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Harry Reeve

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Harry Reeve
Born
Harry Isaacs

(1893-01-07)7 January 1893
St. George's Hospital, London, England
Died10 December 1958(1958-12-10) (aged 65)
NationalityBritish
Statistics
Weight(s)Middleweight, light heavyweight
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Boxing record
Total fights153
Wins81
Wins by KO23
Losses50
Draws20
No contests1

Harry Isaacs (7 January 1893 – 10 December 1958), better known as Harry Reeve, was a British middleweight and cruiserweight boxer who was British Cruiserweight champion in 1916. At the time, the cruiserweight division was referred to as light heavyweight.

Early life and career

Born in St. George's, London and based in Plaistow, Essex, the Jewish Isaacs fought under the name Harry Reeve and made his professional debut in 1910. Undefeated in his first 18 fights, he suffered his first loss in January 1912, to Harry Rudge, starting a run of nine fights where he won only two and lost five. He hit another winning streak in mid-1912, and despite a mixed record in 1913, got a shot at the vacant British middleweight title in February 1914 against Pat O'Keeffe, who won a points decision after 20 rounds.[1][2][3]

Reeve moved up to light-heavyweight and beat British heavyweight champion Joe Beckett in December 1914 in a non-title bout.

A run of eight straight wins in 1915 and 1916 led to a fight for Dick Smith's British light-heavyweight title on October 30, 1916 at the National Sporting Club at Covent Gardens. Reeve won on points over 20 rounds to take the title and the Lonsdale Belt, gaining momentum in the last three rounds of the close bout.[4] He relinquished the title before defending it. Light heavyweight division is usually classified as cruiserweight today.[5][6][7] Reeve had already reached the rank of Lance Corporal in his service in WWI prior to winning the light-heavyweight title.

Reeve served in the 7th Middlesex Regiment/Military Police during his service with the British in the first World War. [8][9] Before completing his service, he suffered a leg wound that hampered his subsequent career.[10]

After the war, Reeve returned to boxing, losing to Joe Beckett in January 1919 after a fifth round stoppage. He continued to fight until 1934, his post-war career including losses to Bombardier Billy Wells,[11] Eddie McGoorty, Mike McTigue, Gus Platts,[12] and Phil Scott,[13] draws with Scott (at the Royal Albert Hall in 1924) and Reggie Meen, and several fights against Senegalese fighter Battling Siki.[14][15] He finished with a record of 79 wins from 150 professional fights.

Life outside boxing

Reeve's grave in the East London Cemetery

Reeve married Ethel Sophia Stone in 1912, eventually having twelve children. He died on December 10, 1958.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "O Keefe Champion". Daily Mirror. 24 February 1914. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Harry Reeve Boxing Record". BoxRec. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Harry Reeve Boxing Bio". BoxRec. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  4. ^ Took the Lonsdale Belt in "Boxing in England", The Age, Melbourne, Australia, pg. 10, 1 November 1916
  5. ^ Came from behind in last three rounds in "A Championship Match", Gazette, Montreal Canada, pg. 15, 14 November 1916
  6. ^ "Boxing". Gloucester Journal. 4 November 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "News item". Daily Record. 31 October 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Sergt. Major Dick Smith v. Lance-Corpl. Harry Reeve". Newcastle Journal. 31 October 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Harris, Clive & Whippy, Julian (2008) The Greater Game: Sporting Icons Who Fell in the Great War, Pen & Sword Military, ISBN 978-1844157624, p. 141
  10. ^ "McGoorty Defeats Harry Reeve", The Referee, 21 May 1919, p. 13. Retrieved 4 October 2014 (via Trove)
  11. ^ "Bombardier Wells Knocks Out Reeve". Derby Daily Telegraph. 27 January 1920. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "O'Kelly v. Gus Platts". Hull Daily Mail. 27 January 1927. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Two Wins for Phil Scott". Dundee Courier. 17 June 1927. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Harry Reeve v. E. McGoorty". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 13 May 1919. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ Runstedtler, Theresa (2012) Jack Johnson, Rebel Sojourner: Boxing in the Shadow of the Global Color Line, University of California Press, ISBN 978-0520271609, p. 237
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