Dave Crowley pugile

Dave Crowley (4 May 1910 – 11 December 1974) was a British boxer. After winning an Area title at bantamweight, he moved up to featherweight, at which he challenged for a world title, before moving up again to lightweight, at which he was British champion in 1938. He went on to have several minor film roles.Born in London, Crowley made his professional debut in August 1929, drawing with George Crain. Initially a bantamweight, Crowley was unbeaten in his first nine fights before suffering his first defeat in December 1929 to Fred Davison, who stopped him in the third round. By late 1932 he had built up an impressive record, winning 55 of his first 64 fights, and in November beat Bill Lewis to become the Southern Area bantamweight champion. Crowley went on to face some of the top bantamweights around including losses to Panama Al Brown and Seaman Tommy Watson, and in 1934 moved up to featherweight.Crowley successfully challenged Tommy Rogers in May 1934 for the Scottish Area featherweight title, taking a 15-round points decision. In June he beat Belgian champion Francois Machtens, and the following month stopped Auguste Gyde in the eleventh round. He was beaten on points in October by World featherweight champion Freddie Miller. In December he got his first British title shot when he challenged Nel Tarleton at Wembley Arena; Tarleton took a points decision to retain the title. In May 1935 he challenged for Benny Caplan's Southern Area title, but the fight ended in a draw. He beat Machtens again on September 1935.In 1936 he travelled to the United States where he won his first fight, an 8-round points decision over Al Gillette in April. He then drew with Mike Belloise the following month, and in September challenged for Belloise's NYSAC World featherweight title at Madison Square Garden. The fight ended controversially; After being knocked down in the eighth round, Crowley was again knocked down in the ninth but claimed he was fouled. The referee judged it a valid knockdown and counted Crowley out.Crowley moved up to lightweight on his return to England, with some success, beating Harry Mizler (twice), Jimmy Walsh, and Petey Sarron, and a win over George Odwell in a title eliminator set him up for a challenge for Walsh's British title in June 1938 at Anfield; Crowley took a points decision to become British champion. He won his next two fights before making a defence of his British title in December against an 18-year old Eric Boon. Boon knocked him out in the thirteenth round to take the title.In January 1939 Crowley married showgirl Jill Leslie Clayton at a London register office.