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Mediterranean Magic
Fast and furious the Borg twins could make you dizzy. Their scintillating tag matches against the equally fast Cortez brothers was enough for us to forget the usual tag match skulduggery, while their skill against the more villainous teams gave us much to cheer. Their entry into the professional ranks of British wrestling in 1965 brought a touch of excitement, briefly for independent promoters but snapped up within weeks by Dale Martin Promotions. The majority of their earlier matches we find are of singles contests, Tony Scarlo, Bobby Barnes and Adrian Street being regular opponents, though it was as a tag team for which they were to become mostly remembered. Regular tag success did not come about until they had worked professionally for over a year.
Born in Malta on 23rd August, 1947, we are told Tony was the elder by four minutes, but have no first hand evidence obviously! The boys were ten years old when they set foot in Britain in 1957. With amateur traning at the United Amateur Wrestling Club they were ready for the professional ring in 1965.
Four minutes older Tony kept the advantage in March 1966, though it was a matter of good fortune that he made his television debut before his younger brother. Both boys took part in a lightweight knock-out tournament at Beckenham Baths. It was a loss for them both, but surely their thoughts must have gone back to how far they had come to be on the tele, a million miles from that Mediterranean island they called home. Sadly for the two brothers only Tony’s contest was broadcast. It was an even and fast contest, ending in the third round when Cortez delivered a succession of drop kicks and pinned Tony for the verdict. Ignatious’s bout, against the Pakistani Mir Zafear Ealam, was not broadcast and ended in a knock out defeat.
Ignatious was back on the small screen less than a month later, and it was a scintillating display according to Bob Andrews in The Wrestler as he defeated Johnny Williams by two falls to one.
The popularity of the brothers was immediate as they appeared on television a handful of times during the remainder of 1966, though a straight falls win by Tony over another promising star, Tony Scarlo, still leaves us astounded. It wasn’t until 1967 that the twins wrestled on television in tag action for the first time. Their speed and skill made them television favourites throughout the land, though their live appearances were largely limited to the South.
The decade that followed saw the brothers as two of the most popular wrestlers on television and around the halls, as a successful tag team and in singles contests. We don’t find outstanding highlights, but in professional wrestling that wasn’t important. Enthusiasts understand it wasn’t about the results, why would it be? It was more important that a name on a poster would bring a smile, a moment of anticipation and willingness to hand over the cash. In that respect the Borg twins were stars. They didn’t always win, but they always entertained.
In the pecking order of who was valued by Dale Martin Promotions a booking at Kensington’s Royal Albert Hall was always a signpost. It was in October 1965 that Dale Martin showed their faith in Ignatious by not just giving him an Albert Hall booking but a win over Al Nicol. Tony made his Royal Albert Hall debut the following month. Having seen his brother the enthusiasts were expectant of a good display and were not disappointed although the heavier opponent, Leon Fortuna, gained the only fall required with a fourth round pin fall.
Although the twins did frequently wrestle in single matches, especially in the first two years of their professional career their greatest success was as a tag team, meeting the likes of the Cortez Brothers, Royals and the villainous McManus and Logan pairing. On television they defeated The Artful Dodgers, the Magyars, the Dennisons and held the number one tag team, the Royal brothers, to a draw.
Two decades later they continued to entertain the fans, working for independent promoters and promoting their own shows with respect for those who worked for them.
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