| Tommy Farr Tommy Farr. Thomas George Farr. The Tonypandy Terror. He lives on forever in those shadowy, flickering images of the black & white film of him in action in the 1930s. Especially in his bout against Joe Louis in which he lost a highly debatable narrow points decision. But just to be part of that mythical night in 1937 in front of 50,000 fans at the Yankee Stadium, New York City is fame enough. To have won it in the minds of many against one of the greatest fighters ever, far far away from home, has to put him up there as one of the greatest British boxers ever... Real name: Thomas George Farr Boxing record THE TONYPANDY TERROT: When heavyweight boxer Tommy Farr travelled to New York in 1937 to take on World Champion Joe Louis, many predicted he'd be knocked out in the first round. But, by the end of the bout, he'd won the respect of boxing fans worldwide and booked his place in boxing history, where the Louis vs Farr fight is remembered as one of the greatest of all time. Farr was an incredibly brave, skilful fighter. The six week period leading up to the fight which defined him as a fighter were remarkable. Press conferences and publicity stunts became a daily routine for the bewildered 23 year old, as was the unwelcome attention of mobsters and gangsters determined to make money from his failure. But although the odds were stacked against him, he remained undeterred. At the weigh in, Louis asked how Farr had gained the distinctive scars on his back. They were the result of a mining accident, but Farr led him to believe they were gained from wrestling tigers, visibly unsettling his opponent. Farr took Louis the distance, but lost on a controversial points decision, a decision which was greeted with boos. He may have lost on the night, but Farr had boxed the fight of his life, winning the admiration of the boxing world. The facts outside of those 15 rounds are these: he was the son of an Irish immigrant, and one of eight children. His mother died when he was only eight years old and his father when he was eighteen, after a prolonged illness. He became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. He fought former heavyweight champion James J. Braddock, the Cinderella Man in 1938 and lost in 10. Although a wealthy man when he retired in 1940, he was facing bankruptcy when he made a comeback ten years later, at 36 years of age. He regained the Welsh Heavyweight title but finally ended his career, 3 days short of his 39th birthday, when Don Cockell beat him in 7 rounds in Nottingham 1953. On retirement from the ring, he ran the Royal Standard pub in Queen's Road, Brighton filled with boxing memorabilia. He lived in nearby Hove. FURTHER READING: A Welshman in The Bronx: Tommy Farr vs Joe Louis Tommy Farr prints @ amazon.co.uk (direct link to prints) |
