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Dai Dower

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Dai Dower
Born
David William Dower

(1933-06-20)20 June 1933
Abercynon, Wales
Died1 August 2016(2016-08-01) (aged 83)
NationalityWelsh
Statistics
Weight(s)Flyweight
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights37
Wins34
Wins by KO12
Losses3
Draws0
No contests0

David William "Dai" Dower MBE (20 June 1933 – 1 August 2016), was a Welsh professional boxer who was a British, Empire and European Flyweight boxing champion, and is considered by fans and critics alike as one of the most successful Welsh boxers of all time.[1]

Amateur career

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After becoming the 1952 Amateur Boxing Association British flyweight champion, when boxing out of the Roath Youth ABC[2] Dower was selected for the team of Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics in the boxing squad,[3] recording victories over Abdelamid Boutefnouchet of France (3–0) and Leslie Donovan Perera Handunge of Ceylon (3–0) before finally losing to Soviet boxer Anatoli Bulakov, the holder of the Russian and European titles, 1–2.

Professional career

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While continuing to work as a coal miner at Abercynon colliery, in 1953 Dower turned professional and he made his professional debut at Maindy Arena in Cardiff against Vernon John. Dower won by technical knockout.[4] Dower then beat Ron Hughes in two rounds[4] before he was taken the distance for the first time, opposing the vastly more experienced Preston fighter Colin Clitheroe.[5] Clitheroe had lost three of twenty two fights, mostly at bantamweight, but lost to Dower by points in a six-round bout.[4][5] With another four wins to his name, including two over Jimmy Roche, Dower faced Clitheroe again, this time stopping him in round five.[4][5]

On 23 March 1954, with 14 straight professional wins, Dower faced current British Flyweight Champion Terry Allen in a non-title fight at 8st 2lbs.[6] Scheduled for a ten-round fight at Earls Court Arena in London, Dower stopped Allen in the second.[7]

With 20 successful bouts as a professional boxer under his belt Dower was given his first chance at a title fight. On 19 October 1954 he became British Empire Champion, taking the title away from South African Zulu boxer Jake Tuli.[8] In November 1954, Dower was ranked 3 in the world by The Ring magazine.[9] Dower was selected as the 'Best Young Boxer' of 1954 by the Boxing Writers' Club in February 1955.[10]

Dower married Evelyn Trapp on 6 January 1955.[11][12]

A second chance of a title came in 1955 in the shape of the British flyweight crown. Terry Allen, a previous Dower victim, had vacated the title allowing Dai Dower to contest the crown against Eric Marsden on 8 March at the Harringay Arena. Also at stake was Dower's Empire crown. Dower beat Marsden by points over the 15 round contest.[11][13]

Still unbeaten after 23 fights, the next title came just five months later when Dower took on Nazzareno Gianelli for the European Flyweight title at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London.[14] The fight went the distance, with Dower winning on points to add the European title.[15]

His first defeat came in his defence of the European title, his 27th fight. Young Martin, a Spaniard, began to get through to the champion with his forceful and hurtful body attacks. Dower was dropped in the ninth round for the first time in his career. Dower hit the canvas six times in the tenth. It ended in the twelfth round when Martin dropped Dower for the full count.[16]

In December 1955, he made a successful defence of his Empire title against Tuli.[17] Five wins out of five followed in 1956. Later in the year Dower's plans were interrupted when he was called up to the army to do his two years National Service, having expected to continue working at the colliery.[18] He joined the Welch Regiment in October 1956, relinquishing his titles at the same time.[19] In December 1956 he was ranked 2nd in the world (behind Pascual Perez) by The Ring.[20]

On 30 March 1957 Dower fought World Flyweight Champion Perez at Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro, in Perez's home town of Buenos Aires. Dower suffered a first-round defeat despite going into the fight with a weight advantage of more than five pounds.[21]

Dai Dower continued his National Service in the British Army. He beat Eric Brett in January 1958, and a few days before his army time ended, was due to face Terry Spinks, although the fight was cancelled.[22]

Dower only had one more fight, a points defeat against Canadian Pat Supple in October 1958.

Later life and death

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Shortly before his final fight he took up the position of sports master at Ringwood Grammar School in Bournemouth.[3] He became head of sport at Bournemouth University, a position he held for twenty one years, and in June 1998 he became the recipient of an MBE, awarded for his years of teaching sport to children.[3] Dower lived in retirement in Bournemouth.[23] Dower died on 1 August 2016 at the age of 83.[24][25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dai Dower MBE. Former Flyweight champion". Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Services. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  2. ^ "Roll of Honour". England Boxing. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "The Olympian, No. 33 p.7" (PDF). olympics.org.uk. 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2011.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b c d "Boxer: Dai Dower". BoxRec.com. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Dai Dower". johnnyowen.com. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Dai Dower to Meet Terry Allen". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 25 February 1954. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Dai Dower's Greatest Victory: Allen k.o.'d". Northern Whig. 24 March 1954. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Dower Wins on Points". Dundee Courier. 20 October 1954. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Dai Dower Ranked Third by America". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 4 November 1954. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Dai Dower Rated". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 23 February 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ a b "Dower Wins British Flyweight Title". Belfast News-Letter. 9 February 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Dowers Did Not Pack". Portsmouth Evening News. 10 February 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Dai Dower in action against Eric Marsden". BBC Sport. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  14. ^ "Programme for championship fight between Dai Dower and Nazzareno Giannelli, 1955". Gathering the Jewels. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Dai Dower Wins Third Title". Dundee Courier. 9 March 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "First Defeat—and k.o—for Dai Dower". Dundee Courier. 4 October 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Brilliant Win by Non-Stop Dai Dower". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 December 1955. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "Army May Call Up Dai Dower". Daily Herald. 16 August 1956. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "Dai Dower Escapes". Sports Argus. 7 September 1957. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Dower Ranked Next to Perez". Aberdeen Evening Express. 27 December 1956. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Dai Dower Has Weight Advantage". Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. 30 March 1957. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "Dower Takes on Spinks, Says: 'Get Me Keenan'". Daily Herald. 13 September 1958. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Champion Boxer Honours Legend". heritagetrailsrct.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  24. ^ "Bocsiwr o Gymru wedi marw yn 83 oed". golwg360 (in Welsh). 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  25. ^ Dai Dower: Former British flyweight champion dies aged 83
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