CONTENTS
Biopics of his ring masters
Results of the major title fights
An archival picture gallery
Links to knockout boxing websites
Terry Lawless, master boxing manager and the king of the cornermen, steered four British boxers to world championships: John H. Stracey, Jim Watt, Maurice Hope and Charlie Magri.
His other hit parade of champions included Frank Bruno (European heavyweight champion), Ralph Charles (British, European and Commonwealth welterweight champion), Jimmy Anderson (British featherweight champion), Jimmy Batten (British light-middleweight champion), Lloyd Honeyghan (British and European welterweight champion), Mark Kaylor (British and Commonwealth middleweight champion), Kirkland Laing (British welterweight champion), John L. Gardner (British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight champion), Horace Notice (British heavyweight champion), Neville Meade (British heavyweight champion), Gary Mason (British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight champion), Jimmy McDonnell (British featherweight champion), Ray Cattouse (British lightweight champion).
John H. Stracey (born September 22 1950) was out of the famous Repton amateur school of boxing in Bethnal Green in London's East End. He turned professional under the management of Terry Lawless in 1969 and during a 51-fight career mopped up the British, European and world welterweight titles. He caused one of the greatest shocks in ring boxing history when in December 1975 he travelled to Mexico and took the world welterweight crown from the legendary Cuban Jose Napoles. Stracey climbed off the canvas in the first round to battle back in magnificent style to wear down and stop the veteran Napoles in the sixth round. He successfully defended his WBC version of the title against Hedgemon Lewis before being dethroned by the classy Carlos Palomino in June 1976. Ring record (1969-1978): 51 fights, 45 victories, 1 draw, 5 defeats.
Jim Watt (born July 18 1948) had an astonishing two-pronged career. He was little known outside his native Scotland during his early ring campaigning, reaching a peak when he became British lightweight champion in 1972. He was 29 and apparently going nowhere fast when he signed with Terry Lawless. It was as if Terry had waved a magic wand and almost overnight Watt became an international star. The smooth southpaw stopped Alfredo Pitalua in 12 rounds in front of his adoring fans in his hometown of Glasgow to become world lightweight champion in April 1979. He made four successful defences before losing a points decision and his title to the gifted Alexis Arguello at Wembley in June 1981. The articulate Watt is now recognised as one of the world's most astute television fight summarisers. Ring record (1972-1981): 46 fights, 38 victories, 8 defeats.
Maurice Hope (born December 6 1951) joined the Terry Lawless All Stars in 1974 after a distinguished amateur career with the same Repton Amateur Boxing Club where John H. Stracey first learned the ropes. The quiet, dignified and unassuming man from Antigua was rarely given the recognition he deserved for ring performances that were always controlled and often devastating. He became WBC world light-middleweight champion in March 1979 when he took on Rocky Mattioli in his own Italian backyard and stopped him in eight rounds. A southpaw like stablemate Jim Watt, he made three winning title defences before getting blasted to a 13th round knock out defeat by the exceptional Wilfred Benitez in Las Vegas in May 1981. Ring Record (1973-1982): 35 fights, 30 victories, 1 draw, 4 defeats).
Charlie Magri (born July 20 1956) was born in Tunisia, but learned his boxing skills at the Arbour Square Youth Club in Stepney in London's East End. He was an outstanding amateur champion before turning professional under the guidance of Terry Lawless in 1977. Magri totally dominated the domestic flyweight scene, and powered his way to the British title in only his third pro fight. He added the European crown nine fights later, but had to wait until 1983 before finally capturing the WBC world crown when he stopped Eleoncio Mercedes in seven rounds. His reign lasted only six months and one defence. Ring record (1977-1986): 35 fights, 30 victories, 5 defeats.
These, in chronological order, were the major fights in which Terry Lawless-managed fighters (the red names) took part:
1968
20.02.68 Jimmy Anderson wrsf 9 Jimmy Revie, London
(British junior-lightweight championship)
20.02.68 Ralph Charles wpts 15 Johnny Cooke, London
(British and Commonwealth welterweight championship)
08.10.68 Jimmy Anderson wpts 15 Brian Cartwright, London
(British junior-lightweight championship)
25.02.69 Jimmy Anderson wrsf 7 Colin Lake, London
(British junior-lightweight championship)
1969
11.11.69 Ralph Charles wko 5 Chuck Henderson, London
(British and Commonwealth welterweight championship)
1970
20.11.70 Ralph Charles wko 12 Johann Orsolies, Vienna
(European welterweight championship)
1971
04.06.71 Ralph Charles lko 7 Roger Menetrey, Geneva
(European welterweight championship)
05.09.71 Ralph Charles wrsf 5 Jeff White, Brisbane
(Commonwealth welterweight championships)
07.12.71 Ralph Charles wrsf 8 Bernie Terrell, London
(British and Commonwealth welterweight championships)
1972
28.03.72 Ralph Charles lko 7 Jose Napoles, Wembley
(world welterweight championship)
31.10.72 John H. Stracey ldisq7 Bobby Arthur, London
(British welterweight championship)
1973
05.06.73 John H. Stracey wko4 Bobbt Arthur, London
(British welterweight championship)
1974
27.05.74 John H. Stracey wrsf 8 Roger Menetrey, Paris
(European welterweight championship)
05.11.74 Maurice Hope wko 8 Larry Paul, Wolverhampton
(British light-middleweight championship)
1975
29.04.75 John H. Stracey wrsf 6 Max Hebeison, London
(European welterweight championship)
10.06.75 Maurice Hope lrsc 8 Bunny Sterling, London
(British middleweight championship)
30.09.75 Maurice Hope wrsf 4 Larry Paul, Wembley
(British light-middleweight championship)
06.12.75 John H. Stracey wrsf6 Jose Napoles, Mexico City
(world welterweight championship)
1976
20.03.76 John H. Stracey wrsf 10 Hedgemon Lewis, Wembley
(world welterweight championship)
20.04.76 Maurice Hope wrsf 12 Tony Poole, London
(British and Commonwealth light-middleweight championships)
22.06.76 John H. Stracey lrsf12 Carlos Palomino, Wembley
(world welterweight championship)
01.10.76 Maurice Hope wrsf 15 Vito Antuotermo, Rome
(European light-middleweight championship)
1977
01.02.77 Jimmy Batten wret 7 Albert Hillman, London
(British light-middleweight championship)
21.02.77 JJim Watt wrsf 10 Johnny Claydon, Glasgow
(British lightweight championship)
15.03.77 Maurice Hope drew 15 Eckhard Dagge, 15 Berlin
(European light-middleweight championship)
07.05.77 Maurice Hope wpts 15 Frank Wissenhach, Hamburg
(European light-middleweight championship)
05.08.77 Jim Watt wrswf 1 Andre Holyk, Glasgow
(European lightweight championship)
16.11.77 Jim Watt wrsf 10 Jerinorno Lucas, Solihull
(European lightweight championship)
25.10.77 Jimmy Batten wrsf 4 Larry Paul, London
(British light-middleweight championship)
08.11.77 Maurice Hope wko5 Joel Bonnetaz, Wembley
(European light-middleweight championship)
1978
17.02.78 Jim Watt wpts 15 Perico Fernandez , Madrid
(European lightweight championship)
12.09.78 Jimmy Batten wret 13 Tony Poole, Wembley
(British light-middleweight championship)
18.10.78 Jim Watt wret5 Antonio Guinaldo, Glasgow
(European lightweight championship)
24.10.78 John L. Gardner wret 5 Billy Aird, London
(British and Commonwealth heavyweight championships)
21.11.78 Jimmy Batten lko 3 Gilbet Cohen, Wembley
(European light-middleweight championship)
1979
04.03.79 Maurice Hope wret 8 Rocky Mattioli, San Remo
(world light0middleweight championship)
04.04.79 Kirkland Laing wrsf 10 Henry Rhiney, Birmingham
(British welterweight championship)
17.04.79 Jim Watt wrsf 12 Alfredo Pitalua, Glasgow
(world lightweight championship)
26.06.79 John L. Gardner wrsf 6 Paul Sykes, Wembley
(British and Commonwealth heavyweight championships)
11.09.79 Jimmy Batten lrsf 9 Pat Thomas, Wembley
(British light-middleweight championship)
25.09.79 Maurice Hope wrsf 7 Mike Baker, Wembley
(world light-middleweight championship)
03.11.79 Jim Watt wrsf 9 Roberto Vasquez, Glasgow
(world lightweight championship)
1980
14.03.80 Jim Watt wrsf 4 Charlie Nash, Glasgow
(world lightweight championship)
24.03.80 Ray Cattouse wrsf 8 Dave McCabe, Glasgow
(British lightweight championship)
01.04.80 Kirkland Laing lrsf 9 Colin Jones Wembley
(British welterweight championship)
22.04.80 John L, Gardner wret 9 Rudi Gauwe, London
(European heavyweight championship)
07.06.80 Jim Watt wpts 15 Howard Davis, Glasgow
(world lightweight championship)
12.07.80 Maurice Hope wrsf 11 Rocky Mattioli, Wembley
(world light-middleweight championship)
14.09.81 Mark Kaylor wrsf 5 Roy Gumbs, London
(British and Commonwealth middleweight championship)
01.11.80 Jim Watt wrsf 12 Sean O'Grady, Glasgow
(world lightweight championship)
26.11.80 Maurice Hope wpts 15 Carlos Herrera, Wembley
(world light-middleweight championship)
28.11.80 John L. Gardner wko5 Lorenzo Zanon, Campione
(European heavyweight championship)
1981
23.03.81 Ray Cattouse wrsf 15 Dave McCabe, Glasgow
(British lightweight championship)
28.04.81 Kirkland Laing lrsf9 Colin Jones, London
(British lightweight championship)
24.05.81 Maurice Hope lko 12 Wilfred Benitez, Las Vagas
(world light-middleweight championship)
20.06.81 Jim Watt lpts 15 Alexis Arguello, Wembley
(world lightweight championship)
12.10.81 Neville Meade wko1 Gordon Ferris, Birmingham
(British heavyweight championship)
1982
24.02.82 Ray Cattouse drew 12 Joey Gibilisco, Campobasso
(European lightweight championship)
30.03.82 Maurice Hope lpts 12 Luigi Minchillo, Wembley
(European light-middleweight championship)
12.10.82 Ray Cattouse lrsf 14 George Feeney, London
(British lightweight title)
1983
22.09.83 Neville Meade lrsf 9 David Pearce, Cardiff
(British heavyweight championship)
11.10.83 Jimmy Batten lrsf 6 Prince Rodney, London
(British light-middleweight championship)
1984
25.02.84 Mark Kaylor lpts12 Tony Sibson, Wembley
(British, European and Commonwealth middleweight championship)
1985
01.10.85 Frank Bruno wko4 Anders Eklund, Wembley
(European heavyweightchampionship)
05.11.85 Jim McDonnell wko4 Jose Luis Vicho, Wembley
(European featherweight championship)
1986
04.03.86 Frank Bruno wko1 Gerrie Coetzee, Wembley
(WBA world heavyweight championship, final eliminator)
19.07.86 Frank Bruno lrsf11 Tim Witherspoon, Wembley Stadium
(WBA heavyweight championship)
19.07.86 Jim McDonnell wpts12 Salvatore Bottiglieri, Wembley
(European featherweight championship)
04.11.86 Mark Kaylor lret8 Herol Graham, Wembley
(European middleweight championship)
1989
18.01.89 Gary Mason wko4 Hughroy Currie, London
(British heavyweight championship)
25.02.89 Frank Bruno lrsf5 Mike Tyson, Las Vegas
(WBC heavyweight championship)
28.06.89 Gary Mason wrsf 2 Jess Harding, Brentwood
(British heavyweight championship)
1993
01.10.93 Frank Bruno lrsf7 Lennox Lewis, Cardiff
(WBC heavyweight championship)
RALPH CHARLES AND JIMMY ANDERSON,
THE FIRST LAWLESS CHAMPIONS
LAWLESS CHAMPIONS, left to right: LLOYD HONEYGHAN JOHN L. GARDNER KIRKLAND LAING AND FRANK BRUNO
GARY MASON AND RAY CATTOUSE, TWO MORE OF THE LAWLESS ALL STARS
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