JULY 2006


01 Rinsing Off the Mouthpiece
By GorDoom

02 Poem of the Month
By Tom Smario

03 Pollack's Picks
By Adam Pollack

04 Top Women Worth Watching
and Televising

By Adam Pollack

05 Holman Williams Belongs
in the Hall of Fame

By Harry Otty

06 Touching Gloves With...
"Joltin" Jeff Chandler

By Dan Hanley

07 Puppy Garcia Was
Something Special

By Enrique Encinosa

08 Muhammad's Real War
By Cliff Endicott

09 Champagne On Ice
By Ron Lipton

10 "Dick Tiger: The Life and Times
of a Boxing Immortal"

By Adeyinka Makinde

11 Floyd Patterson:
He Always Got Up

By Ron Lipton

12 Nat Fleischer, "Mr. Boxing"
By Monte Cox

13 "Ring of Hate"
Book Review by J.D. Vena

14 "Gilroy Was Here"
Book Review by Mike Delisa

15 Audio From the Archives [mp3]
The CBZ presents another classic boxing-themed radio show. This month we have the Thin Man in "The Passionate Palooka," from July 6, 1948


"Gilroy Was Here"
by Jim Glen and Ian Macfarlane

Book review by Mike DeLisa

Bert Gilroy was perhaps one of the unluckiest boxers of the first half of the last century. In 1939, just as he was approaching his peak, the Scottish boxer, like so many other fighting men of his era, was called to war.

One unfortunate circumstance is that Gilroy, besides being deprived of his opportunity at a world title, is that his entire career seems to have been obliterated and forgotten. Luckily, a recent book, Gilroy Was Here corrects that unfortunate loss.

Gilroy Was Here, which was written by Gilroy's grandson and Ian Macfarlane, is a tremendous look into the world of pre- and postwar British boxing. Some of the internecine political squabbles were tougher than the battles in the ring, but through it all, Gilroy remained a dedicated, talented performer.

Gilroy, born in Airdrie, Scotland, in 1918 to parents of Italian ethnicity, began boxing at age 15, in 1933. In addition to the sanctioned bouts of the day, Gilroy fought many unsanctioned bouts as well as an estimated 300 "booth" bouts, meeting all comers. In 1938, just 20 years old, Gilroy annexed the Scottish middleweight championship by whipping Tommy Smith over 15 rounds. After beating tough "Ginger" Saad, Gilroy was matched with the "Rochdale Thunderbolt" Jock McAvoy.

Unfortunately, a serious illness prevented Gilroy from meeting McAvoy -- indeed many thought his career was over. The authors do an excellent job of tracing Gilroy's career during these desperate times. Gilroy's comeback starting in 1941 was a marvel, and his bouts are fairly described.

The authors also go into detail as to how Gilroy was treated by the British Board of Boxing Control, which allowed other British fighters to duck Gilroy. Gilroy Was Here is an excellent look at an unfairly overlooked fighter, and is highly recommended by the Cyber Boxing Zone.

Gilroy Was Here is printed in Great Britain by Copy Tech UK limited. Copyright GlenMac, 2004. 236 pp. Illustrated Softcover. To purchase a copy, contact Clay Moyle at cmoyle@aol.com or visit www.prizefightingbooks.com.

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