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13 Facts About Wally Swift

1.

Wally Swift was a British boxer who won the British welterweight title in 1960 and twice fought for the Commonwealth title before moving up to middleweight, becoming British champion between 1964 and 1965.

2.

Wally Swift went on to fight for the European super welterweight and middleweight titles and the British and Commonwealth middleweight titles.

3.

Wally Swift joined the British Army where he became a PT Instructor and continued to box.

4.

Wally Swift began his professional career in 1957 and won his first nine fights, while working at Raleigh's factory in the city.

5.

Wally Swift won his first title in September 1959 when he stopped Ray Corbett in the sixth round to take the Midlands Area welterweight title.

6.

Wally Swift challenged Curvis for both titles in May 1961 but again lost on points.

7.

Wally Swift lost the title the following year, but a run of eleven fights in which he was only beaten once set him up to challenge for Mick Leahy's British middleweight title; Swift took a points decision in December 1964 to become British champion at a second weight.

8.

Wally Swift lost the title in his first defence in November 1965 when he was stopped in the twelfth round by Johnny Pritchett due to an eye injury.

9.

In September 1967 Wally Swift faced Sandro Mazzinghi for the European super welterweight title in Milan; The fight was stopped in the sixth round due to injuries to Wally Swift.

10.

In March 1968 Wally Swift challenged Juan Carlos Duran for the European middleweight title.

11.

Wally Swift lost the fight after being disqualified in the tenth round for butting.

12.

Wally Swift's final fight came in July 1969 when he met Les McAteer for the vacant British and Commonwealth middleweight titles.

13.

Wally Swift died at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham on 10 November 2012 after being taken ill with a chest infection.