BACK in late 1929, the British light-weight title was held by Fred Webster of Kentish City. There have been a many good challengers for his title and two of them have been matched to field on the Stadium Membership on Excessive Holborn, in London, on 13 November 1929.
Sam Steward was the ex-champion, having been defeated by Webster some six months beforehand. His opponent, Johnny Mann of St George’s, in London’s east finish, had solely had 21 skilled contests, of which he had gained 16 and misplaced 5. He was a former top-flight novice, having boxed for Limehouse and Poplar BC, for whom it was claimed he had taken half in over 400 novice contests.
His losses have been all towards good fighters and, as shedding was very a lot a part of the sport again then, significantly as one was studying on the way in which up, his probabilities towards Steward have been thought of to be excessive. The 2 males weighed in at two o’clock on the day of the competition, as was customary observe again then, and each males made the agreed restrict, 9st 10lbs, with Mann being two kilos underneath the load.
Johnny had misplaced his sister, Eva, just a few weeks previous to the competition and he had been significantly disturbed by this. Because the demise of a youngster was way more commonplace again then, he was urged to get on with issues by each his household and by his supervisor. After weighing in he returned residence, the place he advised his dad and mom that he was retiring to mattress for some relaxation. They woke him up at 5 after which departed for the venue, as they have been going to look at the bout. Johnny had advised them that he was going to take a brief stroll and that he would get himself to the membership later. He by no means arrived.
The highest of the invoice contest, between Jackie Brown, the British flyweight champion, and Phineas John of Wales handed off satisfactorily, with a factors victory for Brown, however the promoters have been fretting in regards to the whereabouts of Mann. Finally they cancelled the competition and Harry Fenn, an area fighter, stepped in at very quick discover to take Steward to a detailed 15-round choice.
As Mann had fully disappeared Scotland Yard have been knowledgeable, and the younger fighter was handled as a lacking individual. He was finally discovered, mendacity unconscious, on the pavement immediately outdoors the Oval cricket floor, at two o’clock within the morning. He was taken to hospital by ambulance by a well-meaning passer-by whose identification was by no means established. Harry Stone, an novice boxer and a good friend of Johnny, recognised him there and alerted his dad and mom. Fairly why Harry was on the hospital is just not recognized.
Johnny remained in a dazed and delirious state and his dad and mom have been requested to not talk with him till he had recovered. His mom admitted that on the day of the competition she had discovered him in his room, sobbing bitterly about his sister, and asking the place she was. He was clearly in no state to be collaborating in a 15-round contest however, true to the occasions, his mom advised him to “pull your self collectively and have a wash in chilly water.”
His supervisor, Billy Palmer, needed to spend a while convincing the press that Johnny had not simply walked away from the competition, not fancying it. Regardless, Johnny’s standing amongst the directors and the promoters took a nose-dive.
He didn’t field once more till December 1931, greater than two years later, and he had 15 extra contests, shedding solely considered one of them. He was a top-ranked fighter, thought of a certainty to change into a British champion, however his psychological aberration, or no matter it was, was sufficient to isolate him from championship reckoning for the rest of his profession.
In later life Johnny grew to become a much-respected coach at Stepney and St George’s BC, the place he was accountable for the event of the nice Sammy McCarthy.
