AFTER dropping to Joe Louis for the world heavyweight title in 1937, Tommy Farr misplaced his subsequent 4 contests, all by determination, to James J Braddock, Max Baer, Lou Nova and Pink Burman. Tommy is rightly remembered for his very recreation stand towards Louis and was revered within the valleys of South Wales, the place he was a boxing hero.
Farr received his subsequent 4 fights however, in 1940, aged 26, and with a World Struggle raging, it appeared throughout for Tommy’s profession. He had began out as knowledgeable in 1926 when, on the age of 12, he received his first contest at Tonypandy, his birthplace, when as ‘Child Farr’ he outpointed Jack Jones from close by Clydach Vale.
All through the Thirties, Tommy was one of many hardest of fighters, successful the Welsh light-heavyweight and heavyweight titles after which the British and Empire heavyweight titles. He boxed at each weight from fly to heavy and his bout with Louis, when he was a 23-year-old veteran of 150 contests, represented the top of his profession. It got here as a shock, due to this fact, when he introduced in 1950, after a 10-year ring absence, that he was to make a comeback on the age of 36. In these days, 36 was no age to be getting right into a boxing ring, most fighters retired earlier than the age of 30.
Over in the US, Farr’s previous rival Joe Louis had himself retired from the ring. He had held the world heavyweight title for 11 years and defended it 25 occasions, the primary of which was towards Farr. Louis additionally introduced that he would make a hoop comeback and, like Farr, he introduced this in August 1950. Joe had tax issues and wanted to battle once more to settle his money owed.
Tommy, alternatively, needed to return as a result of he didn’t fee the present crop of heavyweights and he nonetheless appreciated the sport. Farr regained his licence with out issue after which said that he would battle on a invoice in early September for promoter Albert Davies at Pontypridd. The competition was then put again three weeks to September 27.
Remarkably, this was the identical night time that Joe Louis was additionally to make his return to the ring. He was matched to battle the present champion, Ezzard Charles, in a 15-rounder for the world heavyweight title on the Yankee Stadium, New York Metropolis. No different bout would have sufficed for Joe, who was one of many all-time nice heavyweight champions, and lots of thought that he would beat Ezzard with out an excessive amount of issue.
Tommy’s comeback was a considerably quieter affair as he was matched towards Jan Klein, an unheralded Dutchman with a patchy report. Twenty thousand turned up within the open air, within the rain, to see Tommy flatten Klein in six rounds at Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. In New York, a number of hours later, 22,000 followers watched on as father time, by means of the arms of Ezzard Charles, administered a transparent 15-round beating to the nice man.
Many cried as the choice was introduced and Joe ought to have left the ring for good afterwards. Like Tommy, nonetheless, Louis continued to ply his commerce all through 1951 and the 2 males each suffered brutal knockouts that yr.
In March 1951, Frank Bell, from Barnoldswick in Lancashire, took solely two rounds to demolish Farr in a contest on the Rhondda Transport Firm storage in Porth. This unlikely venue was a tragic place for Tommy to obtain such a beating. For Joe, his defeat was a way more public affair. Rocky Marciano slaughtered him in eight rounds at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Marciano was on the way in which up at the moment and was the most well liked property in boxing. His victory over Louis jogs my memory a little bit of Ali’s demise by the hands of Larry Holmes and it was simply as unhappy. Louis by no means fought once more however Tommy soldiered on till 1953, dropping his final battle to Don Cockell, who in flip obtained hammered by Rocky Marciano simply two years later.
