Legend is a word bandied about way too often by journalists.
But there is no better word to describe the great Brian London, whose funeral took place this week in Blackpool.
The fight-anyone, fight-anywhere boxer, who was the British and Commonwealth champion and twice challenged for the world heavyweight title, died at the age of 87.
Nicknamed ‘Blackpool Rock’ or ‘British Bulldog’ (both fitting monikers), those in the know will have been aware that Brian London was born and raised in another ‘Pool’, Hartlepool or, more accurately, West Hartlepool, when the place was two separate towns.
He would become famous in Blackpool and bring fighting fame to the seaside resort which boasted football greats like Stanley Matthews and Jimmy Armfield, but for those on this coast of England we’ll also regard him as ‘one of us’.
He was born Brian Sidney Harper in West Hartlepool on June 19, 1934, the son of a very famous fighting dad, former British and Empire heavyweight champion, John George Harper, who boxed under the name Jack London.
The family settled in Blackpool when Brian and his brother, Jack, were in their teens.
And Brian would adopt the name London for his career between 1955 and 1970 – and what a career.
Readers will doubtless find the current British heavyweight scene as exciting given there are so many top-ranked Brits, but Brian London too fought in a golden era.
He fought Henry Cooper three times, Joe Erskine, Billy Walker, Jack Bodell, Dick Richardson and Joe Bugner, while he was equally busy on the international stage.
Boxing broadcaster and writer, John Rawling, in his excellent obituary on Brian wrote how he was seconds away from a famous win over Ingemar Johannson, the Swede being saved by the bell at the end of the 12th and final round in Stockholm. That is how good London was.
Brian fought two very good American world-class heavyweights, Zora Folley, who he defeated in Liverpool and Jerry Quarrey, who stopped him in Los Angeles, while he won and lost against the excellent Willie Pastrano.
London though will be best known for his two world heavyweight title challenges.
First, in May 1959 he tackled the legendary Floyd Patterson at the Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis, where he was knocked out in the 11th round.
Seven years later, just a matter of a week after England had won the World Cup at Wembley, Brian was trying to do the same at Earl’s Court in August 1966.
Alas, it was Muhammed Ali standing in his way and ‘The Greatest’ would stop ‘the British Bulldog’ in three one-sided rounds.
While he was unable to conquer the world, he was a proud British and Commonwealth champion, having won the belts by knocking out Erskine at the famous White City venue in London in 1958.
Brian felt hard done to by the referee after his third and final meeting with Cooper, who nicked a close call for the British, Commonwealth and European titles.
London boxed into a third decade, retiring aged 35 after losing to up-and-coming British star Bugner at Wembley in 1970.
He won 37 fights, 26 inside the distance, while losing 20 and drawing one.
London fought six times in West Hartlepool, winning all five bouts at the Engineers Club before outpointing Kitione Lave just over the road at the Greyhound Stadium.
Unlike so many in the fight game, London was shrewd with his earnings, investing it in property and business in Blackpool. For some time, he owned the famous 007 nightspot in the town.
He married childhood sweetheart, Veronica, and the couple had three children, Brian, Melanie and Jack.
His links with Hartlepool remained after Mel married Dave Garside, the British and Commonwealth heavyweight and cruiserweight title challenger who became a successful boss and promoter, managing Michael Hunter, Martin Ward and Tommy Ward among others.
Dave and Mel established North East Security in Hartlepool, a company very much flourishing today.
Two decades ago, Brian was guest of honour at a show Dave staged in Seaton Carew and he proved an absolute gentleman.
While in his late 60s then, he cut a very athletic figure – a non-drinker he still trained on a daily basis, including runs around Stanley Park in Blackpool, near his home. Fittingly this week, the cortege took a lap around it on its way to the funeral service.
Hartlepool and Blackpool have lost a true legend in Brian London.
Words: Roy Kelly
