Johnny Clark
{{Short description|British boxer (1947–2020)}}
{{Distinguish|Johnny Clarke}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox boxer
| name = Johnny Clark
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| realname =
| nickname =
| weight = Bantamweight
| height =
| reach =
| nationality =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1947|9|10}}
| birth_place = Walworth, London, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2020|12|28|1947|9|10}}
| death_place =
| style =
| total = 43
| wins = 39
| KO = 27
| losses = 3
| draws = 1
| no contests =
| website =
| medaltemplates =
| show-medals =
| embed =
}}
Johnny A Clark (10 September 1947 – 28 December 2020) was a British boxer who won the British and European bantamweight titles in 1973.
Career
=Amateur career=
As an amateur he represented England in the flyweight division at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/kingston-1966/athletes|title=1966 Athletes|publisher=Team England}}{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/kingston-1966|title=Kingston, Jamaica, 1966 Team|publisher=Team England}}{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/43189|title=Athletes and results|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation}}
He won the 1966 Amateur Boxing Association British bantamweight title, when boxing out of the Robert Browning ABC.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandboxing.org/roll-of-honour/gender/male-championships/|title=Roll of Honour|publisher=England Boxing|access-date=13 January 2022}}
Professional career
From Walworth in London, Clark made his professional debut in October 1966, fighting a draw against Tommy Connor."[https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/tommy-connor-1-735384 Tommy Connor]", The Scotsman, 22 December 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2017
Trained by Charlie Page at the Thomas a Becket gym,"[https://www.pressreader.com/uk/boxing-news/20170223/282029031998182 Ex-Boxer Association News]", Boxing News, 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017 via pressreader.com he won his next 27 fights, and in April 1970 faced Alan Rudkin for the British bantamweight title and the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title at the Royal Albert Hall. Rudkin stopped him in the twelfth round to take both titles.{{cite news |title=Rudkin Still Champion as Clark Goes Out in 12 |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=22 April 1970 |accessdate=23 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19700422/363/0023| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} In April 1971 he faced John Kellie in a final eliminator for the British title; He was stopped in the second round,{{cite news |title=Kellie Stops Clark in 5-Minute Shock |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=7 April 1971 |accessdate=23 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19710407/410/0019| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} but six months later they met again, with Clark stopping Kellie in the eighth. This led to a challenge for Rudkin's British and Commonwealth titles in January 1972; The fight went the full 15 rounds, with Rudkin retaining the titles by half a point."[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/8149998/Alan-Rudkin.html Alan Rudkin]", Daily Telegraph, 21 November 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2017
Clark got a third shot at the British title in 1973 after Rudkin had vacated it. He faced Paddy Maguire at the Royal Albert Hall, winning on points to become British champion.{{cite news |title=Quality Brings In the Fans |work=Sports Argus |date=24 February 1973 |accessdate=23 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002192/19730224/125/0007| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
In April 1973 he added the European title, beating Franco Zurlo by unanimous decision.Bunce, Steve (2017) Bunce's Big Fat Short History of British Boxing (Kindle edition), Transworld Digital, ASIN B01KUHG9R0 He successfully defended the title in January 1974, beating Salvatore Fabrizio by majority decision.
He beat Chuck Spencer in March 1974, and Luigi Tessarin in May, but in the absence of adequate purse offers, relinquished his British title, and in August 1974 was forced to retire due to a detached retina in his right eye, while still the reigning European champion.
Clark died in December 2020 at the age of 73.[https://boxing-social.com/features/a-tribute-to-johnny-clark/ A tribute to Johnny Clark]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Boxrec|id=38868}}
- [http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/records/10999-Johnny-Clark-Walworth.pdf Professional record], boxinghistory.org.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Johnny}}
Category:Boxers at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Category:Boxers from the London Borough of Southwark