Richard Coleman (28 September 1908 – 3 March 1943), better known as Dick Corbett, was a two-time British bantamweight champion. He was from

Bethnal Green, London Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heath Road. By th ...

Boxing career

According to his traceable fight record Corbett remained undefeated between 1926 (the year of his pro debut) and 1927. His first defeat was at the hands of future British flyweight champion,

Bert Kirby Bert Kirby (2 December 1908 – 1975) was an English flyweight boxer, who became British flyweight champion in 1930. Career Born in Birmingham, Kirby made his professional debut in March 1924 with a win over Billy Burns. Unbeaten in his first t ...

. Dick fought and beat Willie Smith while defending the Empire bantamweight title. Dick fought and beat

Johnny King Johnny Cecil King (born 2 July 1942) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was ...

for the vacant British bantamweight title and the Commonwealth (British Empire) bantamweight title, and would fight Johnny King a further four times. In their second bout Corbett lost his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles to King, but he regained both titles in their third meeting. Their fourth and fifth fights were both draws and so left Corbett the title holder. Corbett also won the British (Southern Area) Featherweight Title by defeating

Dave Crowley Dave Crowley (4 May 1910 – 11 December 1974) was a British Boxing, boxer. After winning an Area title at bantamweight, he moved up to featherweight, at which he challenged for a world title, before moving up again to lightweight, at which he wa ...

Personal life

Coleman was son of Henry and Elizabeth Coleman. Coleman was one of 173 who died during the Bethnal Green Disaster during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, leaving a widow Lilian Rose.The hush-hush catastophe
The Guardian, 15 February 2003 He was a younger brother of the British featherweight champion

Harry Corbett Harry Corbett OBE (28 January 1918 – 17 August 1989) was an English magician, puppeteer and television presenter. He was best known as the creator of the glove puppet character Sooty in 1952. Biography Corbett was born in Bradford, W ...

Championships and accomplishments

British Boxing Board of Control The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. History The British Boxing Board of Control was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff. ...

List of British bantamweight boxing champions The following is a table showing the boxers who have won the British bantamweight title. The title has been sanctioned by the National Sporting Club since 1909, and later by its replacement British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) since 1929. A c ...

(

2 times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...

) **British (Southern Area) Featherweight Title 1 time **Commonwealth (British Empire) bantamweight Title 1 time

References

External links

Dick Corbett (Bethnal Green)
Nipper Pat Daly - British Boxing History * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Dick 1908 births 1943 deaths Flyweight boxers Bantamweight boxers Featherweight boxers English male boxers Boxers from Greater London Place of death missing British civilians killed in World War II

Boxing career

Personal life

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References

External links