It has been reported that former South African heavyweight champion Jimmy Richards, who fought as a professional from 1969 to 1976, died on Tuesday. He was 75.
Born James Thomas Richards in Boksburg on 17 November 1947, Jimmy was a good amateur, winning the South African amateur heavyweight championship in 1968, before making his pro debut on 28 June 1969, winning on a first-round disqualification against Tommy Miller.
In his next fight, he outpointed former South African heavyweight champion Gerry de Bruyn over six rounds and then won his next three fights inside the distance before meeting the more experienced Roger Tighe and Jack O’Haloran, fighting to closely fought draws.
He finished his first year in the pro ring with eight fights, with a second-round knockout win over Pedro Sanchez. Those were far too many hard fights for a young pro.
However, this was the pattern of his career with another seven fights in 1979, losing to experienced fighters like Arno Prick, Jack Bodell, and Bill Drover.
Despite the defeats, there was a time when the broad-shouldered motor mechanic would capture the attention of the fans like Johnny Ralph did in the 1940s.
He was also a good rugby, cricket and tennis player and when former world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano visited South Africa in 1967 and saw Richards in an amateur fight, he was so impressed he told his trainer Tony Karam that Richards had a great future in the ring.
Richards started boxing at the age of 15 and was a member of the Phoenix Boy’s Club in Pretoria, winning the heavyweight title at the 1968 South African championships.
However, Richards took far too much punishment in his fights and in May 1971, the South African Boxing Board of Control insisted that he be examined by a neurologist, but they could find nothing wrong with him.
He won the South African heavyweight title in March 1973, winning on points against Chris Roos.
Richards also had five wars with Mike Schutte, winning two and losing three.
In 1974, he was outpointed over four rounds by Gerrie Coetzee and in his last fight on 27 October 1976, Coetzee stopped in the ninth round, to finish with a record of 26-11-4 (11).