My dad told me about 'The ghost with a hammer in his hand' when I was ten. I still get goose bumps listening to this. I'm 78, never weighed much more than 9 stone, and, thanks to the Jimmy Wilde story, always felt as big as the next guy.
What makes jimmy a different class. He beat every flyweight. Of note to then take on the bantamweights. Then the featherweights. Every so called pound for pound fighter. All put weight on to. To. Box at different weights. But jimmy never put one ounce on. Giving away at least two stone on his opponent. Or 25% in body weight. His record alone. Stands head and shoulders above them all. My pound for pound. Boxer. Ever. This seven stone weakling took on all comers then wiped the floor with them all. My greatest boxer
He doesn't mention Wilde's illness in his first loss his loss to Herman being out weighed so much he refused to fight him but the prince of Wales asking him to fight, also him coming out of retirement for a light punching opponent only to have it changed to hard hitting pancho villa with an after the bell punch.
It was my family's boxing booth that Jimmy Wilde started in. My great great grandfather was john (jack) Scarrott and we are still traveling showman today. I have so much pride and passion about my family history and our part in the boxing side of Wales. Apart from Jimmy Wilde we also had other famous fighters such as Tommy Farr, Jim Driscoll, Tom Thomas, Percy Jones and these are only the ones that are only the ones that are documented who knows who could have walked the boards in Jack Scarrotts boxing booth.
wow, that was pretty powerful mate i've always been a massive admirer of Wilde, he really was one of a kind if he doesnt qualify to be mentioned in an all time p4p discussion, then people just do not know their boxing cheers for the vid, really enjoyed it!
All the videos on youtube of greatest boxers should have Wilde placed high but most so-called fans and experts have never heard of him- we should spread the word, as so many people on this site seem ignorant of boxing history.
Good video fella I've been waiting for this one for a while. Wilde in my opinion is the best fly weight of all time and maybe the best British fighter of all time as well although I would say Kid Lewis has that spot as he fought better men. The 1910-1930 really was the golden age of British boxing
Honeghan and Benn were certainly great fighters but would you put them as high as 2nd? Neither man really got international acclaim- Honeghan beat Curry but did he capitalise on that? And Benn was beaten by Eubank. I see Benn as a tough, tough fighter and highly capable but not really an all-time great. I respect your view, I am just curious why you would place these guys so high?
I'm an old Barry boy whose mum worked for the great man in his home in Cadoxton i remember well the tremendous array of silverware cups,shields and the like Jimmy had won and the large oil painting of him being presented with the Lonsdale belt by the then Prince of Wales and I'll always remember him shaking my hand,though I was only a boy I knew I was in the company of a legend! PS around 1970 a year or so after Jimmy Wilde's tragic death I had left Barry and was living and working in London. I was working in Knightsbridge nr Harrods and in my lunch hour went to a Ladbrokes nearby I descended the stairs and there behind the counter fixed proudly on the wall was the very same painting I had seen in Mr Wilde's house years before as a boy,it brought a lump to my throat I can tell you.RIP Jimmy God Bless.
My uncel Jimmy was named as the greatest boxer af all time (pound for pound) by the Ring magazine in USofA several years ago, his recored of 864 fights lost 4 will take some beating. Dave
Please, Wilde fought bums...Lmbo...There's no way he would hang in this era...Guys are way faster, stronger, more skilled than then. That's why fighters don't fight a million times anymore.
William Elliott.... Your ignorance is shocking. EVERY sport in the World has seen massive changes in diet, fitness, professionalism. You're saying that a Jimmy Wilde born today wouldnt have made it? you twat.
Modern fighters are softer. Life gets easier for every generation and it's reflected in boxing. The same level of hunger isn't there because kids don't have the same tough upbringings of the previous generation. As for being more skilled, modern fighters can't even slip punches. Old timers kept a low guard because you can't see the punches coming with a high guard. They could also inflict and take more punishment. How often do you see modern fighters with broken ribs, teeth knocked out, cauliflower ears? Old timers took fearful beatings and kept coming. They'd get busted up one week, and fight the next.
