RIP Brian London

I really hope that they do some proper tributes to him, both nationally and locally. He was a proud Blackpool resident who represented the town superbly. Loads of great stories about him from boxing, to nightclub ownership to local chit/chat. Also he should be celebrated as a national icon. He never shirked a challenge and fought all the top fighters, unlike Henry Cooper who just wanted to fight domestic challengers for his lonsdale belts. (I know he fought Ali/Clay once, but then he never fought anyone good again)

I remember being in the 007 one night when he came in quite angry. "Someone's nicked my O" he said. He went on the add "On my garage it says Brian LODON, someone's nicked my O". Later that night he weighed in to sort out a bit of a ruck, and after hitting someone, his mate said to Brian "It wasn't him". Brian just licked him up and said "Sorry mate", and bought him a drink.

RIP Brian, whenever I see people running round the park I will think of him
 
Remember getting his autograph....think he was presenting the trophy at the annual Coronation Cup Final on Wesham Rec......signed it Brian London "Be Lucky"
 
I used to play snooker with Brian in Layton Institute. Of course, it was a men only room, but Brian's then wife Veronica would come charging in and drag him out like a naughty schoolboy. A lovely, gentle man and a great character. I remember him talking about fighting Ali. Brian said he kept hitting me with an uppercut and he had his other hand around the back of my neck and wouldn't let me fall down.

RIP and God bless you Brian.
 
Sad news. I used the 007 club a lot when not at uni. I donā€™t know how he came to know me/name but he always seemed to say hello to me and sometimes a short chat. Plenty of stories, re: the club and I never saw any trouble when he was around.
My sympathies to his family and friends.
 
I remember going on my mateā€™s stag do and ending up at the old 007 Club on Water Street at the back of the Tower. It was at the top of some very steep steps and Brian was at the top. He didnā€™t want to let us in and I got into a bit of a ruck with him.
I got him worried though........................he thought heā€™d killed me! šŸ¤£
 
RIP.

He never made a fuss about watching Blackpool. Whether he was stood in the Scratching Shed or wherever going right back to the very early 70s. Remember seeing him and his eldest, Brian who would have also been young at that time, at Deepdale. Not 100% sure but think it was "that" 3-0 game.

A proper local legend.
 
So sad. Years ago I was talking to my apprentice about the heavyweight boxers of yesteryear and was telling him about Brian London fighting Ali. My apprentice thought I was joking until Brian London turned up in, I think, his daughters car outside the suppliers we were at and took time out to talk to us about that fight. Genuine bloke and such a sad day hearing this. RIP big manšŸ™šŸ»šŸ˜¢
 
I don't know whether it is still held, but back in the sixties I worked at the Savoy Hotel where the annual Sportsman's Aid dinner was held. Every year Brian and his wife fell out and one or the other would walk out, it seemed to be part of the event. He was a lovely bloke who I met on a few occasions.

RIP Brian London.
 
Met him a couple of times and he was a lovely guy. Had a good chat with him about boxing, asking him loads of questions about when he was fighting and you could tell he loved it. RIP Brian.
 
dodgy_surname said:
She looked harder than her dadšŸ˜¬
RIP Brian
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She might well be šŸ„“ In all seriousness a local legend passed away yesterday, as mentioned Brian was without question one of the fittest men around and to fight for the World Heavyweight title twice was some achievement.

He had a great career and wisely invested his money unlike some boxers who ended up skint and still owns the block which housed the 008 nightclub (now Bootleg Social) and Mammas restaurant and others.

Sadly dementia took it's toll in his later years and he has been in a nursing home for some time now, RIP big fella and condolences to Brian, Jack and Mel.
 
RIP Brian, smashing fellow, always had time for people.
Had some notable wins in the ring, haven't looked it up but vaguely remember him beating Zora Folley and Thad Spencer.
 
I remember seeing Brian driving a Mini on Abingdon St once.
He waved and I thought 'I wonder if he was measured for that car, or is he wearing it?' šŸ˜‚
Obviously Veronicas car.šŸ˜‰
 
RIP Brian.

One of his favourite quips was to say heā€™d given Muhammad Ali a real fright. Asked how heā€™d done this, heā€™d reply ā€œWell, he thought heā€™d killed me.ā€

Obituary from todaysā€™ Timesā€¦
Durable British heavyweight boxer, known as the ā€˜Rock of Blackpoolā€™, who challenged Muhammad Ali for the world title in 1966

Muhammad Ali was unusually becalmed. Before his world title fight in August 1966 with the British heavyweight Brian London he announced that he was abstaining from ā€œtalking and popping offā€. Yet he did make one typically bombastic statement. If the durable fighter known as the ā€œRock of Blackpoolā€ won, Ali would retire and London would be the ā€œnext prime ministerā€.

ā€œLondonā€™s tough, heā€™s rough and heā€™s in shape. Heā€™s hard to knock down and has a habit of butting and doing a few things that are illegal, but my speed and my talent should overcome all of that,ā€ Ali said before the fight. ā€œIā€™m not predicting. My predicting are days over. I just expect a good fight.ā€

He was wrong. On the night at Earlā€™s Court Ali was clinical, keeping his distance, weaving in and out and hurting London every time with his rapier shots. In Round 3 Ali unleashed a fusillade: 12 punches with both hands in two seconds. London was down and out.

Professing to dislike boxing, the British heavyweight said he was only doing it for the money. Answering the charge that he was dour, he told the News of the World in 1968: ā€œIā€™ve got a pugnacious face. I donā€™t often smile. When we go out the wife says, ā€˜Whatā€™s up with you.ā€™ And thereā€™s nowt up. I canā€™t help my face, can I?ā€

Nevertheless, London was held in great affection by the British public over his 15-year professional career, during which he became the first British boxer to challenge for the world heavyweight boxing title twice. As far as British aspirants to honours in the division were concerned, the big-jawed, big-punching heavyweight was always an awkward obstacle to be negotiated.

Brian Harper was born in Hartlepool in 1934 to Jack and Agnes Harper. The family moved to Blackpool when he was a teenager. His father, who was British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion in 1944-45, had fought as Jack London in homage to the boxing-loving American novelist.

Brian had no intention of following his father into the ring. ā€œI hated boxing when I was a kid,ā€ he recalled. ā€œIt was the cauliflower ears I couldnā€™t stand the sight of. My father would fetch all these heavyweights home and they all had them. Horrible things.ā€

It was only during National Service in the RAF that Brian learnt to box. ā€œBecause I was Jack Londonā€™s son I was expected to fight.ā€ He did not disappoint, and went on to win the ABA and Commonwealth Games titles in 1954. He turned professional a year later and changed his name to Brian London.

Nicknamed the British Marciano, London won his first 12 fights ā€” 11 by knock-out ā€” before being stopped in one round by Henry Cooper in 1956.

He stormed back in June 1958 at the White City Stadium, when he challenged Joe Erskine for his British and Commonwealth titles. For the first six rounds the champion completely outboxed London, but in the seventh Erskine sustained a severe cut over his left eye in a clash of heads. With blood streaming down his face he was at last a target for Londonā€™s heavier blows. It was all over in the eighth as Erskine was counted out.

Londonā€™s first defence of his title was against Cooper at Earlā€™s Court, in January 1959. The challenger boxed brilliantly to build up a substantial points advantage, but at the end of the fourth round he suffered a cut left eye that London immediately pounced on.

Though bleeding profusely, Cooper shook the champion up with his trademark left hooks. He opened a cut on Londonā€™s right eye and London crumbled under the challengerā€™s blows. By the end of the fight Cooper was peppering London at will and ended his brief reign as champion.

However, it was London who took the chance to challenge for the world title against Floyd Patterson, after Cooper turned down the fight. It was widely expected it would be one-sided, so much so that the British Boxing Board of Control refused permission for London to go to America as ā€œnot being in the best interests of British boxingā€. London went anyway, meeting the world champion in Indianapolis in May 1959.

He was no match for Patterson in either punching power or ring skills, and the contest turned into a test of endurance. At the end of each round London seemed almost surprised to find himself on his feet. He was finally knocked out in the 11th, having won some honour for British boxing.

George Whiting wrote in the Evening Standard: ā€œNever sell Brian London short on this nightā€™s work. He did his honest best and was good enough to destroy at least a little of the legend that Floyd Patterson, heavyweight champion of the world, is a man-eating tiger.ā€

A year later London fought for the European title, held by the Welshman Dick Richardson. The bout, at Porthcawl, is better remembered for the violence that disfigured its aftermath than for the quality of the fight itself. London had seemed to be well ahead after seven rounds when a nick over the eye suddenly turned into a gash after what appeared to be a clash of heads at the end of that round. In the eighth both men threw science to the winds, attacking each other with unrestrained fury, and London added verbal abuse to the attentions of his fists. The damaged eye grew worse and Londonā€™s corner retired him at the end of the round.Supporters of both men climbed into the ring and a brawl ensued. ā€œThis guy came over to console me from Richardsonā€™s corner, only I thought he was coming over to have a go,ā€ London recalled. ā€œI blew my top, belted him and thatā€™s how the fight started.ā€

In February 1964 London fought Cooper for the third time, but was outclassed over 15 rounds. Another loss, to the up-and-coming Johnny Prescott, in August, suggested a career on the slide. But over the next couple of years London won more fights than he lost, including a points victory over the tough Billy Walker at Wembley in March 1965. After a hammering from Joe Bugner at Wembley in May 1970, London retired at the age of 35.

If his 37 wins in 57 fights suggested a heavyweight who was not quite in the top rank, London had never ducked the best. And although he had sometimes come disastrously unstuck, his fans were glad to see him leave the ring without having sustained the kind of damage that lingering too long so often brought with it.

London may have looked ā€œpunch-drunkā€, having incurred the flattened nose and cauliflower ears that had turned him off the sport in his youth, but he had a sharp business brain. He had never had a manager, and had negotiated all his own deals over a career in which he earned an estimated Ā£250,000 (Ā£4 million today). He shrewdly invested his savings in property, and opened a nightclub in Blackpool called 007.

London, who was teetotal, continued to run 12 miles a day. He and his wife, Veronica, divorced in 1980. He is survived by their children, Brian, Melanie and Jack. His long-term companion, Beryl Hunter, died in 2005.

His brain remained largely intact, including his dark sense of humour. Asked in recent years if he would have done anything differently against Ali, he responded with deadpan delivery: ā€œYeah, I should have shot him.ā€

Brian London, boxer, was born on June 19, 1934. He died after a long illness on June 23, 2021, aged 87.
 
Davepick said:
I remember that they called the fight in Porthcawl 'The Porthcawl brawl'.
Click to expand...
It's on You Tube Dave. Years later Brian said he and Richardson had a laugh about what happened every time they met up. Brian's brother was throwing loads of punches and his Dad joined in as well.
 
Like others I used to see him jogging around Stanley Park and Staining (well I was jogging; he was running) and heā€™d always have a word of encouragement.

When the Mecca building was a snooker hall it had a gym attached. I was weight training one day when it was empty and, if truth be told, day dreaming rather than putting much effort into the bench presses. I wasnā€™t wearing my specs but noticed someone had wandered in and suddenly started shouting ā€œbit faster lad; give us another five; good; now give us another threeā€¦.ā€ After a time I wondered WTF is this and more to the point why am I listening to him? Then he came closer and I realised who it was.

RIP Brian.
 
Toastrack said:
RIP Brian.

One of his favourite quips was to say heā€™d given Muhammad Ali a real fright. Asked how heā€™d done this, heā€™d reply ā€œWell, he thought heā€™d killed me.ā€

Obituary from todaysā€™ Timesā€¦
Durable British heavyweight boxer, known as the ā€˜Rock of Blackpoolā€™, who challenged Muhammad Ali for the world title in 1966

Muhammad Ali was unusually becalmed. Before his world title fight in August 1966 with the British heavyweight Brian London he announced that he was abstaining from ā€œtalking and popping offā€. Yet he did make one typically bombastic statement. If the durable fighter known as the ā€œRock of Blackpoolā€ won, Ali would retire and London would be the ā€œnext prime ministerā€.

ā€œLondonā€™s tough, heā€™s rough and heā€™s in shape. Heā€™s hard to knock down and has a habit of butting and doing a few things that are illegal, but my speed and my talent should overcome all of that,ā€ Ali said before the fight. ā€œIā€™m not predicting. My predicting are days over. I just expect a good fight.ā€

He was wrong. On the night at Earlā€™s Court Ali was clinical, keeping his distance, weaving in and out and hurting London every time with his rapier shots. In Round 3 Ali unleashed a fusillade: 12 punches with both hands in two seconds. London was down and out.

Professing to dislike boxing, the British heavyweight said he was only doing it for the money. Answering the charge that he was dour, he told the News of the World in 1968: ā€œIā€™ve got a pugnacious face. I donā€™t often smile. When we go out the wife says, ā€˜Whatā€™s up with you.ā€™ And thereā€™s nowt up. I canā€™t help my face, can I?ā€

Nevertheless, London was held in great affection by the British public over his 15-year professional career, during which he became the first British boxer to challenge for the world heavyweight boxing title twice. As far as British aspirants to honours in the division were concerned, the big-jawed, big-punching heavyweight was always an awkward obstacle to be negotiated.

Brian Harper was born in Hartlepool in 1934 to Jack and Agnes Harper. The family moved to Blackpool when he was a teenager. His father, who was British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion in 1944-45, had fought as Jack London in homage to the boxing-loving American novelist.

Brian had no intention of following his father into the ring. ā€œI hated boxing when I was a kid,ā€ he recalled. ā€œIt was the cauliflower ears I couldnā€™t stand the sight of. My father would fetch all these heavyweights home and they all had them. Horrible things.ā€

It was only during National Service in the RAF that Brian learnt to box. ā€œBecause I was Jack Londonā€™s son I was expected to fight.ā€ He did not disappoint, and went on to win the ABA and Commonwealth Games titles in 1954. He turned professional a year later and changed his name to Brian London.

Nicknamed the British Marciano, London won his first 12 fights ā€” 11 by knock-out ā€” before being stopped in one round by Henry Cooper in 1956.

He stormed back in June 1958 at the White City Stadium, when he challenged Joe Erskine for his British and Commonwealth titles. For the first six rounds the champion completely outboxed London, but in the seventh Erskine sustained a severe cut over his left eye in a clash of heads. With blood streaming down his face he was at last a target for Londonā€™s heavier blows. It was all over in the eighth as Erskine was counted out.

Londonā€™s first defence of his title was against Cooper at Earlā€™s Court, in January 1959. The challenger boxed brilliantly to build up a substantial points advantage, but at the end of the fourth round he suffered a cut left eye that London immediately pounced on.

Though bleeding profusely, Cooper shook the champion up with his trademark left hooks. He opened a cut on Londonā€™s right eye and London crumbled under the challengerā€™s blows. By the end of the fight Cooper was peppering London at will and ended his brief reign as champion.

However, it was London who took the chance to challenge for the world title against Floyd Patterson, after Cooper turned down the fight. It was widely expected it would be one-sided, so much so that the British Boxing Board of Control refused permission for London to go to America as ā€œnot being in the best interests of British boxingā€. London went anyway, meeting the world champion in Indianapolis in May 1959.

He was no match for Patterson in either punching power or ring skills, and the contest turned into a test of endurance. At the end of each round London seemed almost surprised to find himself on his feet. He was finally knocked out in the 11th, having won some honour for British boxing.

George Whiting wrote in the Evening Standard: ā€œNever sell Brian London short on this nightā€™s work. He did his honest best and was good enough to destroy at least a little of the legend that Floyd Patterson, heavyweight champion of the world, is a man-eating tiger.ā€

A year later London fought for the European title, held by the Welshman Dick Richardson. The bout, at Porthcawl, is better remembered for the violence that disfigured its aftermath than for the quality of the fight itself. London had seemed to be well ahead after seven rounds when a nick over the eye suddenly turned into a gash after what appeared to be a clash of heads at the end of that round. In the eighth both men threw science to the winds, attacking each other with unrestrained fury, and London added verbal abuse to the attentions of his fists. The damaged eye grew worse and Londonā€™s corner retired him at the end of the round.Supporters of both men climbed into the ring and a brawl ensued. ā€œThis guy came over to console me from Richardsonā€™s corner, only I thought he was coming over to have a go,ā€ London recalled. ā€œI blew my top, belted him and thatā€™s how the fight started.ā€

In February 1964 London fought Cooper for the third time, but was outclassed over 15 rounds. Another loss, to the up-and-coming Johnny Prescott, in August, suggested a career on the slide. But over the next couple of years London won more fights than he lost, including a points victory over the tough Billy Walker at Wembley in March 1965. After a hammering from Joe Bugner at Wembley in May 1970, London retired at the age of 35.

If his 37 wins in 57 fights suggested a heavyweight who was not quite in the top rank, London had never ducked the best. And although he had sometimes come disastrously unstuck, his fans were glad to see him leave the ring without having sustained the kind of damage that lingering too long so often brought with it.

London may have looked ā€œpunch-drunkā€, having incurred the flattened nose and cauliflower ears that had turned him off the sport in his youth, but he had a sharp business brain. He had never had a manager, and had negotiated all his own deals over a career in which he earned an estimated Ā£250,000 (Ā£4 million today). He shrewdly invested his savings in property, and opened a nightclub in Blackpool called 007.

London, who was teetotal, continued to run 12 miles a day. He and his wife, Veronica, divorced in 1980. He is survived by their children, Brian, Melanie and Jack. His long-term companion, Beryl Hunter, died in 2005.

His brain remained largely intact, including his dark sense of humour. Asked in recent years if he would have done anything differently against Ali, he responded with deadpan delivery: ā€œYeah, I should have shot him.ā€

Brian London, boxer, was born on June 19, 1934. He died after a long illness on June 23, 2021, aged 87.
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Thanks for that šŸ‘
 
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