Ronnie James was a British Lightweight boxing champion.
11 Facts About Ronnie James
1.
2.
Ronnie James' first recorded professional fight was on 21 January 1936 against local fighter Sid Williams.
3.
Ronnie James then went on an unbeaten run of 52 contests before being stopped by Dave Crowley at the Empire Pool on 12 January 1936.
4.
Ronnie James fought and lost against Spaniard Baltasar Sangchili, but then knocked out fellow Welshman Phineas John in the eighth round in October 1936.
5.
The match was won by Ronnie James, which was followed by another victory, this time against Douglas Kestrell.
6.
Ronnie James bounced back in 1938 with four straight wins, three by knockout, before being disqualified in a contest in front of his hometown against NBA ex-champion Freddie Miller of Cincinnati.
7.
Ronnie James served as a sergeant-instructor in the Army Physical Training Corps during the Second World War.
8.
Ronnie James never defended his British title but before retiring he challenged American Ike Williams for the NBA World Lightweight title.
9.
Ronnie James was knocked out in the ninth round after suffering six knockdowns during the bout.
10.
Ronnie James retired from boxing in 1947 after being beaten by a 19-year-old Cliff Curvis at the Vetch Field in Swansea.
11.
Ronnie James had failed to make the 9-stone-9-pound weight limit for the challenge against Curvis, for which he was stripped of his British title, and subsequently retired from boxing.