Thomas Thomas (8 April 1880 – 13 August 1911) was a
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
boxer and the first British
middleweight
Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing Professional
In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to .
Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have be ...
boxing champion.
Early years
He was born at
Glynarthen,
Cardiganshire
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Ce ...
but moved to Carncelyn Farm,
Penygraig, in the
Rhondda Valley
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley ( cy, Cwm Rhondda ), is a former coalmining area in South Wales, historically in the county of Glamorgan. It takes its name from the River Rhondda, and embraces two valleys – the larger Rhondda Fawr valley ('' ...
of
South Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
at an early age.
Boxing history
Born at Glynarthen, Cardiganshire (the home of his mother) and then moving to Carnelyn Farm,
he began boxing in a sideshow, touring with
Freddie Welsh and
Jim Driscoll. After winning the local Rhondda valley heavyweight "championship", he won a National Sporting Club middleweight competition in London. Eventually, in May 1906, he fought the English champion
Pat O'Keeffe to become the first national British middleweight champion. In 1909, he fought
Charlie Wilson to become the first holder of a
Lonsdale Belt at his weight. He won over thirty fights before losing the British middleweight title to
Jim Sullivan in November 1910.
Early demise
He began to suffer from
rheumatism. He died from heart failure in August 1911 in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
.
Although his boxing record is not very well documented he is believed to have won 41 of his 44 fights.
References
Sources
Welsh Biography Online* "Sport" edited by Gareth Williams. Published by Parthian Books (2007)
External links
*
1880 births
1911 deaths
Middleweight boxers
Welsh male boxers
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