Tom Berry (February 14, 1890 – 1943) was an

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professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

light-heavy and

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

active from the 1910s to the 1930s. He won the

National Sporting Club The National Sporting Club was a club founded in London in 1891, which did more to establish the sport of boxing in Great Britain than any other organisation. Origins The club was founded on 5 March 1891 as a private club. Its premises were at ...

(NSC) subsequently known as the

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. ...

, the British Light Heavyweight title and the British Empire Light Heavyweight title. Berry's professional fighting weight varied from as a

Light heavyweight Light heavyweight, also referred to as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruise ...

boxer to as a heavyweight boxer.

Boxing career

Professional

On 16 April 1918, Tom Berry's first professional boxing match was against Ben Kelly, to whom he lost on points at Haagsche Zoo,

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Despite this initial defeat, he emerged victorious in the following bouts: * A

knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...

victory over Corporal Sutherland at

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Sports Ground on 17 June 1918. * A points victory over Corporal Hunter at Haagsche Zoo, The Hague, Netherlands on 22 June 1918. * A

technical knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...

victory over Corporal Ward at Haagsche Zoo, The Hague, the Netherlands on 22 June 1918. * A technical knockout victory over Henry JJ Placke (

) at Haagsche Zoo, The Hague, the Netherlands on 6 July 1918. * A knockout victory over Morralour at

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, Netherlands on 1 January 1919. Throughout the 1920s, Berry's career saw a mix of wins, losses and draws: * Against French boxer Paul Journee, Berry achieved four wins, suffered three defeats and managed one draw finally losing via a technical knockout defeat. * He had one win, then a points defeat, followed by a points victory over

Battling Siki Louis Mbarick Fall (16 September 1897 – 15 December 1925), known as Battling Siki, was a French light heavyweight boxer born in Senegal who fought from 1912 to 1925, and briefly reigned as the World light heavyweight champion after knocking ...

(

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

) at Circus Schouwburg, Rotterdam, Netherlands (17 July 1920 and 30 August 1920). * After two wins, one defeat and one draw, Berry eventually suffered a knockout defeat by Soldier Horace Jones in

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on 1 January 1921. * He had one win against Bert Kenny (

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), before suffering a knockout defeat at The Ring,

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on 25 February 1921. * Against Marcel Nilles (

), Berry achieved four wins, followed by eight defeats and finally a knockout defeat at

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on 22 November 1922. * After five wins, Berry achieved a technical knockout victory over Harold Rolph (

) at Victoria Baths,

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on 24 January 1924. * Berry achieved three wins and suffered one defeat against Charlie Ring (

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), before winning a points victory at the

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, London on 17 November 1924. Berry earned his first title after a points victory over Syd Pape, winning the British light heavyweight title at the

, Covent Garden, London on 9 March 1925. Following this success, his career continued to see a mixture of highs and lows: * Against Harry (Rocky) Knight (

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), Berry achieved one win before suffering three defeats. However, he went on to win a points victory at Drill Hall,

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on 19 February 1926. * Against

Tom Heeney Thomas Heeney (18 May 1898 – 15 June 1984) was a professional heavyweight boxing, boxer from New Zealand, best known for unsuccessfully challenging champion Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship of the world in New York City on 26 July ...

(

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), he had one win and one draw before losing on points at The Ring,

, London on 5 July 1926. Berry's second title came after a points victory over Dave Magill. This event saw him achieve the British Empire Light heavyweight title at King's Hall,

Belle Vue, Manchester Belle Vue is an area of Manchester, England, east of the city centre, bordered by the Hope Valley Line on the east and the Glossop Line on the west. Belle Vue is part of the electoral ward of Longsight. Belle Vue railway station lies on the ...

on 31 January 1927. He later lost on points to

Gipsy Daniels William "Gipsy" Daniels (9 February 1903 – June 1967), was a Welsh Light-heavyweight boxing champion of Britain who, in an eighteen-year career, took in 141 contests, including eight fights in New York City, and notably knocked out Max Schmeli ...

while defending the British light heavyweight title and British Empire Light heavyweight title at

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Rink,

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, London on 25 April 1927. After this, Berry suffered a string of defeats, including: * One defeat, then a technical knockout by Ted Sandwina (United States) at Premierland,

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, London on 13 November 1927. * One win, one defeat, a 15-month layoff, then a points defeat by Johnny Widd (

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) at Lorensbergs Cirkus,

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on 31 May 1929. * A points defeat by Antonio Sebastiao (

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) at Estadio do Covelo,

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on 21 September 1929, followed by an 11-month layoff. In Tom Berry's final professional boxing match, he lost by technical knockout defeat against Jack Pettifer at

Holborn Stadium Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part (St Andrew Holborn (parish), St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Wards of the City of London, Ward of Farringdon ...

, London on 17 November 1930.

References

External links

*
Article - Boxing at Belle VueImage (cropped) - Tom Berry (left) and Gipsy Daniels (right)Image - Tom Berry (left) and Gipsy Daniels (right)Image - Cigarette CardImage - Boxing Book of Record's 1921 (page-21)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Tom 1890 births 1943 deaths Cruiserweight boxers English male boxers Light-heavyweight boxers People from Poplar, London Sportspeople from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Boxers from Greater London