1. Jim Driscoll is a member of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame, the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
20 Facts About Jim Driscoll
1. 2.
Jim Driscoll was born in Cardiff in 1880 to Cornelius and Elizabeth, and was brought up on Ellen Street in the Newtown region of the town.
3.
Jim Driscoll's parents were both Irish, and both Catholicism and the local St Paul's Church would be key in his life.
4.
Jim Driscoll never forgot his roots; According to the National Monuments Record for Wales, his first fight was in a barn in Great House Farm, Llandough.
5.
Jim Driscoll was a faithful supporter of his church, remained close to his community, and had great affection for the Nazareth House Orphanage, for whom he once gave up the chance of becoming Featherweight Champion of the World.
6.
Jim Driscoll's father died in a goods yard accident before Jim Driscoll was one.
7.
Jim Driscoll's mother was forced to accept parish relief to bring up her four children, and soon the family moved into a boarding house with another five people in 3 Ellen Street.
8.
Jim Driscoll was an apprentice with the Western Mail printing works, when he began boxing in the fairground booths of south Wales.
9.
Jim Driscoll fought on the boxing booths of South Wales for a number of years and had somewhere in the region of 600 fights before turning professional in 1901, and by the end of the year he had secured twelve wins without defeat.
10.
Between 1903 and 1904 Jim Driscoll continued fighting, mainly in Wales, but on 22 February 1904 he fought his first match at the National Sporting Club in London, a points decision win over Boss Edwards.
11.
On 26 February 1906, Jim Driscoll took the British Featherweight title by defeating Joe Bowker in a 15-round contest at the National Sporting Club.
12.
Jim Driscoll undertook four more fights before his first defence, which included beating Mansfield by knockout in their fourth meet.
13.
Jim Driscoll's first title defence, held on 3 June 1907, was a copy of his title win, another contest with Bowker at the National Sporting Club in Covent Garden.
14.
Jim Driscoll never forgave his former friend for taking such liberties.
15.
On 24 February 1908, Jim Driscoll faced New Zealander Charlie Griffin for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title.
16.
Again fought at Covent Garden, the match went the full fifteen rounds with Jim Driscoll declared champion on a points decision.
17.
Jim Driscoll returned shortly after to Britain, and never got his title shot at Attell.
18.
Jim Driscoll is buried at Cathays Cemetery in Cardiff, Wales.
19.
Jim Driscoll authored a number of books on boxing; Text Book of Boxing, Outfighting, Ringcraft and most notably The Straight Left and How to Cultivate It, were widely printed and are still respected as instruction books of the sport today.
20.
Jim Driscoll bequeathed his Lonsdale Belt to his cousin, Tom Burns, who ran the Royal Oak Hotel in Adamsdown, Cardiff.