Johnny Houlston pugile

Johnny Houlston (1917–1962) was a Welsh welterweight and middleweight boxer. Houlston was Wales welterweight champion from 1938 until he relinquished the belt with the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Houlston decision to join the Merchant Navy in 1939 resulted in him engaging in no professional bouts until he left the service in 1946. On his return to professional boxing after the war, Houlston switched to middleweight and made one unsuccessful attempt at the Welsh title. His boxing career lasted from 1935 to 1949. He was predicted to be a World Middleweight Champion before the war.Houlston was born in Cardiff in 1917 and was one of eleven children. He grew up in Nora Street in the district of Splott. Houlston took to boxing as a youth, winning three British school titles. He turned professional in 1935, after he controversially lost the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association final on points to local rival, Albert Barnes. Houlston was an elusive fighter with a good left punch and strong defensive skills. Of his 27 winning fights only one failed to go the full distance, showing an inability to finish opponents through heavy punching.Houlston took Fred Yates as his manager and trained under Ernie Hurford. His first recorded professional fight was against Douglas Lewis on 10 August 1935 at the Labour Stadium in Merthyr. The six round fight went the full distance with the referee giving the decision to Lewis. He fought at least another three times in 1935, winning all three on points. Houlston continued his winning streak into 1936, with victories over Eddie Cullen of Ynysddu and Tommy Davies of Tylorstown, both held at the Market Hall in Caerphilly. His win over Davies was the first of four known fights he undertook in May 1936, all wins. He continued his punishing schedule with another four contests in August, with only a draw against Norman Rees of Abercwmboi spoiling a perfect start to the year. Houlston finished the year with wins over Joe Thomas and Percy Enoch, before recording a draw with Les Greenaway at the King's Theatre in Cardiff.To this point Houlston has conducted all his fights in south Wales, and all against local fighters, working his way through the available Welsh welterweights. He continued this strategy through 1937, with three wins and a draw. With twenty bouts behind him, and just one loss in his opening fight, Houlston was placing himself into contention for a shot at the Wales Welterweight Championship title. A win over Curly Edwards at Pillgwelly Social Club in Newport in March 1938 set up a title eliminator with Mog Gwilliam of Pencoed. The fifteen round bout was scheduled for 3 May at the Mannesman Hall in Swansea. Gwilliam was the more experienced fighter, but came into the fight with two losses in the last three months. The fight went the full distance and the referee gave the decision to Houlston, setting up a challenge for the Wales welterweight title, held by Jack Moody of Pontypridd. Before he faced Moody, Houlston was on the card to face newly crowned Irish Welterweight champion Paddy Roche at Somerton Park in Newport. 3,500 spectators turned out to watch the match, which resulted in a win for Houlston on points. Houlston and Moody met on 25 July at the Pill Athletic Ground in Newport. Again Houlston took his opponent the full distance and again he was awarded the points decision, making him the Wales Weltereight Champion.