Johnny Famechon
| Johnny Famechon | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Jean-Pierre Famechon |
| Rated at | Featherweight |
| Height | 5' 5" |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 28 March 1945 Paris, France |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 67 |
| Wins | 56 |
| Wins by KO | 20 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 6 |
Johnny Famechon, born 28 March 1945, is a former Australian featherweight boxer, who was born as Jean-Pierre Famechon in Paris, France.
He moved to Australia in 1950 at the age of five. Over his twenty-year career he developed a reputation for being a skilled boxer whose strength was his defence. His career record of 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses.
His first major win was over Les Dunn to become Victorian Featherweight champion in 1964, then he was Commonwealth featherweight champion in 1967 after defeating the Scot, Johnny O'Brien. He became WBC featherweight champion on 21 January 1969 after he defeated the Cuban Jose Legra on points at the Albert Hall in London.
He defended his WBC featherweight title against Fighting Harada of Japan and won in a controversial points decision.
In the rematch for the world title, against Harada in Japan six months later, Famechon decisively won the fight by knocking Harada out in the fourteenth round.
He defended his WBC title on 9 May 1970 in Rome to Mexican Vicente Saldivar and after losing the fight in a close points decision, he retired soon afterwards.
He was trained by Ambrose Palmer throughout his professional career and never fought as an amateur.
He lives in Melbourne, Australia - part of the time in the suburb of Aspendale.
In 1971, he wrote an autobiography called Fammo.
Famechon was the first Melburnian to become King of Moomba in 1970 when appointed by the Moomba festival committee.[1]
In 1991 he was badly injured when hit by a car whilst jogging outside Sydney's Warwick Farm racecourse, which resulted in horrific injuries.
In December 1993 Ragnar Purje introduced himself to John and his fiance Glenys Bussey. Ragnar informed John and Glenys that he had a theory pertaining to Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation. Ragnar explained that his theory was formulated through his extensive Goju Karate studies and training as well as his academic training in psychology, counselling, physical education and sport science.
With encouragement from John, Glenys and John's personal physician, Ragnar began applying his theory and his Acquired Brain Injury neurological rehabilitation almost immediately.
The program was intense and demanding. After three months of this program John took his first steps. From there John has never looked back. John now walks with the aid of a walking stick and his speech and memory have improved. Following his accident, John informed Glenys that he would not marry her until he could walk her down the aisle. John walked down the aisle with Glenys when he married her in June 1997.
John Famechon was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles in 1997.
[edit] Reference sources
- ^ Craig Bellamy, Gordon Chisholm, Hilary Eriksen, (17 February 2006) Moomba: A festival for the people.: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/Moomba/History%20of%20Moomba.pdf PDF p 22
- Talk to Johnny Famechon / Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame
| Preceded by Jose Legra |
WBC Featherweight Champion 21 January 1969– 9 May 1970. |
Succeeded by Vicente Saldivar |
