Known outside the UK as Jacky Corn
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The dark haired muscular Frenchman Jacques Lageat wrestled all over the Continent and this included numerous visits to Britain. He made an impression on his first visit in 1955, billed as French welterweight champion, even defeating Alan Colbeck by two straight falls in Aberdeen on 25th January.
It was a different story two months later when Colbeck defended his European welterweight title in Huddersfield. The local paper reported that Lageat showed superior skill before Colbeck’s greater experience enabled him to retain the title by the odd fall in round seven. Other opponents on that tour included Tommy Mann, Bill Howes, and Jim Lewis.
Jacques Lageat returned to Britain in 1961 and again in 1962, this time bestowed with the title of European Mid Heavyweight champion. He will be forever remembered by British fans of that time for the titanic struggle in which he lost his championship belt to Bolton’s Billy Howes. Whether or not he was a champion at any time other than his UK appearances remains a mystery to us until someone tells us otherwise. The venue was the Wembley Town Hall, broadcast on nationwide television, prior to the F.A. Cup Final in May, 1962.
It was a heave-ho struggle from the start with super-human powers displayed by both wrestlers. Ian Campbell was guest commentator alongside Kent Walton and was of the opinion the match was too even to call. Referee Lou Marco declared the first fall to Jacques in round four, with the French man piling on the pressure in round five.
With the partisan crowd behind him, which was out of the ordinary for the unpredictable and fiery Howes, he lifted Jacques and slammed him on the corner post, following it up with a double arm-lever and shoulder-press to equalise the contest.
Rounds eight and nine were fiercely contested until half way through the ninth round Howes body slammed the French man and fell on to him for the winning pin and the title. The crowd erupted. In retrospect the result was inevitable; this was Britain, this was wrestling.
There was a short return to Britain in 1963 for Paul Lincoln Management, but this time he was European middleweight champion, two weight divisions down. These weights and title were all over the place. Whether or not he was a champion at any time other than his UK appearances remains a mystery to us until someone tells us otherwise.
A more high profile visit, this time back with Joint Promotions, came in 1968. He was a member of the French Team in the gloriously named Capital Cities Trophy at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. This time he was a heavyweight (these weights were all over the place) and duly went down to Judo Al Hayes.
Wrestling enthusiast and Heritage member Peter said, “his two visits to the Royal Albert Hall could retrospectively be seen to define the peak years of ”The Golden Era’. Between 1963-1968 TV viewers were at record levels and most towns and cities of any size had regular events.”
Back in France Lageat was a regular tag partner of Francisco Pina Farina (after Farina’s unmasking as L’Ange Blanc) and Charles Verhulst (billed in France as Allan le Foudre). Lageat was the son of French promoter Roger Lageat. He chose not to capitalise on his fathers credentials and was known in his native France as Jacky Corn, which was his mother’s maiden name, and should not be confused with wrestler Jean Corne.
Jacques Lageat died on 26th March, 2018.
Page added 24/03/2024
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