David Pearce (boxer)
David 'Bomber' Pearce (8 May 1959 – 20 May 2000) was a British heavyweight boxing champion.
Early years
He was born in Newport, Monmouthshire.
He was one of seven boxing brothers and boxed out of Alway Boxing Club in Newport, of which six went Professional.
He also boxed out of St Josephs ABC.
He coached Junior & Senior boxers at Alway ABC before his Death.
Around 2000 people attended his Funeral in Newport at Stow Hill
British Heavyweight Boxing Champion
- Pearce Retired in 1984 and then returned to fight in the USA 6 Years later.
- Pearce won the Welsh and British heavyweight boxing titles in 1983.
- Pearce Knocked down Lucien Rodriguez Twice in Limoges for the European Heavyweight Title.
- Micheal "Jack" Johnson was ranked number 5 with the WBA
- Pearce was Ranked No.3 in the WBC World Cruiser Weight Rankings after the KO of Micheal "Jack" Johnson.
- Pearce weighed exactly the same weight as Johnny Nelson when he fought Dennis Andries,
Pearce's KO of Dennis Andries was 15 years earlier when Andries was in his prime.
Professional boxing record
| 18 Wins (13 knockouts, 4 decisions), 4 Losses (2 knockouts, 2 decisions), 1 Draw | |||||||
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss | 13-9 |  Percell "Magic" Davis |
TKO | 8 | 10/12/1990 |  Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dearborn, Michigan, United States |
|
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss | 36-8-1 |  Lucien Rodriguez |
PTS | 12 | 30 March 1984 | Palais des Sports de Beaublanc, Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France |
EBU Heavyweight Title. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 11-2 | Michael "Jack" Johnson |
TKO | 5 | 28 January 1984 |  Victoria Hall, Hanley, Staffordshire, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 20-12-1 |  Neville Meade |
TKO | 9 | 22 September 1983 | St David's Hall, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom |
BBBofC British Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:57 of the ninth round. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 35-4-2 | .svg.png){kind=small} Albert Syben |
KO | 1 | 07/04/1983 | Lyceum Ballroom, The Strand, London, United Kingdom |
Syben knocked out at 2:25 of the first round. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 24-5-3 |  Felipe "Boleros" Rodriguez |
PTS | 10 | 07/12/1982 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, United Kingdom |
98-98. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 20-5 |  Gordon Ferris |
KO | 5 | 01/06/1982 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, United Kingdom |
BBBofC British Heavyweight Title Eliminator. Ferris knocked out at 1:44 of the fifth round. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 13-4-1 |  Dennis Andries |
TKO | 7 | 12/10/1981 | Bloomsbury Centre Hotel, Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom |
Referee stopped the bout at 2:15 of the seventh round. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 15-9 | Ishaq Hussein |
TKO | 1 | 08/06/1981 | Porter Tun Rooms, Moorgate, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 4-0 | Larry "Congressman" McDonald |
KO | 3 | 16 March 1981 | National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 15-27-1 | Bonny McKenzie |
PTS | 8 | 02/03/1981 | National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom |
79.5-78.5. |
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss | 2-1 |  "Scottish" John Rafferty |
DQ | 3 | 26 January 1981 | St.Andrew's Sporting Club, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Rafferty disqualified at 1:32 of the third round due to hitting a downed opponent. |
| style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss | 14-11-1 | Neville Meade |
TKO | 2 | 22 January 1980 | Double Diamond Club, Caerphilly, United Kingdom |
BBBofC Wales Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:48 of the second round. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 8-3 | Denton Ruddock |
TKO | 7 | 30 October 1979 | Double Diamond Club, Caerphilly, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 8-12 | Theo Josephs |
TKO | 2 | 05/07/1979 | Afan Lido, Port Talbot, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 7-3 | Winston Allen |
PTS | 6 | 03/04/1979 | Caerphilly, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 11-14 | Bonny McKenzie |
PTS | 8 | 19 February 1979 | Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom |
79-78. |
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 1-0-1 | Mal Tetley |
KO | 1 | 22 January 1979 | Mayfair, London, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 4-3 | Bobby Hennessey |
TKO | 2 | 22 January 1979 | Mayfair, London, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 6-10 | Theo Josephs |
PTS | 8 | 11/12/1978 |  Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | 0-1 | Bob Bleau |
KO | 1 | 01/12/1978 |  Minster-in-Thanet, United Kingdom |
|
| style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win | -- | Osborne Taylor |
TKO | 1 | 15 November 1978 | Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, United Kingdom |
|
Strength, Power & Endurance == The Pearce Family
Pearce is noted for boxing in the last 15-round British championship bout, as the contracts for the bout were finalised before the present 12-round rule was in place. He also knocked out Dennis Andries the three times WBC world light heavyweight champion. When fighting for the European heavyweight title he dropped Lucien Rodriguez the long serving European champion twice, with a broken hand. Rodriguez had gone the distance with the great Larry Holmes. Pearce fought anyone and everyone on his way to the title he evenged his loss to Neville Meade to win the Welsh/British titles and had knocked down John Rafferty four times before he was DQ in the 3rd for punching after the referee had called break.
He was due to fight James (Buster) Douglas and Leon Spinks in Big Events in America and Canada respectively.
The Leon Spinks fight fell through with 24hrs to go.
Lucien Rodriquez said when he retired in an interview to a journalist that David "Bomber" Pearce was the hardest and toughest man he had faced in his whole boxing career.
After a British & Commenwealth Bout in Brentwood, Essex. Frank Maloney said of David Bomber Pearce "They dont make them like him anymore! Pearce would have fought anybody..!"
He had an Iron Chin and would walk down Heavyweights taking a lot of punches just to unload his bombs, but he had devastating power and could take opponents out with one shot either to the head or body easily.
He normally used to give away two stone plus to most opponents.
A number of respected boxing critics think he would have been a World Champion Cruiserweight if he hadn't retired so early.
When Pearce had been retired due to medical problems, "The King of the Gypsies", Bartley Gorman, offered to fight Pearce for the Unlicenced British Title for £20,000. Bartley said if he won he would fight for the world bare knuckle title. It was the only time in his book "King of the Gypsies" he said if he Won...! A massive Testament to David Pearce respect as a fighter and one of Britain's toughest men.
Walter (Bimbo) Pearce won the Welsh Heavyweight Championship in 1973. Walter (Bimbo) Pearce won amateur titles from Fly Weight to Heavyweight and was one of Wales most successful Amateur Boxers. Bimbo Pearce fought Alex Penarski over 10 rounds. Alex was later known as (Bolton & Chesterfield's Hardest Man).
Bimbo was known as one of Britain's Hardest Men.
Gary Pearce won the Welterweight and Light Middleweight Title, Gary Pearce also fought Hans Henrick Palm the European Champion and took him the distance in Randers Denmark losing by 1/2 point and dropping the Champion in the 6th round.
One Story about Gary Pearce which will go down in Boxing Folklore was when....
Gary Pearce was at a pro boxing show with friends and was drinking and enjoying the show when Frank Warren asked him to fight Gary Knight who's opponent had pulled out late notice, he went from the crowd and borrowed kit of all the fighters on the show and went in with the then number 1 Welterweight Gary Knight.
He was sick after the first few rounds but fought brilliantly to a 1/2 point loss over 10 Rounds in what local newspapers had him winning.
Raymond Pearce a middleweight fought the 3 times WBC world champion Dennis Andries.
Luke Pearce won the Lightweight Combined services Title in the year 2000, And Represented the Army Boxing Team. He also beat Chris Harman who went on to win the WABA Welsh Heavyweight Title and fight Mark Potter for the UK Cage Fighting Title.
Luke Pearce's God Mother is Debbie Pulis the wife of Tony Pulis the Football Manager.
′Simon Pearce the seventh brother starred in Starlight Express and CATS the musical in the West End.
External links
- Professional boxing record for David Pearce from BoxRec
- BBC Wales Sports Hall of Fame