Bill Ladbury

Bill Ladbury
Statistics
Rated at Flyweight
Height 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Nationality British
Born 14 October 1891
New Cross, London, England
Died June 1917 (aged 25)
France
Boxing record
Total fights 53
Wins 31
Wins by KO 13
Losses 17
Draws 5

Bill Ladbury (14 October 1891 – June 1917) was an English boxer who was British, European, and World flyweight champion.

Career

Born in New Cross, London, in 1891, Ladbury had his first professional fight in November 1908. In January 1910 he stopped Charles Ledoux in four rounds and in October 1911 he beat Albert Cocksedge to take the English 112lbs title. In November 1911 he fought Ledoux again, this time losing in four rounds, and was knocked out by Johhnny Hughes only 8 days later. In 1912 he had three fights against Joe Fox, winning two and losing the third.

After a run of eight straight wins he faced Sid Smith in June 1913 for the British, European, and World (IBU) flyweight titles; He stopped Smith in the eleventh round to take the three titles.[1][2] He lost all three titles in January 1914 when he was outpointed over 20 rounds by Percy Jones.[2][3]

He drew with Joe Symonds in March 1914,[4] and beat Tommy Harrison a month later,[5] but in his third fight in eight weeks was stopped in the eighth round by Tancy Lee at the end of April.

With the outbreak of World War I, Ladbury joined the British Army, initially serving as a private in the Royal West Kent Regiment, rising to Lance-Corporal by late 1916.[6][7]

He beat Hughes in December but lost all three of his fights in 1915 including another fight with Jones.[6] His final fight was a win over Bert Clark in May 1917.

Bill Ladbury was killed in action in France in June 1917.[8][9]

References

  1. ↑ "Ladbury Gains World's Title By Defeating Sid Smith in Eleven Rounds". Dundee Courier. 3 June 1913. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Boxing: Fly-Weight Championship: Bill Ladbury Defeated by Percy Jones". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 27 January 1914. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  3. ↑ Prior, Neil (2014) "Percy Jones' 1914 title began century of Wales' boxing wins", BBC, 25 January 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2015
  4. ↑ "Ladbury Shares the Honours with Symonds". Western Mail. 4 March 1914. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  5. ↑ "Bill Ladbury Wins: Tommy Harrison Knocked Out at the N.S.C.". Liverpool Evening Express. 7 April 1914. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Seen His Best: Bill Ladbury Knocked Out by Percy Jones". Birmingham Gazette. 12 October 1915. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  7. ↑ "Yesterday's Boxing". Daily Mirror. 28 November 1916. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Bill Ladbury Killed". Liverpool Echo. 25 June 1917. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  9. ↑ "Bill Ladbury...". Evening Despatch. 25 June 1917. Retrieved 21 March 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).

External links