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Proper Lancashire
The Keegan brothers, Jack, Joe and Denis, were the type of unsung heroes that Wrestling Heritage is here to remember and celebrate. The Keegans were Lancashire through and through, living in Rochdale since great grandparents Michael and Mary Keegan had sailed to Britain
The youngest of the brothers was Joe, born on 22nd January, 1931. We remember watching Joe Keegan when he was up against the indestructible Jack Dempsey. Or at least seemingly indestructible because Joe had us fans on the edge of our seats truly believing that he could pull it off against the British welterweight champion.
Rochdale’s Joe was one of those wrestling enigmas, a quiet unassuming man who could ignite the fans with his technical ability. That ability was perfected in nine years amongst the amateur ranks. In his early twenties Joe turned professional. He combined wrestling commitments with his carpentry trade until 1961 when he turned full time professional.
Of the three Keegan brothers Joe was the one to benefit mostly from television exposure. Joe made more than a dozen television appearances against big names that included Johnny Kwango, Les Kellett, Abe Ginsberg and Steve Logan.
Fully committed to his wrestling career Joe established himself as a very accomplished welterweight, not just in Britain but overseas. Joe was one of the British pioneers wrestling in the Far East, long before the visits by Billy Robinson, Dynamite Kid and Mark Rocco.
Wrestling Heritage reader WilliamR remembers “Joe Keegan was a stalwart of the ring in the early to mid 60’s and I particularly remember a very good televised bout between Joe and Johnny Kwango. That match was in September 1963, and Joe and Kwango wrestled a draw in a match that and was a follow-up to his narrow loss to Kwango at the illustrious Royal Albert Hall the year before.”
Joe Keegan was in touch with Wrestling Heritage in March, 2011, from his home in Rochdale, just a few months before his sudden death. “He was so fit and healthy and had even played 5 rounds of golf that week,” his niece Bev told us.
We thank all members of the Keegan family for helping us keep alive them memories of their wrestling family.
Below, centre Joe Keegan wrestling in Japan.
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