Billy Walker (boxer)
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Billy Walker is a retired English Heavyweight boxer. He was born in London in 1939 and turned professional in 1961 after 39 amateur bouts. His nickname was “Golden Boy”. His professional record was 21 wins (16 by knockout), 8 losses and 2 draws. During 1967, he fought for both the British and European Titles, losing to Henry Cooper (Great Britain) and Karl Mildenberger (West Germany) respectively. After he retired from the ring in 1969 he appeared in several English movies and TV shows. His autobiography "When The Gloves Came Off" ISBN: 978-1-86-105970-3 was published in 2007.
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[edit] Early Life
William Walker was born in Stepney, in the East End of London on March 3rd, 1939. He is the youngest of three brothers. During WWII, his father served in the Royal Air Force and the boys lived with their mother in Bedfordshire and later in Ilford, Essex. He left school at 16 and started working in the printing business. Later a friend introduced him to a higher paid job as a porter in London’s historic Billingsgate Fish Market. He was also a Bouncer and part time DJ at the Ilford Palais dance hall which was managed by Jimmy Savile at the time. He joined a West Ham boxing club to keep fit, and was eventually persuaded to spar with other members and found that he had the talent to box competitively.
[edit] Amateur career
Walker’s older brother George had been a successful light heavyweight boxer and persuaded him to enter the sport, with the ambition to eventually turn professional. With his natural ability and George’s guidance within three years he had won the British (ABA) Amateur Heavyweight title. Soon after a spectacular first round knockout of 6’4” (1.93m) American Cornelius Perry in an international tournament broadcast on National TV, promoters were competing to sign Walker to lucrative contracts. About this time the media started calling him “The Golden Boy” and “The Blond Bomber”
[edit] Professional Career
With brother George as his manager, Walker embarked on a professional career that in six years would see him challenging for both the British and European titles. With his curly blond hair, boyish good looks and all action style the public flocked to see his fights. George invested the purses in a string of night clubs and restaurants and soon the brothers were rich. Billy Walker moved to London’s West End and mixed with society’s elite. On one occasion he was presented to Her Majesty the Queen, who told him that she enjoyed watching his fights. This was during London’s “swinging sixties” and Walker took full advantage of his wealth, fame and good looks to have fun with a series of beautiful women. Nevertheless, Walker stayed focused on his boxing career and the fans continued to love him. Although he never fought in the USA, during his career he stopped rated American heavyweights Charlie Powell, Bowie Adams, Ray Patterson and Thad Spencer inside the distance. In spite of a few weeks coaching at Harry’s Gym in Harlem, Walker’s defensive skills remained marginal and some of his later fights against world class opponents had to be stopped due to cuts and excessive bleeding from his nose. In 1969 at the age of 30 he retired from the ring, a very wealthy young man.
[edit] Business Life
When Billy Walker retired from boxing, George Walker continued to run their business empire as though it was his alone. This soon led to disputes and eventually they parted company. Billy Walker retained enough assets to live very comfortably, but changing financial conditions a few years later forced him to look for other income. He moved to Jersey, a tax haven in the English Channel and became a successful property developer. George Walker went on to became a tycoon in the UK gambling and movie industries with his Brent Walker Group but he too suffered a reversal of fortune and was last known to be living in Russia.
[edit] Personal Life
In 1968, Billy Walker married Susan Coleopy and they had two children, Daniel and Clare. They divorced in 1977. In September 1979 his girlfriend Chrissie gave birth to a son, Warren but she opted to raise him on her own. They are still on good terms. He married Jackie in 1981. They also had two children, Kelly and Tom, but divorced in the 1990s. In 1997 he married Patricia but she died of cancer in 2003. Walker is now happily married to his fourth wife, Susan who he had known from his time in Jersey about thirty years previously. They live in Essex. He has been active on the speaking circuit and is an honorary steward for the British Boxing Board of Control. He recently collaborated with the Kray Twins’ confidante and writer Robin McGibbon on his autobiography “When The Gloves Came Off”. It was published in 2007.
