to come back from America as a stylist" when in fact greater boxing skills were exactly what he needed! Any top trainer will tell you that the most important (and most expensive) part of a fighters training is to provide high quality sparring partners. Just watch him training. No head movement, no moving around the heavy bag looking for angles. no slipping punches. He could have done with a solid year training in the states and maybe he could have even got a couple of rounds in with Ali. That would have taught him to move his head!
I agree that Walker could have done with some proper coaching especially when an amateur. One problem was that he didn't turn pro till he was 23 and that, with the huge expectations placed on him by the boxing public and Harry Levene (who was paying him a record sum), he was thrown in at the deep end and facing experienced opponents from the start. They expected him to be the finished article such was his reputation.
@@alaricbirkett4116 Yes, I agree. You summed it up well.
@@billt1954 An interesting comparison with Walker would be Joe Bugner who was genuinely world-class. Bugner had a very short amateur career and was knocked out twice in the first round during his only season as a senior (actually, at 17, he was technically still a junior). But he turned pro before his 18th birthday and was taken in hand by his manager Andy Smith. He was brought on slowly and given good sparring (even with Ali once), building an impressive record before going in with Cooper. By the time he was 23 (the age Walker turned pro) Bugner had gone the distance with both Ali and Frazier and was European champion. Bugner was better than Walker in every department but had he had Walker's fighting heart he might have gone all the way. He coasted to points wins against men he should have ko'd and lost to several men he should have beaten.
Really love this trip down memory lane. Fascinating how this were done back then.
Yes only 70 years ago, Briton is fucked
a truly excellent documentary, and for me, something of a trip down memory lane. it's in the vein of those understated yet highly informative 'quiet' sports documentaries such as the 1964 Tōkyō Olympics official film, dir. Ichikawa Kon, and cycling videos such as 'Eddy Merckx. The Greatest Show on Earth', and 'A Sunday in Hell' dir. Jorgen Leth. (all of those are on YT). this however, is certainly the most interesting and agreeable boxing documentary I've seen. so thank you much B of BB.
(tip of the hat also, to Woodddddddya, who appears to have been the previous uploader)
Spent a bit of time with Billy in the early 80’s, lovely bloke
I saw Billy Walker several times when I was a boy,he used to have a mooch around Harold Bowyers Junk yard at "Row Farm" Winkfield Row ,Berkshire. He used to walk about clenching and un clenching his fists.
frankie tiger taylor at the beginning,still alive from up here in lancaster,love these old films
Wonderful upload. Thanks.
Wow Beats, dat brings back memories. Hard knocks.
I saw many of Billy's fights, Amateur and Pro. I still have the flyer of Billy's first pro fight at Wembley Pool, Versus v Jose Peyre. A mainly West Ham bill with Terry Spinks v Billy Davis and Johnny Kramer v Wally Swift.
legend has it billy walker gave lenny mclean a bad beating roy shaw and cliff fields wanted no part of walker in or out of the ring
maximus Maxwell Roy Shaw was a bully...knew him from my school days at Erkenwald School from 1949...my "big brother" sorted him out...he left me alone after...LOL!! He wouldn't have wanted to have tangled with Billy...Roy was around four years older than Billy, I reckon. Roy was a cocky nasty bastard...ps...O have a LONG memory!! :)
What a hard game when you see it all behind the scenes
I spent the day photographing Billy Walker in training for his fight with Henry Cooper. The last time I saw him and Terry Spinks was at a West Ham Boxing Club dinner at the Savoy. I often look at the photographs and remember what I nice guy he was.
tebbuch and he still is
These boys trained and hit hard . Very interesting,especially the fees..one venue cost 16 pounds to set up he said..amazing
Saw Billy walking along Whitehall circa 1967.
Paul Walker's Grandpa!! RIP Paul & Billy
Volition Trader billy isn’t dead
Wrong Boxer ,Paul Walkers grandfather was a middleweight who fought mainly around NY a decade or so earlier.
Yeah he was wrongly reported as having died.
Most of the old guys in the crowd would have spent time in the trenches no doubt,not much money around then but no little scumbags like today,bring them days back anytime.
I like to start of what you said. But i don't agree with the scumbags from today's era, part.
Not everyone's a scumbag maybe you need to put it in context. Oh shut the fuck up
Promoters don't make as much as the fighters he said? Tell that to Don King."
Had his fingers crossed!!
for boxers of this era who climbed the latter in the uk it seems they spent most of their time between fights dining out.
Wow, the American will always be a different breed.
He took away our roller skating ring and turned into a night club called the uppercut
Saw Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd there
@@jamesfitzgerald6636 Saw Otis Redding, there Kinks/Small faces to name a few others.
I think I'm correct here, but Billy Walker was Paul Walkers maternal grandfather.
Someone has the amazing two fights between Billy Walker vs Mariano Echeverria from 1962 and 1963?
took care of him when he was old,,,he still had that rite hook.and let us cna no..lol
My dad sparred with walkers opponent Billy Nielsen when he came over to fight Billy first time put him on the floor Mickey duff asked how walker would get with him my dad said well I put him on the floor with big gloves on walker lost on cuts my dad was Peter rocky nelson had a terrible manager Benny huntman couldn't get a fight with anyone as all the other promoters didn't like huntman so had to earn money sparring with George chuvalo Zora folley Henry cooper etc got 6 fights in 5 years terrible and was ranked 8 th in the UK
Apparently brother George was the better fighter of the two. I remember a garage in Balham St Plaistow sponsored Bill with Punch Petrol.
I remember that garage and my dad telling me it was owned by Billy
@@Reed-bj2dt the garage was actually owned by Oggy Hatton - he then moved to the Greengate the space was then used by Cotters Transport
The great Peter Keenan at 17.00
I remember billy walkers fights as a young kid i thought he put on good boxing nights he was good british enterainment strong boy
Was prescott a heavyweight?
Best domestic fight I ever saw was Billy Walker versus Johnny Prescott, absolute belter.
I lived in corringham didn't billy walker own a garage in Stamford Le hope called punch petrol??
class video,fights were proper fights then and you got your moneys worth
Good and bad fights then just like now. Admittedly, greed has changed the environment and industry for good and bad.
'Progrems, progrems, 2 and 6.
58.00 MINUTES MICKEY DUFF
that made me laugh at 16m we promoters dont earn as much as the boxers...not like now!,..its the opposite
Look at the gym lol. I thought my one was a bit ruff in the 80s, but it was glamorous compared to this.
Billy the Kid.
Didn't Billy's brother George have the Uppercut club in Piccadilly. Saw Otis and Carla there in the 60s
Brilliant old time Boxing film. However, I just wish there was a storyline.
Not that type of doc.
p