Week Beginning 10th May
10 May, 1958
Two Great Champions End Even
Eric Taylor held champion Ernie Riley to a draw in a challenge for the British light heavyweight championship in Middlesbrough
10 May 2025
Death of Fred Bentley
Read our tribute to Fred Bentley
11 May 1915
Birth of Les Kellett.
Read our tribute to Les Kellett
11 May 1919
Birth of Len Ring
Read our tribute to Len Ring
11 May 1951
Birth of Mark Rocco
Read our tribute to Mark Rollerball Rocco
11 May 1960
Wrestler Pleads Guilty
Ian Campbell admitted assault at Dundee Sheriff Court. He admitted injuring a ringsider by throwing a bucket. Campbell received a caution from Sheriff R.A. Ingles.
11th May 1963
Dempsey Overcomes Hannon
Jack Dempsey retained the British welterweight title against Dundee’s Ted Hannon.
11 May 1977
Cup Final TV
It was Cup Final day and Johnny Saint beat Kader Hassouni to retain the World lightweight title
11 May 1982
Revenge For Bridges In World Title Clash
Having lost to Pete Roberts by two straight falls, reversing the decision in February at the Royal Albert Hall Wayne Bridges beat Pete Roberts to retain the Joint Promotions version of the World Heavyweight title.
11 May 2010
Death of Rob Roy McGregor
Read our tribute to Rob Roy McGregor
12 May 1935
Birth of Otto Acron
Read our tribute to Otto Acron
12 May 1935
Birth of Gwyn Davies
Read our tribute to Gwyn Davies
12 May 1939
Sherry Beats Clark
Jack Sherry retained the World Heavyweight title against Douglas Clark at Belle Vue, Manchester.
12 May 1950
Attention To Detail
The further back in time we go the greater were the efforts of promoters to establish the authenticity of professional wrestling as a legitimate sport. Whether wrestler Eric Day was returning from injury or not we wouldn’t know but it did all sound very dramatic (and real) when the Derbyshire Times announced his appearance at Chesterfield’s Drill Hall the following Friday was in doubt. An appointment had allegedly been made with the Wrestling Board of Control’s doctor on the morning of the match to get a fitness certificate. Fans were reassured a “famous wrestler is signed up ready to take his place should he not pass his test. His opponent was “Australian” Bill Coverdale, from Salford.
12 May 1953
Marino Loses Out
At the Royal Albert Hall Mario Matassa defeated Mike Marino for the European Heavyweight title.
12 May 1971
Saint Wins British Crown
Johnny Saint was a popular winner at the Sheffield City Hall as he defeated Zoltan Boscik to win the British lightweight title. The two men were evenly matched with Boscik taking the lead in round five. The advantage did nothing to improve Boscik’s temperament as he lost sight of the rules and found the disapproval of the fans. A public warning came his way in round seven for kicking Saint’s bandaged knee while he was on the ropes. Saint returned by taking the equalising fall with a folding body press, from which Boscik continued to fight and was awarded a second public warning. Round eight and the action continued. A drop kick from Saint followed by a body slam and shoulder press, one, two, three and Johnny Saint was British lightweight champion.
12 May 1999
Death of an Eagle.
News from Tigard, Oregon, USA, of the death of Roy Boyd, known as wrestler Johnny Eagles of Manchester, aged 64.
Read our tribute to Johnny Eagles
13 May 1922
Birth of Iron Man Steve Logan.
Read our tribute to Steve Logan
13 May 1935
Is there a Father in the House?
A Priest was called to pacify an Italian wrestler at a tournament in Wolverhampton. The ropes of the ring gave way, whirling round and just missing the referee. This appeared to anger the wrestler beyond reason, showering the crowd with water. Officials led the angry wrestler to the dressing room. Sounds of furniture being wrecked inside the dressing room resulted in a priest from a nearby Catholic church being called. After some time the priest succeeded in pacifying the wrestler and calm was restored. An early case of wrestling codology?
13 May 1947
A Champion Match.
No titles on the line but the best bout of the night at Dundee’s Caird Hall was between Jim Anderson and European cruiserweight champion Mike Demitre. After sixty minutes of wrestling it was announced in a return contest on 10th June Demitre would defend his title.
13th May, 1960
Wigan 2, Yorkshire 0
Jack Dempsey beat Alan Colbeck in Bradford to keep the British welterweight championship. On the same programme Ernie Riley retained the British light heavyweight title against Eric Taylor.
13 May 1961
No Luck of the Irish In Newcastle
At the Newcastle St James Hall European light heavyweight champion Ernie Riley retained his title against Irishman Pat Barratt.
13 May 1968
Masterclass
Champion Clayton Thomson beat Mick McManus by two falls to one in Leeds to retain the British Middleweight title.
13 May 1976
Friends Battle It Out
A European lightweight title match at the Queensway Hall in Dunstable. Wrestling Enterprises (Independent) show and champion Ian St John defended against his Accrington friend Andreas Svajik. The two were good friends from Bob Bannister’s gym in Accrington and had wrestled each other countless times.
13 May 1987
A Hard Nut To Crack for Marty
At the De Montfort Hall in Leicester Marty Jones beat Skull Murphy to retain the World Mid Heavyweight title.
13 May 2002
Death of George Gordienko
Read our tribute to George Gordienko
14 May 1914
Birth of Charlie Fisher.
Read our tribute to Charlie Fisher
14 May 1929
Birth of Spencer Churchill.
Read our tribute to Spencer Churchill
14 May 1934
Birth of Dave Shade
Dave Shade is in the A-Z
14 May 1948
Birth of Tony Kelly.
Tony Kelly is in the A-Z
14 May 1962
Marino Keeps World Title
On a show promoted by Paul Lincoln in Bedford Mike Marino retained the BWF (Independent) World Mid Heavyweight title against Al Hayes.
14 May 1966
Dark Clouds Are Gathering
By the summer of 1966 the reign of British heavyweight champion Billy Joyce was appearing to be near it’s end. His protege, Bill Robinson was adding experience to the advantage of youth. Robinson had taken Joyce’s European title the previous year and the addition of Joyce’s British title seemed inevitable. Joyce defended his title once again at Belle Vue, Manchester on 14th May. The referee was Sandy Orford. Unsurprisingly the challenger, Robinson, was the favourite of the fans, and he took the lead with a leg lock in round five. In the sixth Joyce threw Robinson onto the ropes, with the intention of butting him in the stomach on the rebound. As a counter Robinson brought his knee up and unintentionally caught Joyce low. The champion fell to the mat and the referee disqualified Robinson. The decision was very unpopular and Joyce was escorted back to the dressing room, living to fight another day.
14 May 1985
Championship Devaluation
Ten or more years earlier just one title match on a programme with Mike Marino, Jon Cortez, Jim Breaks or any of the champions, would have filled us with anticipation for weeks to come. Oh, how things had changed by 1985. Four championship matches in one night at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon seem like no more than a desperate gasp to survive, and not one of them would have tempted us out of the house. Ray Steele defeated Pete Roberts by two falls to one to win the vacant British heavyweight title. The title had been inactive since 198s when champion Tony St Clair had left Joint Promotions to work for the independents. Danny Collins defeated Richie Brooks by two falls to one to retain the British welterweight title. Steve Grey defeated Jackie Turpin by two falls to one to retain the British lightweight title. Clive Myers defeated Keith Haward by two falls to one to retain the European Middleweight title.
14 May 2012
Death of Tony Vince
Tony Vince is in the A-Z
15 May 1887
Birth of Peter Bannan
Read our tribute to Peter Bannan
15 May 1928
Birth of Tony Vallon
Read our tribute to Tony Vallon
15th May, 1961
Riley Outfoxes The Fox
Ernie Riley successfully defended his British light heavyweight title against Les Kellett in Leeds.
15 May 1965
Dempsey Beats McManus
Jack Dempsey beat Mick McManus at Belle Vue in Manchester to retain the British welterweight title.
15 May 1964
Wrestlers Collapses In The Ring
Ezzard Hart was rushed to hospital after collapsing in the ring during the third round of his match with Steve Logan at Battersea Town Hall.
15 May 1971
Mowberee Jamboree
Melton Mowbray’s scout group annual fund raising event, the Mowberee, was opened by Ian Campbell.
15 May 1965
Death of Frankie Townsend
Frankie Townsend is in the A-Z
15 May 1967
Dramatic Ending
It was an unsatisfactory ending for all, but mostly for challenger Jim Breaks at the St George’s Hall in Bradford. With honours even in the British lightweight title clash between champion Al Miquet and challenger Breaks the two men collided in round eight and both failed to beat the count.
16 May 1908
Birth of Felix Kerschitz
Read our tribute to Felix Kerschitz
16 May 1912
Birth of Rex Gable
Read our tribute to Rex Gable
16 May 1947
British Wrestling Board of Control dissolved.
Read the End of The Beginning
16 May 1960
Bad Luck for The Farmer
Ernie Riley successfully defended his British light heavyweight title against John Allan in York.
16 May 1962
Sweeney Fails In Title Bid
Ernie Riley successfully defended his British light heavyweight title against Bob Sweeney at the Gaiety in Scunthorpe.
16 May 1964
Veteran Outclasses The Youngster
Light heavyweight champion Ernie Riley knocked out challenger Roy St Clair at Belle Vue in Manchester to retain the British title.
16 May 1973
Night of Champions
It was a night of champions with three title matches at Kensington’s Royal Albert Hall. All three champions were able to take their belts back home. Mick McManus had the closest call with a double knock out result against Jackie Pallo to keep his European middleweight title. Albert Wall retained the British heavyweight title against Tibor Szakacs and Steve Logan wasn’t good enough against British Heavy Middleweight champion Bert Royal.
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