Thomas Nicholls (boxer)

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Tommy Nicholls

| full_name =

| image =

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| nationality = British (English)

| sport = boxing

| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|10|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = South Elmsall, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|7|31|1931|10|12|df=y}}

| death_place = Telford, Shropshire, England

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

{{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}}

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Thomas G. Nicholls (12 October 1931 – 31 July 2021{{cite news|title=Tributes as Olympic boxing legend Tommy dies, aged 89|work=Shropshire Star|date=9 August 2021|page=13}}Report by Toby Neal.) was an English boxer, who won the silver medal representing Great Britain in the featherweight division (– 57 kg) at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Biography

Nicholls was born at South Elmsall, Yorkshire, in 1931, son of Jack, a miner, who moved with his family to Wellington, Shropshire when Thomas was aged seven or eight.

He won the 1951 and 1952 Amateur Boxing Association British bantamweight titles and the 1955 and 1956 featherweight titles, when boxing out of the Slough Centre ABC,{{cite web|url=https://www.englandboxing.org/roll-of-honour/gender/male-championships/|title=Roll of Honour|publisher=England Boxing|access-date=14 January 2022}} when boxing out of the Royal Air Force BC and the Sankeys ABC respectively.{{cite news |title=Two disappointments for young Leeds boxers|work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=21 April 1951 |access-date=8 January 2022|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19510421/082/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{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}}{{cite news |title= Shock for Giant Young Boxer|work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=26 April 1952 |access-date=2 January 2022 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19520426/295/0007| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

He competed at the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games, reaching the final in 1956, where he was defeated by Vladimir Safronov of the Soviet Union. He also competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics, where he was beaten in the second round by eventual gold medalist Pentti Hämäläinen from Finland.

It was at Wellington he began training in his sport at Sankey's boxing club. He retired from professional boxing in 1957. He was living at Brandlee, Dawley at the time of his Olympic appearances but later returned to live in Wellington.

He married in 1955 June Clift, who predeceased him. They had a son, Mark, and daughter, Carol, who survived him. He died at Lightmoor View Care Home in Telford, Shropshire in July 2021 aged 89. His funeral took place at Emstrey Crematorium, Shrewsbury, on 19 August following.Death notice, Shropshire Star, Friday 13 August 2021, page 20.