Pat Butler
{{short description|English boxer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox boxer
|name = Pat Butler
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|weight = Welterweight
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|nationality = British
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|05|13|df=y}}
|birth_place = Rothley, Leicestershire, England
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|03|07|1913|05|13|df=y}}
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Pat Butler (16 May 1913 – 7 March 2001) was a British boxer who won the British welterweight title in 1934.{{Cite web |last=Templeton |first=Miles |date=2022-04-13 |title=The gamble that paid off with Hogan Kid Bassey |url=https://boxingnewsonline.net/the-gamble-that-paid-off-with-hogan-kid-bassey/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Boxing News |language=en}}
Career
Born in Rothley, Leicestershire, Butler was a grocer's assistant before he began his professional career at the age of 18 with a points defeat to Len Wickwar in April 1932. In his first year, he lost several fights, but improved results, including a win over Wickwar in October 1933 led to a fight for the Leicestershire Welterweight title, which he won by beating Herbie Nurse. A run of victories, including a non-title fight against British welterweight champion Harry Mason, led to a challenge for Mason's title at Granby Halls, Leicester, in December 1934, which he won with on a points decision.{{cite news |title=Hood to Meet Butler |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |date=21 December 1934 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19341221/069/0004| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Harry Mason Loses: "Welter" Title for Pat Butler |work=Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette |date=18 December 1934 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000640/19341218/278/0011| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Mason Loses Title: Pat Butler's Narrow Points Success |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=18 December 1934 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19341218/062/0009| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} By this point in his career Butler had fought 79 times, losing 13 fights. He fought several non-title fights in the month that followed and after suffering a first round defeat to Harry Woodward on 10 January 1935, he resigned as British champion, saying "I cannot go on like this. I must give up boxing for a time and take a long rest before returning to the ring."{{cite news |title=Resignation Accepted |work=Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette |date=25 January 1936 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000640/19360125/290/0009| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} He soon returned, however, but he was hampered in 1935 by injury and illness including a septic arm, an ulcer on his eyelid, and a foot injury which turned septic.{{cite news |title=Pat Butler Ill |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=1 February 1935 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19350201/097/0012| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Pat Butler Indisposed |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=18 September 1935 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19350918/465/0015| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Pat Butler |work=Dundee Courier |date=30 July 1935 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19350730/047/0004| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} He was due to challenge Gustave Eder for his European welterweight title in March 1935, but the fight was cancelled with Butler needing to take a rest from boxing.{{cite news |title=Pat Butler and European Title |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=27 February 1935 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19350227/081/0008| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Butler M'Call Fight Off |work=Dundee Courier |date=13 March 1935 |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19350313/069/0004| publisher = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
Butler retired after defeats to Kid Davies, Jack "Kid" Berg, and Eric Dolby in late 1935. He died in 2001.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Pat}}
Category:Boxers from Leicester
Category:20th-century English sportsmen
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