Johnny Cheshire

Scottish-born boxer Johnny Cheshire left home at 16 and moved to London where he sought to fight, and spar with, better quality fighters. He initially joined the Fitzroy Lodge Amateur Boxing Club, then the South Norwood Boxing Club, and became an ABA junior champion in 1965. Cheshire was in those early days a farm worker on a Kent farm owned by the father of fellow boxer Mark Rowe. Cheshire later became a clerk with a London wine company, and in 1967 joined London’s famous Repton Club.

Although he was born in Scotland, Cheshire was eligible to box for England because of his residential status and made his début against Wales in 1967. The following year Cheshire captured his only senior ABA title by beating Yorkshire’s Alan Richards on points to become the featherweight champion. Cheshire went to the Mexico Olympics as a potential medallist but was stopped in the second round of his opening bout by the eventual silver medallist [Al Robinson[() (USA).

After his defeat by Robinson, Cheshire announced that he was turning professional and in a six-year career between 1969-75 had 32 pro bouts with a 20-11-1 record. He retired after losing to Jim Watt for the British lightweight title in March 1975. Cheshire was a cousin of fellow professional, and British featherweight champion, Evan Armstrong.