Also known as The Ring Gladiator, Tony Rowley,
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The Steel Man of Kettering
An aggressive middleweight of the 1970s and 1980s Middlesborough born Tony Rowney also wrestled as the Ring Gladiator. The family moved to Kettering whilst he was a child, where he spent much of his adult life working in the steel works and later as head of security at Wicksteed Park. Tony boxed as an amateur whilst completing national service in the army, also teaching unarmed combat, which he later pursued in civilian life.
Northamptonshire was of course Ken Joyce territory and the two had an ongoing feud, and with Tony an accomplished ring baddie he was inevitably the one booed by the fans. We had first become aware of him in the very early seventies with tales of wrestling lions inside their cages at the zoo His first televised bout was in July 1977 against Dynamite Kid and his second appearance in December of the same year against Kung Fu. Tony lost both matches by a knock out. Another career highlight came in May, 1980 when he appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, partnering Lucky Gordon in tag team action against the Royal brothers.
Due to his daytime job at the steelworks, Tony was greatly limited travel-wise throughout his career, but we are sure he would have become a big name had he chosen to dedicate himself full-time to wrestling.
Anthony James Rowney, born 1st June 1939, died on 25th June 2009, aged 70.
Page added 29/05/2026
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