Alf Barnes

Cardiff’s Albert Barnes, known affectionately as Alf, had a remarkable four years as Britain’s finest bantamweight in the mid-1930s. The reigning Welsh champion, he beat Laurie Case to win the 1934 ABA bantamweight title, and four months later, lost to Fred Ryan in a controversial British Empire Games final. Barnes had beaten Ryan on his way to winning his ABA title. Unfortunately, despite being selected, Barnes had to miss the European Championships in Budapest that year, and his place was taken by Case. Barnes failed to retain his ABA title in 1935, losing in the semi-final to Case, but enjoyed a great moment later that year when he beat future American world NBA featherweight champion Petey Scalzo in front of 48,000 fans at New York’s Yankee Stadium in a “Golden Gloves” match between Great Britain and the United States.

Barnes won a second ABA bantamweight title in 1936 when his opponent was again Case who, unfortunately, had to withdraw with a shoulder injury. Later that year at the Berlin Olympics, Barnes was defeated in his second round contest by the eventual bronze medallist Fidel Ortíz of Mexico. Barnes, who represented Wales as a teenager, rounded off a successful career by capturing his third ABA title in 1937 at the expense of fellow Cardiff boxer Jackie Pottinger. Barnes retired with four Welsh and three British titles to his name. He never turned professional and was content working in a local flour mill. He served in the RAF during World War II and after the hostilities worked for a football pools company before opening his own betting shop.