Northern International Promotions

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One of the post war legends who wrestled and promoted well into the 1970s Cyril Knowles was a prominent middleweight in the 1950s, but as his wrestling career reached its twilight years he became an influential promoter of the 1960s and 1970s, using the name Northern International. Unsurprisingly his main sphere of work was in the north, mostly in clubs and smaller halls but he did also venture into the Midlands and Wales. One of his biggest venues was the Ice Drome in Blackpool.

Manchester middleweight Eddie Rose continued: “He was a lovely promoter to work for. He looked after the lads and paid an honest wage for an honest bout.”

Lovely maybe, but Cyril did have a reputation for being “careful” with his money. Sam Betts told us, “He was indeed a hard worker, but I tell you this. It was hard work getting the money out of him! If it was a good house he’d swear blind it was a bad ‘un! He’d pull every trick in the book.”

As wrestling went into decline in the 1980s Cyril began to despair as did so many others, but he just got on with things and rarely complained. In fact from all those we have spoken to that just about sums Cyril up…a lovely man who just got on with things in a quiet way determined to succeed in everything he tried to do.

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