IT IS uncommon for two brothers to each win a British title, far more so for them to win the same British title.
Dick and Harry Corbett have been the first two brothers to win a British title, Dick at bantam and Harry at feather, again in the late Twenties and early Thirties. Dick and Randolph Turpin have been the first brothers to win the same title, at middleweight in 1948 and 1950 respectively. The first two cousins to win the same British title have been Pat and Les McAteer, additionally at middleweight. The Curvis brothers from Swansea, Cliff and Brian, additionally each won the British welterweight title but their paths, in doing so, have been markedly totally different.
Their precise surname was Nancurvis and so they got here from a combating household. Cliff claimed that their mom’s great-uncle, Shamos Warner, was a bare-knuckle, Welsh hill combating champion at the flip of the twentieth century and that their father, Dai, was an excellent boxer whereas serving with the South Wales Borderers throughout the first world struggle.
Cliff, who was born in 1927, was the older by almost 10 years and he turned professional at 16 throughout the ultimate years of the Second World War. He didn’t have the profit of an intensive novice profession at a excessive stage, however he did field at a time when the scene was very lively inside Wales and a lad may acquire expertise by combating on the many reveals that befell in the pit villages of the South Wales valleys. After solely six contests, and nonetheless aged solely 17, Cliff put down a marker by defeating Cliff Anderson in an eight-rounder at the Queensberry Club in Soho. He was then annihilated by Al Phillips in a British featherweight title eliminator at the finish of 1946, so he switched to light-weight throughout 1947 and 1948, earlier than settling as a welter in 1949. He misplaced his first British title bout, an all-Welsh affair with Eddie Thomas in 1950, and he then misplaced in a ultimate eliminator to Wally Thom the following 12 months. Finally, in 1952, Cliff knocked out Thom in 9 rounds in a rematch at Liverpool Stadium to choose up the British crown. Within eight months he’d left the sport for good, aged 25, drained from years of weight-making and difficult fights. By developing the arduous approach, he confirmed perseverance, resilience and dedication.
Brian Curvis knocks down Tony Smith
Brian, additionally a southpaw, had a glittering novice profession. He won the ABA welterweight title in 1958 and was additionally the Welsh, and the Army champion. He took half in the 1958 Empire Games in Cardiff, the place, unusually, he represented England after being snubbed by the Welsh selectors. Professional papers have been signed in 1959, with Cliff as his coach, and when he made his debut at the Empire Pool, Wembley, he did so sporting an previous pair of Cliff’s boxing shorts. There was no stopping him.
Curvis picked up the British Empire title in his 14th contest after which, three fights later, the British. BN made no bones about how good he was, and who was accountable for his success, “Cliff it is, who has led Brian through a brilliant preliminary career to two titles, all in the space of 17 fights. He has done his level best not to let Brian be rushed, but the young Swansea southpaw attracts titles as a jar of jam attracts a fly.”
When Brian beat Wally Swift to choose up the British title, the referee was none apart from Wally Thom, the man who Cliff had overwhelmed for the same title simply eight years earlier than.
Brian held the British title till 1966, he won the Lonsdale Belt outright and fought a shedding battle towards the nice Emile Griffith for the world welterweight title in 1964. The two brothers have been heroes of their native nation, and each are actually sadly gone, Cliff passing in 2009 and Brian in 2012.
Source link
